How to Prioritize Your Mental Health

As Thanksgiving break nears, students everywhere begin to dread and mentally prepare for the sleep deprivation and stress that comes with finals season. While scheduling study sessions is top of the to-do list, we can’t forget to pencil in time for self-care. Making our mental health a priority is essential to our well-being and essential to avoiding burnout. Self-care can be as luxurious as a massage or as simple as stepping outside to enjoy a few deep breaths of fresh air. Even if your self-care is occasional or non-existent, there are easy ways to make prioritizing your mental health a daily habit.

Here are some of our tried-and-true techniques:

Practice Gratitude

Practicing gratitude is one of the smallest acts you can implement in your daily routine, yet its impacts are huge. Multiple psychological studies have linked gratitude to a greater sense of self-esteem, empathy, and overall happiness. Practicing gratitude also boosts our immune systems and strengthens our relationships with ourselves and others. One of my favorite ways to practice gratitude is by journaling in The Five Minute Journal.

Get Active

Being active throughout your day is another great, easy way to prioritize your mental health. Taking time to exercise – whether it be walking outside, practicing yoga, or stretching before bed – is proven to increase your mood and relieve your stress levels. If you’re looking for a new way to be active, health coach Melissa Wood’s subscription-based program combines pilates, yoga, and guided meditation to help get both your mind and your body in their best shape ever. For more on the mental benefits of exercise, click here!

Be Kind to Yourself and Others

Many people underestimate the power of kindness. Kindness is key to prioritizing your mental health, and it starts within our own thoughts and the way we talk to ourselves. For example, in times of disappointment, it’s important to reframe “failure.” See these moments as personal feedback and opportunities for growth instead. It’s also important to acknowledge what you are doing right. Celebrate yourself! We are all doing our best, and in order to prioritize our mental health, we need to show ourselves the kindness we would show a best friend. Making kindness a habit also means saying please and thank you daily, even to your Siri or Alexa. 

Confide in a Counselor

While there are many ways to prioritize our mental health, stress and anxiety can be difficult to manage on our own. There are so many valuable resources available to us such as SMU Counseling or services such as BetterHelp. Connecting with a professional therapist can lighten your emotional load and teach you ways to manage the overwhelming thoughts and feelings we all experience. Therapy is an investment in yourself, which is the ultimate way to prioritize your mental health.

However you choose to practice self-care, what’s important is making it a habit. Start small, goal set, and reward yourself along the way. For more tips on prioritizing your mental health, check out this CCPA guide to coping with stress.