Cleanse Your Psyche in the Spring
As you tidy up your space , your finances, and your digital life , keep in mind that your brain can get cluttered too. Here’s how you can figure it out to be happier and (mentally) healthier.
At Lifehacker, we take spring cleaning very seriously. We are far from missing out on an opportunity to refresh, reorganize and streamline our home life. We’re also very excited to hit the reset button with our technology, take a close look at our finances, and get the better of our day-to-day habits that have gotten a little musty. Welcome to Spring Cleaning Week as we clear away the winter cobwebs and set the stage for the sunny days ahead. Let’s clean up, okay?
Monitor your mental health
Before we go any further, let’s be clear on one thing: a few life hacks won’t help solve depression, anxiety, or other serious mental health issues alone.
If you’ve dealt with mental health problems in the past, consider if you’re going back to old habits and it’s time to talk to the professionals who have helped you in the past. Don’t forget about hotlines and support groups as well.
If you have new problems or have never worried about getting a diagnosis, consider talking to a professional. If you don’t like it yet, at least take an online screening test like depression, anxiety and more . You can get help from the comfort of your home using apps, chatbots, text messages or video conferencing with a real therapist.
Set aside more time for the things you love.
Make a list of all the good things in your life – past, present, or future. With any luck, this will be a long list; maybe you can narrow it down to the top ten. Include anything that makes you happy, or that you find satisfying or worthwhile in some way.
Chances are, there are things on this list that you haven’t done in a while, and perhaps you feel guilty about this. There are probably others that you would like to do, but you have neither the time nor the money – the vacation will not take place just because you want to. But don’t forget about easy wins: maybe you’ve completely forgotten that you love relaxing baths .
Use this list as a guide and see how many things you love will find place in your life. You might be able to take that vacation next year if you start saving money for it now. Include all the little things you can, but don’t be discouraged if you can’t fit everything; It’s okay to have some hobbies that you actively pursue and others that remain in the background. No guilt.
Build systems to suppress self-criticism
We all have negative thoughts at times, although if they get you, definitely reconsider your mental health options outlined above.
Fortunately, there are tons of ways to deal with negative thoughts that will make you feel better, not worse. One easy way is to stop stupid thoughts from Mental Health America. The essence of this approach is to identify your stupid thoughts and write them down on a card. Then turn the card over and write an appropriate sympathetic thought, for example, what you might say to your friend if he said something bad about himself.
If anxiety or anxiety is your problem, try this flowchart to deal with those stressful thoughts . You wonder if the concern should really bother you, and then switch to finding solutions.
For other harmful thoughts and urges, there are apps that can help you calm down or distract yourself until the thought dies down.
Your job right now – while you are doing your spring cleaning – is to decide which of these approaches will help you, and then apply it in case the next negative thought arises.
Give yourself time to think
You don’t have to do traditional meditation to clear your mind , but it’s worth trying if you haven’t already. Apps like Calm and Headspace can give you a friendly introduction to the practice.
But you can be attentive in your daily life as well . If you like the app’s approach, try Buddhify for short notes that guide you through mindful eating, walks, or commuting.
If this is not for you, do not worry – you can clear your mind in any way that suits you. Runners often curse while running (with or without music) to understand what’s going on in their head. You can walk around the city or “swim” in nature . Your mind may be relaxed by a repetitive task like knitting or washing dishes.
Get rid of useless tech habits
Our phones are both great and dangerous for our mental health. It’s great that we can connect with friends anytime and easily find pictures of puppies or download games to help us relax.
But phones and everything on them are addictive. Do we really need to browse more social media even if we know it makes us sad ? Find out what you really do and don’t want to do on your phone, and change your home screen and your habits accordingly. The balance here will be different for everyone, but most importantly, you will understand what improves your mind.