Part 2 – Ten Tips for Mental Health

In our last blog post, we talked about the first five of The Canadian Mental Health Association’s Ten Tips for Mental Health that are a useful guideline for what we can all do each and every day to care for ourselves and maintain our well-being. They were Build Confidence, Eat right & Keep fit, Make Time for Family and Friends, Give and Accept Support, and Create a Meaningful Budget.

Here are the second five tips to help achieve and maintain wellness and balance:

Volunteer

There are a number of amazing benefits to volunteering. Not only do you pitch in to help others and your community, which is its own reward, but you can meet new people, develop new knowledge and skills and have the satisfaction of knowing that others need you. Pick something that is meaningful for you, not necessarily what is related to your job or professional skills. Branch out and know that just a few hours here and there can make a big difference for you as well as others.

Manage Stress


Stress is your body and mind’s response to some kind of demand. We all have stress in our lives, and the goal is not to rid our lives of stress but to learn how to manage it before it causes disruption and long-term impacts. Stress management is a huge topic, but it boils down to becoming familiar with what causes you to feel stressed and overwhelmed, what you can do to manage your stress, and how you can build resilience and coping abilities to reduce stress in the future.

Stress management can be anything from meditation to assertive communication to watching a funny movie to seeing a counsellor – it all depends on what reduces the stress for you and helps you feel more in control and less overwhelmed.

Find Strength in Numbers

Sharing a problem with others who have had similar experiences may help you find a solution and feel less isolated. Friends, family, and support groups are all great options. Listening ears, understanding, and sharing ideas can be helpful – just keep in mind that everyone copes in their own ways and it’s up to you to choose the path that is healthiest and best for you.

Identify and Deal with Moods


Check in regularly with how you are feeling and think about your moods and what contributes to them. For example, you may notice that you feel a bit irritable in the afternoons. What can you do about that? Maybe taking a short walk, having a healthy snack, or closing your eyes and doing some deep breathing for a few minutes might help. Open, respectful communication can also head off problems and help you get things off your chest.

Learn to Be at Peace with Yourself

Get to know who you are, what makes you happy, and how you can balance what you can and cannot change in your life. Sure, easier said than done – it takes work and practice. Reflect on things that are challenging or frustrating to you and think about what you can do to change them. If you can’t change them, find constructive ways to cope with them and get what support you need.

Do you have some tips for mental health and wellness that you’d like to share? We’d love to hear them! Contact Melanie at [email protected].