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How to Improve Your Mental Health in 2024

ByEverything Sarah

When you prioritize and focus on your mental health, you will improve in all aspects of your life! Keep reading to learn how to improve your mental health in the year 2024.

Incorporate Self-Care Activities Into Your Daily Routine

Self-care is so important when it comes to taking care of your mental health. It can be a huge struggle to find time and energy to incorporate self-care into your day, so I recommend keeping it very simple. Choose self-care activities that are easy and quick but will improve your mental health.

Simple Self-Care Ideas:

  • Go for a 10-minute walk outside or on the treadmill
  • Write in a journal
  • Listen to relaxing music
  • Do your skincare routine
  • Read a chapter of a book
  • Do some coloring
  • Write a blog post or read blog posts
  • Create a gratitude list
  • Relax with a face mask or eye masks
  • Update your Spotify playlists
  • Use a shower steamer or bath bomb

Related Post: Self-Care Ideas To Boost Your Mood

Find essential products that help you improve your self-care and make it easy for you to incorporate self-care into your day.

Must Have Self-Care Products:

Check out my post Top 10 Must Have Self-Care Must Haves From Amazon for more ideas!

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Improve Your Fitness and Nutrition Routines

Your physical health significantly impacts your mental health, so it is very important to keep up with your fitness and nutrition routines. You don’t need to do anything extreme but simply getting your steps in, going for walks, choosing healthier meal options, staying hydrated, etc. These simple improvements will really enhance your physical health and in turn, your mental health. 

Simple ways to improve your physical health:

  • Go for daily walks
  • Track your steps
  • Hydrate!
  • Choose healthy meal options
  • Get enough sleep
  • Do daily stretches
  • Take your vitamins
  • Reduce caffeine and alcohol consumption

Check out my in depth post on How To Create a Fitness Routine You Will Actually Stick With

TRY OUT NEW HOBBIES

Hobbies are a great way to take care of your mental health. Finding a new hobby can help you feel more motivated, more fulfilled, and add more fun and excitement in your life. Hobbies give you something to look forward to and a reason to do something that focuses on your own happiness.

Hobbies to try out:

  • Writing or blogging
  • Create social media content
  • Gardening
  • Painting or coloring
  • Reading
  • Learn a new instrument
  • Teach yourself a new language
  • Calligraphy
  • Makeup or Skincare
  • Knitting or crocheting

If you don’t know where to start when finding a new hobby, think about a topic you have always been interested in or that grabs your attention. Search the topic you would like to learn about and you will find blog posts with workbook downloads or courses you can take to learn about that topic.

Topic ideas to learn about:

  • Blogging
  • Makeup or Skincare
  • Computers or Technology
  • Music
  • Plants
  • Mental Health
  • Another language
  • Other countries
Declutter Your Home and Work Area

It’s so true that if your home or work area are cluttered that your mind will be too. Take some time to declutter and organize your work area and you will feel more at ease and less anxious.

Tips on Decluttering:

  • Start small; pick one closet or drawer and start there
  • Donate anything you don’t use that is still in good condition; if you haven’t used it or worn it in a year, you probably never will
  • Make it fun! Play an upbeat or throwbacks playlist while you declutter
  • Get drawer or closet organizers to make it easier to separate and organize everything
  • Make a habit of putting items away as soon as you are done using them
Decrease Caffeine and Alcohol Consumption

This is the number one thing that I changed in the new year that has made a world of a difference with my mental health. Sometimes you don’t notice how something is affecting you until you decide to try and change it. 

I found myself having new anxiety symptoms more than I had before, such as, my heart was racing constantly and I couldn’t slow it down. I finally made the decision to decrease my caffeine intake and it completely got rid of those symptoms. I thought the caffeine was helping me have more energy but now that I have less caffeine I find myself having way more energy, without the heart-racing feeling. Decreasing your caffeine and alcohol consumption will result in your mind being more clear and less foggy. It might be very difficult at first but in time it will truly benefit your mental health.

Tips on decreasing caffeine or alcohol intake:

  • Switch it out with something else you like such as: having a different carbonated drink instead of an energy drink, having decaf coffee, having delicious mocktails
  • Remind yourself how good you feel later or how much better you sleep with less caffeine or less alcohol
  • Do it slowly; don’t cut it out all at once, you can start by slowly having less caffeine or alcohol
  • Drink slower; if you are having an energy drink or wine, etc., try sipping it slowly so you don’t find yourself getting refills right away and consuming more than you want to
WORK ON BEING PRESENT IN THE MOMENT

This is something that I learned in therapy that truly changed my life. Our minds tend to focus on the past or the future, which can cause anxious feelings. By reminding yourself to stay present you can focus on the now and not worry about what has happened or what might happen. Being mindful and living in the current moment will really decrease your anxious thoughts and distractions in your mind.

How to be present in the moment:

  • Do breathing exercises
  • Focus on how your physical body feels: is your jaw clenched? brows raised? are you hunched over?
  • Journal or write out your current thoughts
  • Go for a walk and focus on any sounds or smells outside
  • Don’t look at a screen: read a book, go for a walk, make some tea, play with a pet, take a relaxing bath
  • Set reminders to remind yourself to bring your thoughts back to the present moment
  • Talk to a friend or loved one
Consider Therapy or Counselling

Life is too stressful, too overwhelming, and too much to go through on our own. Going to a professional will really give you an outlet to express yourself, how you’re feeling, and what you want to work on. I tried about 5 different therapists until I found one that really understood what I was going through and could help me the way that I needed. Don’t get discouraged if you try therapy and it doesn’t work for you, you will find the right therapist that can help you!

Tips on finding the right therapist for you:

  • If you have a specific issue you are struggling with, do your research and find a therapist that specializes or has background in helping with that issue.
  • Ask people you know! Getting a recommendation from someone you know personally is very helpful. Therapy is very common these days and it doesn’t hurt to ask if anyone has someone good they would recommend.
  • Have an initial consult with a few therapists. This is typically done over the phone for about a 15 minute conversation so you can get a feel if they will be a good fit for you. 
  • Try a few! I tried about 5+ different therapists and did feel discouraged at first but then I finally found one that really understood me and how to help me and it changed my life

What are you planning on doing in 2024 that will improve your mental health? Let me know in the comments below.

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