There’s something about a new year that provides closure and allows you refreshed mental health.

With a little intention, you can use this momentum to develop good mental health habits.

Mental health is one of the easiest needs to ignore until it begins to degrade.

Then, it becomes pressingly important. The best way to eliminate that degradation is to make just a little effort on a regular basis to stay in a better spot. Too easily, stress can become overwhelming, relationships strained, work becomes all-encompassing and you are left depleted. Soon you are no longer in that better mental space the new year opened up.

Mental health can look a little different for everyone. There are some high-yield practices that are different for each individual. For one a big adventure might be the ticket back to a good spot, for someone else it might be reading a book or getting a massage. These are important to integrate into your life.

However, there are a few practices you can do each day, all in just an hour to maintain your mental health, and they work for everyone.

Meditation

It’s exciting that meditation has become more mainstream. Participating in meditation doesn’t necessarily mean you sit criss-cross applesauce humming–though you can. Meditation can take many different forms. You pick the method that works best for you. The key is to focus on breathing and present mindnesses. As much as possible, find stillness and then pay attention to your breathing. Your mind will wander, that is just what minds do. When it does, call it back, congratulate yourself for noticing, and then focus on your breath. Just 10 minutes of meditation can yield big results.

There are different tools used within mediation, such as mantras or prayer. To get started, just try it. You can learn various methods as you explore the practice. There are resources all around you. One of my favorite approaches is guided meditation. I particularly love Boho Beautiful Guided Meditations. For me, her voice is soothing and calming, but you don’t have to use this one, just find one that works for you.

Nature and Exercise

I put these two together, because why not double the good you’re doing for yourself in the same half hour? I’m not talking about going to the gym. All you need to do is a simple 30-minute walk. Of course, you can use a treadmill and listen to a book or watch a show, but if you find a quiet place to walk, you will double the good for your mental health.

There are numerous health benefits from a 30-minute walk. That’s an added bonus. Mentally, it will help you calm your mind. It will give you clarity on issues that are troubling you or that you would like to resolve. You will feel mentally different when you are done–awake and calm.

Walking in nature boosts the benefits. This doesn’t have to be at the ocean or up a mountain, just going to a local park, or walking down the sidewalk by your work can make a difference. If you go to a quiet place with greenery, so much the better. Just being outside helps reduce anxiety and depression. With appropriate gear you can walk in any weather and make it a good experience.

Journaling

There’s no way around it, your mind gets bogged down with life. Journaling offers excellent relief to the mental load you carry.

Journaling can be used to release emotions, set goals, and find clarity. There’s no certain way or amount that has to be done. It could consist of doodles or drawings, be a paragraph or pages. One of the benefits is that you can use it in the way you find beneficial. You can use it to throw out words and emotions you can share no other way. You can use it to set goals or report on problems.

The most important element is simply to do it.

Gratitude

I’m sure you’ve heard how powerful gratitude is. In a nutshell, gratitude helps change our mental train of thought. When life is feeling awful you can look at the sky and be thankful for the sunshine, focus on your paycheck, and be grateful you can care for yourself.

Every day holds something to be grateful for and spending just a little time each day focusing on what that is can change the way you feel. Write it down or just say it in your head. Share it with those you love. Any of these methods will yield the same benefit as it resets your mental train of thought.

An Hour a Day Mental Health Routine

Are you ready to start a mental health routine? I created a nifty reference guide in several different styles to post where you can remember that you deserve an hour of self-care every day. This routine will help strengthen your mental muscles and give you greater resilience when you face the challenges that inevitably come with life.

Free Printables

Click on the printable you would like and it will automatically download to your computer.

PRO TIP:

Put your phone away. Use it to set timers if you like, but then set it aside and don’t pick it up and let it distract you!