You’ve cleaned your house, your car, your office and your wallet, but what about spring cleaning for the mind? Indeed, this may be the perfect time to declutter your mind and make way for positive thoughts. Mental health cleansing may sound silly at first, but it can make a tremendous difference in your happiness and productivity. Check out these mental health spring cleaning tips from Urban Balance counseling offices.
Find Closure for the Things You’ve Been Holding onto
Grudges are junk piles in your mind. Seriously, think about how much hours you’ve spent dwelling over someone else’s actions. Did it make them feel any remorse? Probably not. All it did was prevent you from having a good time. During your mental health spring cleaning, find closure for the loose ends in your life. Forgive, forget, and move forward. Don’t let the past hold you back from your happiness.
Remove Toxic People from Your Life
This is a tough but necessary step in improving your life as a whole. If there are people in your life that bring nothing but negative energy, it’s time to let them go. This doesn’t mean you have to stop talking to them completely. Just distance yourself as much as possible. If you’ve provided the same type of help for the same person over and over, say no the next time they ask. Let them struggle for a little bit so they find the strength to pick themselves up. It’s time to focus on yourself so you can be strong when it really counts.
Evaluate Your Commitments – Are You Stretched Too Thin?
If you’ve been a ‘yes man’ (or woman) for years, you may have over-committed across the board. One activity turned into a dozen, and now you barely have time for yourself. Look over your calendar for the year, especially for seasonal activities. Is it all manageable, or have you stretched yourself too thin? If you need to take a break from one commitment to focus on your mental health, do it. No questions asked.
Take a Mental Health Day off Work
Most businesses now offer mental health days in addition to paid sick days. These are either paid days off or days you can take off without any penalties. If your employer has this type of program, consider taking a personal day in the near future. Use the day to catch up on errands, or just use the day to rest and rejuvenate. You’ll be amazed what a single, unplanned 24 hour day will do for you.
Do Something for You, JUST You
When is the last time you did something for you and you alone? Bought a new outfit, went to your favorite restaurant, watched a sappy movie, etc. When you have a spouse, kids, friends, or even pets, it’s easy to pour all your time and money into others. You deserve to be treated every now and then. Your next day off, do something that is purely and selfishly just for you.
Identify Lifestyle Habits Worth Changing
Remember those New Year’s resolutions you set in January? How many have you actually held onto? You don’t have to reserve life changes for the beginning of the year. They can happen at any time. Take a moment to evaluate your life habits. Are there any worth getting rid of? This could be anything from quitting smoking to eating healthier foods. Find areas of your life that need improvement, and set realistic goals to make those improvements a reality.
For even more mental health tips and self-improvement strategies, contact Urban Balance at (888) 726-7170 or intake@urbanbalance.com. We have counseling offices in Missouri and Illinois with over 100 specialists to assist you. We will match you with the best counselor for your unique needs, whether it be anxiety treatment, depression counseling, addiction therapy, or any other service.