When can I possibly take a break in this demanding, chaotic world??
Honestly....I know. I can hear those thoughts and understand what your view is around the idea of taking a break.
This seems more like a moooood.
You may have stumbled across this article for a number of reasons. I, Lucy, have either shared it with you, which by the way thanks for reading ehe, or you are looking on google for some sort of guidance as you feel exhausted. You are tired, feeling burnt out and out of charge. You don't feel deserving. This is why you need a break!
No, not the lunch break you get on work or at the office, but a mental health break.
What is a mental health break?
A mental health break is distancing yourself from the worries and stress you are usually captivated by. This enables you to unwind. It allows you to reinforce your thoughts, feel more relaxed and actually take a breather.
How to take a mental health break?
There are many ways to take a mental health break. This activities will serve as guidance to help you reevaluate what works for you. Take time to indulge in an activity that serves you with clarity and a clear mind. Something that of course benefits your health and wellbeing. After all, you want to reward yourself and feel reenergised. These following activities may look like a mental health break to you:
- Meditating
- Doing Yoga
- Going for a walk
- Reading a book
- Taking a bath
- Having a coffee or tea break
- Having a proper meal
- Cooking
- Doing your skincare
- Exercising
- Meeting with friends
- Going to a cafe
- Going to the park
- Having a picnic
- Getting creative with some crafts, writing or a little DIY project
There are many alternatives and the suggestions I have provided above may or may not work for YOU. However, this is ok! It is all about figuring out what works best for you. What give you mental clarity. These activities must be healthy and beneficial to your mind and body!
Feeling lost
It can become draughting. You may seek further help when being mentally exhausted. Thankfully there are many organisations out there created to help you and others feeling the same. You are human and after all, you have taken your first step here, by reading this article and seeking guidance online. I will list below some organisations that might help:
- Mind
This mental health charity provides support and helps you tackle your feelings, making you feel less alone. They offer help for everyone and at any age. These resources they provide are all free and they even offer a helpline to speak with someone. They have done intensive research to uncover what mental health is and delve further into the subject to guide you.
Headspace is an app that provides tools and activities for you to do when you are feeling rough. They have researched into the tools they provide, backing it with science to ensure you get the most out of it. They focus on providing resources to reduce stress, provide mental clarity and allow you to live a healthier, happier life. They believe in making mental health resources accessible to everyone.
Health in mind is a charity that through their campaigns, collaborations and resources, they reinforce hope and a better understanding of wellbeing as well as your mental health. They provide articles to uncover important information of what it is you feel, offering advice and guidance on how to tackle your concerns. They also make newsletters packed with useful information as well as allow you to reach out to them, enquire with what your worries are to further support you.
Taking a mental health break is necessary. Count it as a part of a routine that you need to take pride on and reinforce into your lifecycle. Mental health breaks are proven to better your well being and enable you to live happier. It allows for you to burn off some steam. So, make a cuppa! Have a tea break, put on the television and some fluffy socks. Sit back and switch off your mobile phone. Relieve yourself from the outside world and create boundaries. It is important to know when to create boundaries and where to draw a line to prevent burnout and mental exhaustion.
Everyone needs a break from time to time. It can be hard to recognise when. So, when you feel the following please reach out to someone and take recognition to how you are feeling:
In everything you do, you feel low on energy and find it hard to grasp the momentum of what it is you are doing. Your body feels like it has ran out of charge and there's no point.
You feel zapped of energy and it can not only have an effect on your mental health, but also your physical health.
You feel frequently down and irritable about almost everything. It is all getting on your nerves and you feel like the world has it all against you. Nothing is working in your favour!
You tend to think low and negative. You are constantly down and frustrated.
You are constantly turning down plans and doing things alone. You disconnect with others and don't feel the need to socialise. You isolate, and although it is important to have alone time, when you are in such a mental state, you are damaging relationships around you and allowing the stress to lay on you single handedly.
These are just some of the signs that you need to take a mental break. Taking action to prevent yourself from falling deeper into a poor mental state is highly encouraged. You can seek help from some of the many organisations, even those listed in my article. You could also take action by doing the things you enjoy and for what it is worth, always following up with a mental health professional.
Your first step into taking action was here. You did great! Finding out how to deal with your issues is a step forward and a massive step so well done.
This seems more like a moooood. 