huzzah!
We are so glad to know that your self-assessment showed that you are doing a-ok.
Let’s keep that momentum rolling. Here are three key ways to protect your mental health. These may seem small, but we consistently see that they made a huge difference.
Method #1: Protect your rest and play.
The more responsible we are, the more likely we are to start ignoring rest and play. But there is very clear research about the importance of getting out and doing something you love. So take the bike ride, buy another puzzle, make time for that concert. Whatever it is, it’s ok to spend the time and money.
Method #2: Regularly check in.
Make it a habit to check in on yourself after a shift or a work-week. It can be as simple as quietly sitting in the car for 3 minutes before you go into the house. Take a few deep breaths, notice how you feel, and think about anything distressing or hard about your shift/week. We can get so busy running from one thing to the next, we don’t stop to listen. So make it a habit.
Method #3: Have a plan for adjusting.
One thing we often find is that you might not want to consider how you are doing because then you would have to do something about it. Which makes sense, but doesn’t work very well. So make a plan - if you check in and aren’t doing well, what do you need? A jog? 20 minutes of quiet time to yourself? A phone call with someone you trust?
If any of these steps seem hard to achieve, we can help. Knowing how you are doing and what you need is actually a skill, and just like everything else, we need training and practice.
We’ve built a training program specifically to help build those skills.