5 Ways to Prioritize Your Mental Health This Month

Whatever timeline you're on, you're doing great. Oftentimes we forget to take care of the most important thing that we need to function as working adults—our mental health. It's just something that comes with the territory of being a working professional. According to studies, one in four workers experience a moderate level of stress on any given workday and 60 percent said that they felt stressed three or more work days per week, on average. This means that, on any given day, more workers are feeling stressed than not. This has become the norm for many working professionals.

Since the pandemic, working from home has reduced stress among professionals, it has also increased leading contributors to stress—like burnout. 69%, of employees are experiencing burnout symptoms while working from home, according to Monster. Factors contributing to these results are simply that people are not taking time off, using vacation days and most people don't plan on using vacation days. Not only is it important to start prioritizing your mental health overall, what better way to do it than during the month that supports the movement. Use this as a reminder to take a break, talk to a loved one, or simply—rest. We are all still trying to develop healthy working habits. Whether you are beginning to return to your offices, still working from home, or you're an essential worker, here are five ways that you should prioritize your mental health this month and beyond.

Put yourself on a meal schedule

A common, yet unfortunate workday woah that I've been discussing with my friends is their lack of eating balanced meals each day. Whether they are working from home or commuting currently, I often hear that they are skipping breakfast. Research shows that diet has a direct impact on work output and productivity levels than most of us realize, so it's important for us to practice balanced eating habits by at least eating 2-3 nutrient-dense meals per day.

Make a to-do list in order of priority

There are not enough hours in the day to try and focus on getting everything done. Start with small goals each day that lead to your larger goals for the weak. Oftentimes the rule of thumb is to work on harder, more time consuming tasks first and save the easier ones for later. In an effort to start with smaller goals, try working on the easier ones first to exercise that productivity muscle and build your mental endurance to work on more difficult tasks. This may help you get more done throughout each day.

Take breaks!

Lunch breaks are important to recharge and have a meal that will fuel you for the next working hours. It's also important to take small breaks in between tasks. Sometimes we tell ourselves that we can push through by working continuously with a break being the prize. Make breaks a necessity in your day to day. Breaks can consist of going for a walk around the block or spending ten minutes doing something unrelated to work—journal, read a book, take a nap, get a coloring book. Clear your mind for a minute.

Invest in some plant life

According to a study published in the Journal of Physiological Anthropology, active interaction with indoor plants—like touching and smelling—can reduce physiological and psychological stress. Not only are they great to look at, it's been proven that they also boost your mood by releasing cytokines, which then leads your brain to produce more serotonin. Start off with something resilient and easy to care for like a snake plant or air plants.

Use your personal days

They are given to us for a reason. As most companies "personal days" can be used for whatever your need, whether it's a family emergency, you're moving, or you just need a day. Let's normalize making personal mental health days. Sometimes we all just need a break to ease our mind and get a fresh start. If you have personal days at your job, here's a reminder to use one this month.