When you think about taking care of your health, the first thought that probably comes to mind is your physical health. In reality, prioritizing your mental health is just as important. While looking out for your mental health can often mean seeking professional health depending on your situation, there are several initiatives you can make at home to ensure your well being. Brink’s Money helps you with financial wellness and that’s why we have gathered a few affordable ways you can take care of your mental wellness. 

Go Outside

Perhaps one of the most if not the most affordable self care act is to go outside. Going outside can mean so much more than a simple walk around the neighborhood. Some ideas include gardening or going for a ride on your bike. Several studies suggest a correlation between spending some time outside and a decrease in levels of stress and anxiety. Regardless of where you live, odds are you have access to an open space and if you want to get out of your neighborhood perhaps try a park or a close space that will help you get your mind off things. 

Practice Mindfulness

With a lot constantly going on around you, it can be difficult to set aside time for the things that make you happy. Even when you have five minutes to spare of your day, practicing mindfulness can help you be present and in the moment and shift your focus onto yourself. Mindfulness means being aware of something and this can be achieved through meditating, practicing breathing exercises, or yoga. For an even more relaxing experience, take your mindfulness activities out in the sun. 

Know How to Manage Stress

We all experience stress in one way or another. Unfortunately, it’s a normal part of life. You can often feel stressed out physically when you haven’t gotten enough sleep but mental stress can be the result of you worrying about your job, finances, a relationship and so much more. As a result, putting all your energy towards worrying can bring you down. Although completely avoiding stress is an impossible task, you can definitely learn to better manage it. Every person manages stress in a different way but perhaps you’ll find that taking these tips will help you release some tension. First and foremost, it’s important that you take one thing at a time. Avoid overwhelming yourself by thinking about each and every thing you need to accomplish. Instead, start off by taking care of the easy tasks first or the ones that need your attention the most. Once you are done with a task, then you can move on to the next. Second, know your limits. If you are feeling like things are getting to be too much, it’s essential that you know how to say “no” to avoid taking on more than you can handle. Lastly, try out some stress reducing techniques and find the one that works best for you. 

Talk to a Loved One

One of the most effective ways to look out for yourself is to get things off your chest and have someone to lend an ear. Friends and family members are great outlets for discussing your feelings. If you think talking to a loved one will give you the boost you need, avoid texting them and instead give them a call or set some time to meet up. Talking to someone in person will help you feel more connected. 

Get Enough Sleep

You have probably heard someone tell you that you should aim to get seven to nine hours of sleep every night. The truth is that getting a good night’s sleep can make an incredible difference on your everyday wellbeing and offers great benefits such as improved mood, better immune system function, and it can even help you concentrate better during the day. 

Write

One of our recommendations to clear your mind and get your thoughts out is to journal or write them down somewhere. There’s two different approaches you can take with journaling. First, you could write down all of your anxieties or whatever is causing you stress, crumble it up, and throw it away. On the other hand, you can take your journal and use it to write down the things you are grateful for or what makes you happy in life. 

Change Your Routine

Sitting in one place or scrolling through your phone for long periods of time can be draining and in turn can negatively affect your mental health. Switching up your day-to-day routine or making a few changes can help you break out of a cycle and alleviate certain anxieties. Taking up healthy routine practices can do you some good. A few helpful practices can be taking short walks after you’ve completed a task, picking up a new hobby, or rewarding yourself with a snack as you get through the day. 

Making your health a priority is important and that includes your mental health which can oftentimes get overlooked. If you’re on a tight budget right now but want to take steps towards taking care of mental health, there are ways to improve your outlook that don’t break the bank or require a great deal of effort. 

Looking for ways to help you budget? Learn more about free budgeting tools with the Brink’s Money Prepaid Mastercard.