Mental & Emotional Well-Being: Taking Care of Yourself To Boost Productivity

Let's face it: we all want to be more productive so we can achieve our goals. In fact, it’s probably one of the reasons why you’re here, reading this blog post just like you’ve read many others. You’re not alone—we all seek guidance and direction so we can finally get started in making our dreams come true. But out of all the tips, tricks, and science-backed information we’ve compiled for you, at the core of it, you’ve probably figured out by now that the true secret to success is this: taking care of ourselves and our mental and emotional well-being!

In today’s hustle culture, we often feel compelled to constantly strive to do more and be more despite how harmful it can be to keep going without proper breaks or rest. In the long run though, no one can pour from an empty cup! Thankfully, prioritizing our mental and emotional health allows us to create a solid foundation for ourselves so that we have the resilience, discipline, and confidence to tackle any challenges that come our way. That and when we feel good, we're more motivated and focused, which means we can get more things done.

This is why for our post for today, we’ll keep things simple and straightforward for a change: here’s a quick and nifty list to incorporate mental and emotional care into your daily routine!

1. Practice mindfulness.

Self awareness allows us to know more about ourselves, which can help us make changes and improve so that we can turn into our best self. And one of the most effective ways to become more self aware is to start with mindfulness! 

The point of mindfulness is to ensure you’re paying attention to your thoughts and feelings without judgment. Don’t dwell on the past or worry about the future: just stay in the present moment. This has been shown to reduce stress levels and have a positive impact on your emotional and mental health. There are many ways to do this depending on your preference: meditation, journaling, even simple breathing exercises. 

Give it a try. You’ll be surprised just how much of yourself you’ll discover with this practice.

2. Spend time outdoors surrounded by nature.

Do you still remember the warm and contented feeling you get every time you look at an amazing view—whether it’s sunrise in the mountains, sunset by the beach, or the sight of numerous trees around you in the forest? Being surrounded by nature helps us feel more connected to something larger than ourselves and, by extension, more grounded and centered. How? It puts a lot of things in perspective—like how lucky we are for everything good in our life. It inspires us to be more grateful and to see beyond our problems.

More than that, it can also silence the constant noise in our heads. Technology has provided us a never ending barrage of stimuli and sometimes, you have to wonder if that voice in your head is still yours and not the input of what we see in platforms like social media. Nature gives us the chance to detach from the hustle and bustle of real life, allowing us to relax and escape the constant demands and anxiety of the modern world.

3. Make time for loved ones.

Apart from having a strong social support network, making time for our loved ones doesn’t just improve our overall quality of life and sense of well-being. It also has a positive impact on our mental health, which can be helpful when it comes to coping with stress and adversity. Our family and friends are a source of a deep emotional connection and validation so that we feel less alone—which is essential especially during difficult times.

This is why it’s particularly important to nurture our social connections and build strong relationships with others. In this way, we can improve our overall sense of happiness and fulfillment, and create a solid foundation for our mental and emotional health.

4. Take breaks from social media.

Social media is everywhere. Some of the apps to access them are already pre-installed in the majority of devices available to us nowadays, which says a lot: they’re definitely here to stay. But instead of getting rid of them altogether, which may not always be possible if you’ve got contacts who use them—from school, work, business, and even family—why not go on a detox from time to time?

The barrage of information from social media can become overwhelming and it doesn’t help that scrolling through it is endless; it just gives more, and more, to the detriment of our mental and emotional health. And because all posts are carefully created, often to show just the good side of life, we can end up feeling inadequate as we compare ourselves to others. The thought that we don't measure up can lead to negative self-talk and a negative impact on our self-esteem.

So if you can’t get rid of social media completely, you can always limit how much you use it. Find activities that require you to participate so that you’re not just a passive viewer taking in input. Do something creative, interact with friends and family and real life, or try to learn something new!

5. It’s ok to ask for help.

While it may be difficult to do so, especially for people who are used to working alone or solving their own problems, asking for assistance—whether it's from friends and family or a mental health professional—can have a significant impact on our well-being. This is because when we're going through a particularly challenging time in our lives, it's easy to feel like we're the only ones experiencing what we're going through.

But asking help from others can help us feel less alone and make us realize that there are people who have experienced the same struggles. They can lend their support, give advice, and share their own experiences. In this way, we’re more connected and feel more supported, which can impact our mental and emotional health positively.

There’s no shame in asking for help and, one day, you can be someone else’s helping hand, too.

Prioritize your mental and emotional well-being because no one else will!

These are just some of the things we can do to take care of ourselves mentally and emotionally. By making sure we’re consistent when it comes to adding these little things to our daily routine, we’ll be on our way to having a happier, more fulfilling life—one that will encourage inspiration, motivation, creativity, and productivity!

What other practices do you observe to make sure you take care of your mental and emotional well-being? Share it with everyone in the comments below!