6 Best Brain Hacks That will give Your Mental Health a Big Boost
Stress, burnout, loneliness, and anxiety are mental health issues most of us have dealt with, even before 2020. Throw a global pandemic into the mix, and one thing is clear: employee well-being has taken center stage. As a result, organizational practices are being reprioritized to meet the mental health needs of their workforce.
1. Stop Overthinking: Overthinking causes us to get stuck in a cycle of inaction, which triggers analysis paralysis. Now you’ve entered the terrain of stress-induced anxiety, as worry becomes debilitating and causes you to move backward, not forward. Embrace uncertainty instead. Be of the mindset that uncertainty will bring with it some benefits, like unleashing your creativity and helping you to be more resilient.
Acknowledge its presence and accept the fleetingness and brevity of the situations you’re facing.
2. Release Control: Understanding that you can’t and shouldn’t control everything and releasing your worry will help you manage your emotions better. Focus on the things that are in your control, slow down, and take one thing at a time.
Now you can refocus on what’s immediately in front of you and go from there. Releasing your attempt to control will help ease some of the discomforts you’re experiencing from your anxiety.
Often, worry is the direct result of trying to control people, things, or situations that are beyond your control.
3. Calm Down: Doing it for a few minutes sends the brain the message that you’re not in danger, and in return, it will kick your body into relaxation mode instead of fight-or-flight. The most commonly suggested way to manage anxiety is to calm the nervous system by using diaphragmatic breathing (deep breathing).
If any part of your brain sends signals that you’re under threat (and in reality, you’re not), kick the fear by gently talking yourself out of it. Convince that part of your brain sending you into fight-or-flight mode that you are just fine.
4. Expose yourself to whatever you Fear: By exposing yourself to whatever it is you fear, it loses its power and control over you. Whatever it is you fear, once you expose yourself to it, that weakness becomes your strength. Determining what you fear is usually the most important thing you need to make yourself successful in life. No matter what you fear, if you submerge yourself in it for a long enough period, the illusion of fear (because there’s no such thing as fear–it’s all in our minds) will eventually be gone.
5. Write down what you are feelings: What are you telling yourself? Is it true, or does it come from irrational fear? Once you get clarity on the situation, you can determine what actions to take to move forward.
Journaling about your fears and worries helps you process how you really feel, which can be healing. Most importantly, write down any thoughts you’re having in anticipation of or during a situation that causes anxiety.
6. Shift from Negative to the Positive: If you’re feeling anxious, take your mind away from what’s bothering you. Try taking a brisk walk outside and focus as you walk on positive thoughts that will make you feel safe, accepted, loved, and honored. When you’re at homeostasis, reflect on how fortunate and blessed you actually are.
But the good news is, the pieces fit together more easily than you might think. In this article, you’ll find simple steps to help you feel less stressed and lift your mood. Over time, these small changes can help you build a positive mindset and improve your mental health.
Note: Taking care of your mental health doesn’t have to mean big changes. Small actions, like listening to music, laughing more, or creating little moments of joy, can make a big difference in how you feel every day. Start with one or two tips from this cheat sheet and see how they work for you. Over time, these small habits can help you feel happier, calmer, and more balanced.
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