LCSD COVID-19 Mental Health Awareness Volume I | Page 10

CREATING
HEALTHY ROUTINES
Work, paying bills, cleaning, cooking, shopping, exercising, getting enough sleep, and taking care
of children are just some of the things millions of Americans do each day and it is easy to be
overwhelmed. It can feel impossible to get everything done, let alone take care of yourself –
especially if you’re already struggling with a mental health concern like depression or anxiety. By
creating routines, we organize our days in such a way that taking care of tasks and ourselves
becomes a pattern that makes it easier to get things done without having to think hard about
them.
Tips for success
Create the routine that is right for you. We don’t all have the same schedules
or responsibilities and some of us struggle with certain parts of daily life more
than others. All healthy routines should include eating a nutrition-rich diet,
exercising, and getting enough sleep, but no two routines will be exactly
the same. In fact, your routine may not even be exactly the same every day.
Start small. Changing up your day-to-day routine all at once probably won’t
end up with lasting results. Pick one small thing each week to work on. It could
be adding something new and positive, or cutting out a bad habit. Small
changes add up.
Add to your existing habits. You probably already have some habits worked
into your routine, like drinking a cup of coffee in the morning. Try adding new
habits to existing ones. For instance, if you want to read more, you could set
aside ten minutes to read while you have your coffee (instead of drinking it on
your drive to work).
Make swaps. Think about the things you do during the day that aren’t so
healthy and swap them with better behaviors. For example, if you feel sluggish
in the afternoons and eat sugary snacks for a quick pick-me-up, try taking a brisk
walk instead to get your blood pumping and endorphins flowing. Or if you find
yourself having a few alcoholic drinks after a long stressful day, try sipping hot
tea instead.
Plan ahead. When life gets hectic, you may be tempted to skip out on the new
parts of your daily routine. By doing things like prepping meals ahead of time,
picking out an outfit the night before work, or having an alternate home
workout option for the days you can’t make it to the gym, you help set yourself
up for success even when you’re hurried.
When it comes to diet,
sleep and exercise, having
good, strong routines is
linked to improved mental
and physical health.1
People with more daily
routines have lower levels
of distress when facing
problems with their health
or negative life events.2
It takes an average of 66
days for a behavior to
become automatic (a
habit), but for some people
it can take as long as 8 1⁄2
months.3 Don’t give up!
If you feel like you are
struggling with your
mental health, visit
mhascreening.org to
check your symptoms.
Make time for things you enjoy. Even if it’s just 15 minutes a day, set aside time
to do something you find fun or relaxing—it will release chemical messengers in
your body that are good for your physical and mental health.
Reward yourself for small victories. Set goals and celebrate when you reach
them. Have you added exercise to your weekly routine and worked out every
day as planned for the last couple weeks? Treat yourself! Watch a movie you’ve
been wanting to see or try out that new video game.
Don’t beat yourself up if you miss a day. Making life changes can be hard and
you might forget to do something that is new to your routine every once in a
while. You don’t have to be perfect, just try to do better the next day.
Sources
1Haines, J., McDonald, J., O’Brien, A., Sherry, B., Bottino, C., Scmidt, M.E., Taveras, E.M. (2013) Healthy habits, happy homes: randomized trial to
improve household routines among pre-school-aged children. JAMA Pediatrics, 167,1072-1090.
2Williams, J. (2000) Effects of activity limitation and routinization on mental health. The Occupational Therapy Journal of Research, 20,100S-105S.
3Lallly, P., Van Jaarsveld, C.H.M., Potts, H.W.W., Wardle, J. (2010). How are habits formed: Modelling habit formation in the real world. Eur. J. Soc.
Psychol., 40, 998-1009.
It’s free, confidential, and anonymous.
Once you have your results, MHA will
give you information and resources to
help you start to feel better.