What Is Mental Self-Care and Why It Is Important for Your Mental Health

Every day, as I scroll through my Instagram feed, I come across stories and posts from friends where they’ve shared quotes, snippets from books, or daily reflections about how tired they are of their jobs, their daily lifestyle, and life in general. 

They talk about how exhausting their daily routine is as compared to the carefree days of childhood before the digital era. This very morning, on the first day of 2024, a friend shared a story that said “All I want from 2024 is peace.”  

It’s a reality check for all of us. If you’ve ever watched historical dramas or documentaries on earlier times on platforms like Netflix, you might realize how far we’ve come.

In those days, people lived in constant fear, fear of someone killing them if they traveled alone, or fear that someone would rob their homes. We don’t live in those times anymore. 

We now live in a free world where our economy thrives on the imports and exports of goods and services. Countries are no longer at war over land or other geopolitical issues.

We have the freedom to do anything and go anywhere we please. Yet, despite this freedom, our main wish is just to find peace.

What has happened to us, where did it all go wrong? Strangely enough, we’re suffering the consequences of our own creations.

We’ve made so many advancements in technology, which was meant to simplify our lives and make it easier, that it has unintentionally made our lives fast-paced and hectic. 

The way of life has changed, and stress has become an unwelcome but daily companion.

If I were to ask you when was the last time you felt stressed, the answer would likely be, “Just a few moments ago,” or “this morning,” and perhaps even, “I’m stressed right now.” 

We’re all in the same boat, navigating the strange waters of the modern world. But the harsh reality is that most of us lack the tools to navigate this fast-paced lifestyle successfully. This is precisely where this blog series comes in. 

This blog is part two of the four-part series on self-care. While the first blog covered the broader spectrum of self-care, the focus of this blog is on mental self-care.

We’ll learn about what is mental self-care, understand why it’s an absolute necessity in today’s world, and how you can incorporate it in your daily routine.

Join us in this journey as we explore the world of mental self-care so that you can bring a bit more calm to your daily lives.

What Does Mental Self-Care Mean?

When we think about self-care, the first thing that comes to mind are candles, bubble baths, luxury spas, and beach vacations.

This image is shaped by the advertisements and marketing campaigns launched by the billion-dollar self-care industry that just wants to sell its products in the name of self-care. 

And this image leaves us thinking that self-care is for the rich and wealthy, and it needs a lot of time. In reality, the truth is far from this understanding of self-care. 

In the simplest words, mental self-care is about maintaining a healthy state of mind. It’s about consciously prioritizing your mental health and taking intentional steps to nurture and prioritize your mental well-being. 

It doesn’t have to be luxury treatments and expensive vacations, although they can be very enjoyable and help you unplug from your hectic life.

Mental self-care should include activities and actions you can take daily to maintain mental fitness. 

Mental self-care is about taking those intentional breaks when you’re feeling overwhelmed, taking time to acknowledge and focus on your thoughts and feelings, checking in with yourself on how you are feeling, setting boundaries, and doing things necessary for your mental health.

Understand it this way – you brush your teeth twice a day to maintain dental hygiene, right?

What if you don’t brush them daily, and instead go to the dentist once every few months? Will it have the same effect on your dental health?

Most definitely not. So, brushing your teeth twice a day is a part of self-care you do to maintain dental hygiene and prevent your teeth from going bad. 

Similarly, mental self-care would include activities and actions you take daily to prevent your mental health from going bad. 

What particular activity will work for you might or might not work for someone else, so, like all other self-care activities, it’s also not a one-size-fits-all thing.

We’ve shared a few self-care tips in the section below so you can use them as inspiration and tailor a self-care routine that works for you. 

Why Is Mental Self-Care Important?

As we’ve discussed so many times in different blogs, our world has changed so rapidly over the past few decades or so and we are having a hard time coping with that pace.

Our lives have become fast-paced, which means that our minds are working extra hard to cope with that pace.

But what’s surprising is that we’ve willingly or unwillingly accustomed ourselves to this fast-paced and sedentary lifestyle where we’re employed in stressful jobs, eat unhealthy food, spend most of our time in front of screens, and don’t have meaningful connections.

But we didn’t do anything to take care of the added stress and pressure that comes with this lifestyle.

Imagine you bought a sports car but you don’t maintain it all. You don’t clean it, you don’t get it serviced, you don’t get the engine oil changed. How long do you expect it will run before breaking down? Not too long I suppose. 

Similarly, our minds are running at high speed without getting serviced. They are bound to break down if you don’t care for them.

This is where mental self-care comes in. When you proactively take steps to care for your mental health, your mind will be better equipped to prevent burnout and handle stress.

Your mental health is the linchpin of your overall well-being. It governs how you handle different areas of your life like your relationships, your work, your daily experiences, etc.

And when you have robust mental health, you’re better equipped to handle challenges, form meaningful relationships, and pursue your goals with resilience. 

Your mental health is that invisible force that shapes your perceptions, decisions, and the overall quality of your existence. That’s why taking care of your mental health is so important. 

How Can Mental Self-Care Help?

Let’s say there is a plant in your garden that’s going bad, your instant reaction would be to do everything to save it. 

If the stem is broken, you might try to fix it with the tape, if it’s drying up, you will water it, if the leaves are burning, you’ll move it to a shaded spot and try to keep it away from direct sun. You’ll take all the measures to prevent it from dying. 

Mental self-care operates on a similar principle, it involves taking intentional actions and steps to prevent stress, burnout, and development of mental health issues.

While this might be a very simplistic comparison, it highlights the essence of mental self-care as a proactive approach to mental well-being. 

You must understand that mental self-care is not a replacement for professional help, especially if you’re suffering from a mental health problem.

However, mental self-care can be a game changer for most of us who aren’t dealing with mental health issues but constantly find ourselves under stress and pressure because of the demands of this hectic and fast-paced lifestyle. 

Mental self-care is about recognizing those early signs of strain and taking measures to fortify your mental resilience.

When you constantly engage in activities and practices that promote mental health, you’re essentially putting up safeguards to prevent the deterioration of your overall well-being. 

Just as you would nurture a plant and prevent it from dying, mental self-care is your toolkit for preventing, preserving, and fortifying your mental health.

7 Self-Care Tips for Mental Health

As you would have understood by now, the journey of mental self-care is a unique and personal endeavor. So, rather than sharing specific self-care activities, let’s take a look at some tips that will help you create your mental self-care routine.

1. Identify Your Stressors

I think we can all agree that our lives are very stressful and pretending that everything is alright and suppressing your emotions like sadness, anger, or loneliness won’t make them go away. 

When you feel these emotions, it’s like a signal from your mind that something needs attention. So, don’t dodge it. Instead, ask yourself, “What’s really bothering me? Can I do something about it?”

When you have a fever, you don’t ignore it, right? You take the necessary steps to cure it. The same goes for your feelings.

Listen to those feelings as they are trying to tell you something important. By understanding what’s stressing you, you’re taking the first step in caring for your mental well-being.

Take some time to identify what areas of your life are contributing to stress and pressure. Whether, it’s your job, your relationships, or any other external factors.

You’ll understand what areas of your life need your attention and proactive care. 

2. Find What Works for You

Once you’ve pinpointed the stressors in your life, the next step is identifying what works uniquely for you. Let’s say your job is a major stress contributor.

Now, think about how you can dial down that stress and pressure. Think of it as creating a stress-busting plan tailored just for you.

Maybe you can reshape your work schedule to avoid marathon sitting sessions. Break it down into manageable chunks with regular breaks.

Apply the 80/20 rule—tackle the most crucial task first, and you’ll likely feel a sense of accomplishment that eases the pressure. 

Add some activities that provide instant gratification into your work routine. Set small goals, like treating yourself to a cold coffee or herbal tea once you complete a task. 

Explore and understand what works for you and what brings relief. Your work-related mental self-care should include a mix of practical strategies, rewarding rituals, and intentional breaks. 

Similarly, identify the major stressors in life and experiment with different things to find a practical and sustainable way to manage stress and pressure.

The key is to make it yours, something that aligns with your preferences, demands, and overall well-being.

3. Establish Healthy Boundaries

One of the most important aspects of mental self-care is establishing healthy boundaries, which means learning when to say “Yes” and when to say “No”.

It takes a lot of courage to say any of these two words when you are actually required to say so. But setting boundaries is very important for your mental well-being. 

For example, we are so accustomed to saying “yes” to everything out of fear of letting others down and before we know it, things get out of control and become overwhelming.

Whether it’s that added work or responsibilities from your manager, doing extra shifts, running errands for others, or hosting events. When you say yes to everything, you neglect your own needs. 

On the other hand, when you should actually be saying “yes”, you find yourself saying “no” and running away from those things. For example, trying new things, stepping out of your comfort zone, and applying for a new job.  

The fear of judgment and failure stops us from saying “yes” and unlocking our full potential. But saying “yes” is such a powerful self-care tool, it fortifies your inner strength and opens the doors to the dreams that you might have set aside. 

Establish healthy boundaries and learn when to say “yes” and when to say “no”. I understand it’s very hard and takes a lot of courage to say the right thing at the right moment but it’s very important for your mental well-being. 

4. Find a Hobby

You might think that your life is already so busy, that you juggle between work, personal commitments, and family responsibilities so you don’t have time for a hobby. But I think that is precisely the reason you should have a hobby. 

When life feels overwhelming, that’s when you need a hobby the most. It’s not about finding time, but about prioritizing your well-being.

Whether it’s drawing, painting, writing, cooking, playing sports, or gardening, find something you genuinely enjoy and something you can do regularly.

Having a hobby will serve as a delightful escape from the stress of everyday life. It will shift your focus from a hectic environment to an activity that brings you joy. When you do something you love, even for a short period, it acts as a reset button. 

When you return to your work or daily tasks, you’ll do so with a refreshed mind and a different perspective. It’s a simple yet potent way to unwind, recharge, and infuse a dose of enjoyment into your busy life.

5. Take Care of Your Body

Our minds and bodies share an intricate connection as one has a profound impact on the other. To have a positive mental state, you must take care of your physical body. Here’s what you should do:

Move Your Body

The first thing you must do to take care of your physical body is to include exercise in your daily schedule. It’s not just about fitness, but think of it as an investment in your mental health.

Whether it’s lifting weights in the gym, swimming, running, or hiking, push your body out of its comfort zone. Regular physical activity will improve mood, reduce stress, and reduce the risk of mental decline with age. 

Here’s our blog on How Does Physical Activity Improve Your Quality of Life

Fuel Your Body Right

The food you consume is not just about sustenance, it’s the building block of a healthy mind-body connection. Go for wholesome and nutritious homecooked meals over fast food and packaged snacks.

The additives and preservatives in them have a very negative effect on both your mind and body. 

Nourishing your body with fresh and nutritious food will not only benefit your body but also your mind. If you want to know more about how food impacts your quality of life, then I encourage you to read our blog on this topic. 

Connect With Nature

We must understand that all of us have come from nature and will one day, return back to it. So, we must stay connected with it and spend some time in nature regularly.

It will heal both your mind and body. Whatever nature is easily available to you, spend some time in it. 

Whether it’s between the plants in your balcony or garden, a walk in the park, or a hike in the woods, spending time in nature will give you a profound sense of relaxation and well-being. 

When you take care of your body, you’re not just caring for your physical body but also laying the groundwork for a resilient and positive mental state. 

6. Learn The Art of Letting Go

We often find ourselves lingering in the corridors of the past. We are human beings and we learn and grow from our experiences, experiences that we’ve had in the past.

Those experiences, both positive and negative, shape the lens through which we see the world. 

Those experiences and moments that we’ve lived, stay with us. While the positive moments bring joy, the negative or troubling ones keep bothering our present and affect our mental well-being. And it happens with everyone.

But we forget the most beautiful thing about the past, it’s a collection of moments that have already played out. Those moments are frozen in time.

As humans, we have the highest cognitive abilities as compared to the hundreds of thousands of species that are living or have lived on this planet. So, we have the power to sift through these memories consciously.

But we often get caught up in the loop of reliving the past memories as if they were happening now. The thing about the past is, that once a moment has passed, it becomes a part of history, it is never going to come back.

Instead of letting the experiences of the past darken your present, learn from them, extract the wisdom they offer, and consciously choose to move forward.

It’s a conscious effort to acknowledge that dwelling on what has already happened won’t happen again. When you deeply realize this about the past, you learn the art of letting go.

So, the next time a past memory or experience haunts you, remind yourself that it is never going to come back. Channel your energy into the present and the possibilities that lie ahead. 

With every conscious effort to let go, you create space for a brighter and lighter mental landscape.

It’s easier said than done but it’s a journey, and as you gradually free yourself from the shackles of the past, you pave the way for a more serene and resilient mindset. 

7. Have a Positive Mindset

Each of us lives a hectic life. You must think that every day something or the other comes up, there are too many responsibilities, and things are not going your way.

I understand that, but that’s life. If you’re going on a jungle safari and you complain that the ride is bumpy, well, clearly you didn’t get the memo.

Life is not smooth for anyone, it might seem that way from the outside for some of us, but each person is facing their own share of hardships and problems. 

And the bitter truth is, it’s never going to be smooth. Today you’re facing one problem, tomorrow it will be something else. And life will slip away if you only keep complaining. Life is not fair but that’s how it is for each one of us.

In the middle of the everyday chaos, we miss the positive things. While the good things in life become ordinary and we start taking them for granted, the negative things take the spotlight.

We forget that what we have today, there are more than tens of millions of people around the globe who dream of having half of those things or living a life like the one you’re living.

This attitude towards life will not help. It will make you think and focus only on the negative side of things, things that are not happening your way, or the things that could have been better. This mindset will only pull you down. 

You must have a positive mindset. Great things have been achieved with a positive mindset and everyone who has achieved them has faced their fair share of challenges and hardships. There’s always a positive side to everything, focus on that. 

Because when you focus on the positive side of things, you open up possibilities for doing something good, something great in life.

A positive mindset attracts positive things. Having a positive mindset is not about ignoring the bumps in your life, but acknowledging and choosing to focus on the open road ahead.

It’s a beacon that attracts positive outcomes, paving the way for new opportunities.

We encourage you to read our blog on How To Train Your Mind For Positive Thinking. 

Wrapping Up – What Is Mental Self-Care and Why It Is Important for Your Mental Health

As we wrap up this look into taking care of our minds, I hope you’ve gained insights into what mental self-care is all about, why it’s crucial, and how it can make a difference in your life.

We’ve covered the basics, the ABCs, if you will, of mental self-care, giving you a foundation to build upon.

The seven foundational tips we discussed towards the second half of the blog are the bedrock, the stepping stones towards creating your own mental self-care routine.

Think of them as the groundwork to create your own mental self-care routine. Your routine should be as unique as you are, fitting into your lifestyle and what you enjoy.

The next blog of this series is about physical self-care, but we’ll write a separate blog related to mental self-care where we’ll discuss the specific activities you can do to boost your mental well-being. So keep an eye out for both of them. 

Until then, take care of your mind, and remember, your mental health is precious. See you in the next part of our self-care journey, where we’ll focus on keeping our bodies happy and healthy. Namaste!