2 Jan

Prioritise your health and wellbeing this New Year

Whether you’re wanting to increase your water intake, become a healthier version of yourself or take up a new hobby, doing something to improve your health and wellbeing should be on your horizon this New Year.  

Reflect on the year that was 

Reflection is a key factor in development. It promotes self-awareness and appreciation for what you’ve done right and what could be improved.  

When you take the time to reflect on the previous year, you should acknowledge the things that you’ve achieved and the lessons you’ve learnt. You should also approach the process of reflection with kindness and gratitude. This can help you to better process your experiences and set goals for the future. 

Set SMART goals and determine how you’ll achieve them 

When setting goals, you should use the SMART acronym to ensure that they’re as Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant and Timely as possible. When setting goals, you should also break them down into smaller more manageable goals. For instance, if you want to become healthier, that could mean a range of things like toning your body, eating better, getting more exercise or improving your mental wellbeing.  

People also find that they’re more likely to achieve their goals when they get them down on paper. Write down your goals and display them somewhere where you’ll see them regularly. 

Another important part of goal setting is measuring and tracking their progress. If you feel that you’re falling behind, figure out how you’re going to get back on track and continue working towards them. 

Our non-negotiables for improving your wellbeing 

Prioritising mental wellbeing should be a non-negotiable for self-development and self-improvement, each year. Improving your mental health can have positive outcomes on other aspects of your life. For instance, your mental wellbeing can have an impact on your physical health, spiritual wellbeing, relationships and can also affect your financial health. 

So, how can you improve your mental wellbeing? 

There are many ways that you can improve your mental wellbeing. We’ve listed some of our favourite strategies, below. 

Get into a good sleep routine 

Do you regularly get little sleep and wake up feeling grumpy and irritable?  

Want to wake up feeling happier? 

Well, you might want to try getting at least eight hours of sleep each night. If you struggle with getting to sleep, try putting away electronic devices and practicing relaxation techniques. Sleep is important for your physical and mental wellbeing. 

Eat better 

Did you know that eating a healthy and balanced diet is good for brain function and mood? 

When we get enough of the right nutrients, we increase our alertness, ability to make good decisions and improve our reaction time. This can result in an improved mood and decreased feelings of stress and depression. 

Foods that you should try incorporating into your diet, if you aren’t already, include: 

  • Fruits and vegetables, including berries and leafy greens 
  • Whole grains 
  • Oily fish such as salmon, tuna and sardines that contain omega-3 fatty acids 
  • Nuts, seeds and legumes 
  • Probiotic foods like live yogurt, kimchi and kombucha.  

Exercise 

Even if strenuous exercise isn’t for you, try making time for regular light exercise. If you’re going to exercise, you should also make sure to do activities that you will enjoy. Whether that’s going for a short walk, going for a swim, cycling or yoga.  

If you enjoy exercise, try and do it daily. Exercise is a great way to distract yourself from negative thoughts as it releases endorphins (feel good chemicals).  

Practice gratitude 

This means being thankful for the good things in your life. You might do this by taking some time before bed to think about the thing(s) that you’re most grateful for from the day or writing in a journal. This practice can help you see things differently. 

Meditation and relaxation techniques 

Meditation is a practice of focusing your attention and awareness. There are different ways to practice meditation but it’s best to do it in a comfortable position without any distractions.  

Relaxation is another strategy you might wish to try. It can slow down your breathing, lower blood pressure and reduce stress. These are different types of relaxation techniques: 

  • Progressive relaxation which includes tightening and relaxing muscle groups  
  • Guided imagery where you focus on positive thoughts in your mind 
  • Biofeedback which is the use of electronic devices to learn how to control body functions 
  • Self-hypnosis which is relaxing yourself into a trance-like state 
  • Deep breathing exercises. 

Other ways that you can improve your mental wellbeing 

You could also try the following activities to help improve your mental wellbeing: 

  • Connect with others 
  • Spend time with people who lift you up 
  • Take up or pursue a hobby that you enjoy 
  • Try to focus on the positive things in your life 
  • Develop a sense of meaning or purpose in life 
  • Do more of the things that bring you joy or excitement. 

Talk to someone 

One of the best things that you can do if you’re struggling or need to improve your mental health is to reach out and talk to someone. By talking to someone about your challenges, you can break down your issues into smaller parts and get a different perspective on the matter(s) you could be experiencing. It also helps to feel connected to those around you. 

If you feel like you need to talk to a professional, there are plenty of support services available. If you require emergency support, please call 000 or Lifeline on 13 11 14 for 24/7 support.  

Alternatively, Anglicare Southern Queensland provides a range of counselling services for individuals, couples or families needing support with family and relationship matters, drug and alcohol related issues and domestic and family violence. To learn more, please contact us on 1300 114 397.