4 Ways to Look After Your Mind

After the strangest year many of us can remember, most people’s mental health has been affected in some way, which arguably makes it more important than ever to begin taking a more proactive approach to looking after your mind.

We believe these little tips could help you to look after your mind in a big way:

1. Know When to Say No

Saying ‘no’ doesn’t have to mean that you’re in a negative mindset. Instead, knowing when to say ‘no’ can be a big act of self-care, as it means you’re able to recognise when you need to avoid burnout and protect your mental health.

Even virtual plans can feel draining when you’re staring at a screen all day, so don’t be afraid of turning down plans every now and again. Everyone recharges their batteries in different ways and, for some of us, that means being by yourself for a little while.

woman relaxing at home alone as part of a self-care routine

Just make sure you’re not cutting yourself off from your support network completely; if you find yourself with no energy for any of your plans, talk to someone you trust about how you’re feeling.

2. Don’t Let Stress Overwhelm You

Stress can be an all-consuming emotion, but there are steps you can take to try to keep it at bay. However, trying to stay organised and compiling to-do lists can only go so far; the biggest factor has to be your mindset.

If you find your mind racing with worries about everything you ‘should’ be doing, try to take a step back, take a deep breath and practice a little mindfulness. Try to anchor yourself back to the present moment, and focus on the task at hand; everything else can wait. If half of your energy is being used to worry about future tasks, you won’t be giving your all to the here and now, which will only give you even more to stress about.

Our Garden of Life Organics Herbal Stress Balance Capsules are designed to help your body and mind to manage the effects of everyday stress.

Featuring a blend of B vitamins and adaptogenic herbs including ashwagandha root and Siberian ginseng, this formula is designed to support your everyday emotional wellbeing.

3. Try a Digital Detox

Both the news and social media can be overwhelming, making any time you spend on your phone potentially draining. Although it’s important to stay informed with what’s going on in the world and to stay connected with your loved ones, you need to recognise when it’s time for a digital break.

If you find yourself spending a lot of time mindlessly scrolling on your phone, take a step back and prompt yourself to do something else instead. It’s also important to remind yourself that social media images can be heavily edited and carefully curated, so comparing your own life to these images is not a helpful activity.

Focus on making your digital connections and experiences meaningful, and be proactive about spending time away from your phone and other screens. Having time to think away from the online noise could give you the space you need to open yourself up to new opportunities.

woman relaxing in a field of yellow flowers

It could also encourage you to be more mindful – if you’re not spending all your time sat on the sofa scrolling, you’ll have more time to spend outdoors reconnecting with nature, which can be a huge boost to your mental health.

4. Upgrade Self-Care to Self-Love

Of course self-care is important, but why not try taking this one step further by upgrading it to self-love?

Learning to love yourself can be a tough place to get to, but the first step is being kind to yourself. Start to speak to yourself like you would a best friend or someone else who you deeply care about; we’re often much harsher to ourselves than we ever would be to other people.

Practising positive affirmations can be one small step towards this goal, but it’s also important to show your body love and care by nourishing it properly. Learn about where the ingredients you’re putting into your body are coming from, and make it your aim to only nourish yourself with the very best.

At Garden of Life, the whole food ingredients in our vegan protein powders and vitamin supplements can all be traced right back to the seed or soil they came from. We know the farmers that cultivated the grains we use, and we know they’re treated fairly. We pride ourselves on our approach to traceability, as we believe extraordinary ingredients empower extraordinary health.

Exercising regularly can be another act of self-love; the natural endorphins released by a workout can instantly give your mood a boost, meaning regular exercise could have a big impact on your mental health.

Discover more tips for looking after your wellbeing: