Forming Good Habits to Improve your Mental Health

While the new year is an opportunity to start fresh and set new goals, it can also be a source of stress as we face new expectations and pressures. This new year, before diving into a sea of commitments and plans, it may be helpful to check in with yourself and your current mental state. Your mental health can significantly affect how you perceive things and handle stressors and challenges [1]. By cultivating healthy habits that support your mental well-being, you can start the new year on the right footing and build the resilience needed to navigate any challenges ahead.

Here are some tips from TOUCH Mental Wellness to help you form and retain good habits in the new year.

TIPS FOR FORMING AND RETAINING GOOD HABITS

Set aside time for reflection: Identify 1 to 2 specific good habits that you wish to cultivate this year and make time to reflect and journal down why that is important and personally meaningful to you. Some common examples of good habits related to mental health include limiting time on social media, going to bed earlier, adopting a healthy diet, doing regular exercise and practising gratitude.

Break down goals into small and feasible steps: Don’t be in a rush to make drastic changes from the get-go. Breaking down large goals into smaller, more manageable steps helps to make the goal appear less daunting, leading to a higher chance of consistent progress and motivation. For example, if your goal is to go to bed earlier, set a realistic bedtime you can consistently stick to, and list steps to achieve the goal, such as putting away your phone 30 minutes before your designated bedtime.   

Share your goals: Share your goals with people who could help encourage you every now and then and keep you accountable by asking about the progress you’ve made towards your goal. You may feel even more motivated if they share similar goals and can work towards the goal with you.

Plan for small rewards: Plan for small rewards along the way to encourage continued efforts in maintaining the new habits. These rewards can be anything from a simple pat on the back to a bubble tea treat for yourself. The key is to choose rewards that are personally meaningful and motivating, making the habit-building process more enjoyable and sustainable in the long run.

Stepping into a new year of commitments can feel overwhelming for some. If you’re struggling to cope with your mental health, it is best to seek professional help to manage your thoughts. TOUCH Mental Wellness offers support for those who are distressed or having negative thoughts. You may call the TOUCHline at 1800 377 2252 (Mondays to Fridays, 9am to 6pm) to speak with a counsellor. 

Start the year on the right foot by forming habits that benefit your well-being. Begin with small, achievable goals and gradually build upon them. Remember to celebrate your wins along the way and be patient with yourself! 

As an advocate of mental wellness, TOUCH Mental Wellness (TMW) has been organising mental wellness awareness mass runs, talks and workshops since 2015. It works closely with corporations to conduct mental wellness talks with an aim of equipping employees with handles to cope with stress and help them build resilience. It also specialises in mental wellness awareness and educational programmes for schools. In 2018, TMW launched a Virtual Reality (VR) Immersive Experience on depression as part of its school-based mental wellness programme, Do You M.I.N.D.?. It also launched Singapore’s first-ever VR Gaming Experience to educate students on anxiety in a fun and engaging way. 

Sources 
1. Karin, Gepp. “8 daily habits to boost mental health – and signs it may be time to get support”, 2 May. 2022, https://www.healthline.com/health/mental-health/habits-to-improve-mental-health