Good morning everyone! Well, this one's a cheery post! For those of you with mental illness, whether it's depression, anxiety or something else then you may know the joys of 'bad mental health days' *sigh*. If you're interested in some ideas to make the bad days that little easier click here to read one of my older posts.
There's loads of different ways that people use to manage these days, my personal preference is to categorise my day into different parts. If you didn't already know, I looovee lists/planning! To do this, I split my day into three main sections, for example:
Things That I MUST Do Today
- Wash uniform for work
- Buy milk
Things That I SHOULD Do Today
- Change my bedsheets
- Clean the bathroom
Things That I COULD Do Today
- Tidy my bedroom
The idea is that if my mental health is really bad, then I only have to focus on the 'Must' tasks, and the rest can be considered as 'Bonus Tasks' if I complete them. There's no particular obligation or need to go any further than the 'Must' tasks if my brain has other ideas. Yet, there's a sense of fulfillment and pride if I do manage to go that little bit further.
That's my personal technique, yet I know there's many different methods that other people use. I know that some people like to try to make it fun, through playing music loudly, dancing as you go, maybe even running around the place blasting film soundtracks through headphones imagining you're someone else.
Sometimes even plain ol' distractions help! If you listen to an audiobook as you clean, or daydream about something, then before you know it the time will fly by - and you'd have done some cleaning too!
Also, creating a nice environment could help - through lighting candles/diffusers or opening a window to let some cool fresh air in. Often, it can also help to clear a little space to become less overwhelmed by the tasks ahead, e.g. housework. For example, dirty clothing cluttered around the floor can definitely look a bigger problem that it really is - it's super quick to put them all in the washing basket and can instantly minimise your workload and feel like you've accomplished something.
However, it's important to remember that if the only thing you've managed to do today is get up out of bed, then that's okay. You're doing great!
Which technique do you use on your bad mental heath days? Feel free to share your own in the comments below, I'd love to hear them!
Take care,
Sophie x
As always, please bear in mind that I am not a mental health professional or any other type of professional, this is a hobby for me and is for informational purposes only and shouldn’t be seen as any kind of advice. I am not liable for any consequences as a result of this information and if readers rely on any of the information on my blog, it is at their own risk. I cannot confirm that all information is correct, accurate or reliable. The information is true to the best of my knowledge, yet there may be omissions, errors or mistakes. This information isn’t intended as a substitute for professional advice, diagnosis or treatment.
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