Sleep and exercise.
I think that we all know how much your physical state affects your mental state. Every task is made harder when your not at full health. Sleep plays a crucial role in physical and mental recovery. When you sleep well, your body restores energy and supports brain function, which can help manage stress better. Sleep also affect attention, decision making and your every day performance. A lack of sleep has the reverse effect making every day tasks harder and increasing your stress levels to complete them.
Exercise releases endorphins which are natural mood boosters creating a better mental state and reducing stress and anxiety. It also helps to sharpen your focus, increase your appetite and leads to better sleep t night all tieing into a better mental state. We all feel better after exercise and this leads to better choices in life as well as a healthier body which is very important to make your life easier on a daily basis.
Remove unnecessary complications.
Like any situation, the more complications that you add to a task then the longer it takes, the harder it becomes and the more stressed you feel trying to work through the tangles. There is a reason that governments don't run efficiently and effectively and that is entirely down to the red tape involved in any move that they try to make. Something as simple as decorating an office can become a nightmare of bureaucracy, budgets. red tape, different departments and stress out dozens of people from a simple task.
So if your life is similarly complicated and hard to maneuver then it stands to reason that every task is going to be more difficult and more stressful.
Declutter.
People have way too much stuff in their homes and way too many draws on their time. Decluttering can apply to both your life and your environment but it's equally important to clear them both and create a frictionless environment.
How can you start your day off right if your constantly looking for things when you should be on schedule. Looking for keys, phones, documents. Small issues but starting off on the wrong foot can carry through your whole day. It's not the way to keep your mind healthy and focused.
Reduce your commitments.
The same goes for time commitments. It's an area that i need to do a lot more with as my time isn't my own anymore. While i like to relax at the weekends and enjoy my own time there is also a fiancé and two kids in the house that have schedules too and a habit of filling them up a bit too much.
It's fine to say no to people. They won't get offended and a lot of the time they are only asking out of politeness anyway. I have a lot of friends on my list to catch up with and every so often we go through the motions of trying to arrange nights out or meet ups but in reality while we would love to see them it's often a relief when we can't make the schedules line up and we have some time to ourselves.
The kids are only small but the eldest is already signed up to three different activities which is madness. We have enough here to keep them occupied and they are still so small that it's not necessary to bring them to everything. I bring the eldest to one activity but have said no to the other two. with both of us working full time it is just too much time to commit to at this stage in their life.
Saying no is healthy and necessary to look after your own health.
A minimalist lifestyle.
I know that i would be a lot more minimalist than most people but it allows me to live a good quality of life without killing myself working. Most of the time you are only working to buy more stuff that you don't need, that cost you more money and then you have to spend even more to keep up the lifestyle that you are trying to have.
But is it the lifestyle that you really want. Are you buying those designer clothes because you they are a good purchase for you or because you are trying to follow a trend. How many toys does a child need to be happy?? I would say that no amount of toys can compare to a healthy and fun parent spending time with them. More toys don't compensate fro you working more hours. In fact the more that you have the less you appreciate anything. It's not special when you can have twenty of them.
Clear your house.
To that end i would clear out everything that you don't need in life. If you have items in the attic for years then you don't need them. If you can't find an outfit then you have too many clothes. Can't find your keys then you have too many ornaments, photos, clutter. Everything is easier in a clean an tidy environment. It's the quickest way to improve your mental health. Just get rid of the items that are getting in your way.
Sell excess items.
Not only clear them out. Sell what you can. Make some money back from past purchases. There is a buyer for almost anything you can think off. All that money tied up in things that could be working for you instead. Or that you won't need to work for going forward. Money is a huge part of life but if you keep throwing it away on crap you will be working for a very long time. Instead why not clear out the unnecessary items from your life and put that money into an investment. Get it working for you instead of the other way around.
Less expenses, less stress.
With less expenses and maybe even some returns from your investment then you won't need to work as many hours for the same quality of life. Even if was just enough to take a couple of unpaid days a year wouldn't it be great to have more time to get out into the fresh air, to exercise or to have some time to clear your head and destress. It all ties in together. A good mindset and a healthy lifestyle are very important to your mental health.
Money issues are a leading cause of stress for people and in relationships so setting out a clear plan going forward should be a priority for anybody who wants to improve their stress levels. Spend less and have more time to yourself.
Enjoy the simple things in life.
The best things in life are free. Or so they say anyway. I have gotten very few free pints of Guinness but when i do they taste extra nice. Other than that i just love getting outside, spending time with my friends and family, watching my sports teams.
I don't need to spend a fortune to have a good time. It doesn't take yachts and caviar to make a party.
Sometimes sandwiches and a beer make for a far better night. It's all about having good people to share it with you.