4 Unique Mental Health Tips Every Working Girl Needs In Her Life

Exercise regularly, get enough sleep, eat well—we know. The Internet is littered with mental health articles that center around these three elements that promote psychological well-being. And while we agree 100% that these good habits form the backbone of good mental health, a little creativity when it comes to taking care of our minds is always welcome.

Here, we suggest four mental health tips that are helpful to all, but perhaps more so for the working gal. We admit that the modern woman’s busy and productive professional life can take away from self-care, but it doesn’t have to always be that way. Read on to see how you can improve your mental health below. 

Start a daily gratefulness practice 

Mental health professionals who train under the principles of Positive Psychology all believe in the power of gratefulness. When we find things to be happy about daily, we can gain (and maintain) a perspective of our lives, thus helping make negative experiences feel less terrible while also amplifying good experiences both big and small. A gratefulness practice is anything you make of it, and you can be thankful for even the smallest things (like someone who held the elevator for you or seeing a cat napping cozily on your way to the office). You can have a little journal where you can list things down, a sticker book you can add to when something awesome comes your way, or a little Post-it board on your desk that serves as a reminder of the amazing things you’ve seen, felt, and thought.

Plan fun activities regularly 

A common complaint of people these days is feeling stuck. You might not be able to your finger on what it is exactly, but you might have gotten the feeling of “just going through the motions” day in and day out. One remedy for this is planning fun things in advance—weekly, if you can! This isn’t just motivational, but it adds variety to the lives of adults who have no choice but to stick to a routine more often than not. Again, plans don’t have to be grand (but don’t let us stop you from materializing that dream vacation if that’s what you want!), but try your best to be consistent. See a movie with a friend on the weekend, buy a pint of ice cream flavor you’ve never had before after work, pass for some fresh flowers and make your own arrangements, volunteer at an animal shelter, visit an art gallery, bake a cake with the kids, or heck—why not just an extended nap? 

Perform acts of kindness

We love how it feels when people are nice to us at the most surprising times. Imagine how you might make others feel if you too were kind, and they too weren’t expecting to be on the receiving end of an act of kindness. A good amount of psychological research shows that people who are consciously nicer to those around them are happier. These people feel more connected with their communities and are less likely to feel isolated, have better self-esteem (meaning, they are happier with who they are as people), and can improve feelings of optimism and hopefulness. Who wouldn’t want that? We talk constantly about wanting to be the change we want to see in the world. This is also an opportunity to be just that. 

Do things “just because” 

Much of what we do these days (or everything we do) has an underlying objective. Whether it’s to get a raise or a promotion, be able to purchase something, level up our living arrangements, or get recognized in a certain setting, there’s always a why to the things we do. While this is a good thing in most cases as having a purpose is necessary, we mustn’t forget that there is also fulfillment to be found in doing things just for fun. Engaging in hobbies and activities just because you want to should be a normal part of our existence. It’s a way to destress, too, as we’re doing things for our happiness and our happiness alone, and no one else’s. Not everything needs a bigger and more “legit” reason if it brings us joy. Find your just for fun activity and enjoy it solo or with company—whatever you feel like in the moment. That’s all there is to it.