Your current lifestyle may not be conducive to maintaining your emotional and mental health. Our society is overworked, overstressed, and too focused on things that don’t support good psychological well-being.

Being proactive and doing things that foster good mental health can be a powerful way to enrich the quality of your day-to-day life.

Try applying these tips daily:

1.      No man is an island. Having positive and healthy relationships with others plays an important part in psychological health.

2.      Keep your body healthy. Poor physical health can result in difficulties with mental health. The better you feel physically, the better you’ll feel psychologically, too.

3.      Regularly challenge yourself. While having too much stress in your life is negative, having too little can be just as bad. We all need a certain amount of stress to thrive and stay sharp. If your life lacks any challenge, create some.

·         Set a goal and strive to meet it. There will most definitely be some stress and challenges along the way.

4.      Learn how to deal with stress effectively. Most of us have self-soothing habits that fail to address the cause of stress. Some of us deal with stress in ways that make the situation worse. If you’re financially stressed, eating a tub of ice cream will still leave you broke, but it will not adequately nourish your body.   Seek more adaptive solutions instead.

·         Activities such as exercising, spending time with a friend, or reading a book can be healthy options for lowering your stress.

5.      Spend time each day on an enjoyable activity. It might be playing the piano or taking your dog for a walk. It doesn’t matter, as long as you concentrate on things other than work and necessary routines.

6.      Practice the art of forgiveness. Anger and grudges accomplish little. They put you in a vicious mental cycle that degrades your sense of well-being. Every second you’re angry or upset is a second you’re unhappy.

7.      Give your time to others. Helping someone in need is a great way to boost the way you feel about yourself. It’s also a great way to meet others that are also caring and giving.

·         Consider a group of people you’d like to help and find an organisation that services them.

8.      Learn how to quiet your mind. Your mind rarely gets a rest, not even while you’re sleeping. All night long you’re likely tossing, turning, and dreaming. There are many ways to rest your mind: praying, meditating, and practising mindfulness are just a few.

·         Brains are restless. They’re constantly thinking, predicting, and remembering. Learn how to control yours.

9.      Ask for help. If you break your arm, you seek medical assistance. If you’re having a psychological issue, there’s no reason not to do the same. No matter what your challenge may be, there’s someone available with the expertise to help.

10.  ­Keep a journal. Recording your thoughts on paper after a long, hard day is therapeutic. It releases tension, provides a means of catharsis, and can give you a different perspective.

Emotional and mental health are both critical to your overall well-being. When any component of your health is suffering, it becomes much more challenging to be an effective parent, spouse, friend, or employee. All aspects of your life, especially your physical health, can suffer. Use these tips to address your psychological health. If you’re not feeling better, it’s time to seek help.