If one thing in life is certain, it’s that change happens. Life is full of ups, downs, and even a few turnarounds. In the midst of all the chaos focusing on your mental health can sometimes take a backseat. We don’t want this to happen. In today’s post I’ll be sharing ways you can prioritize your mental health during any life transition you may be facing.
How To Prioritize Your Well-Being During Life’s Transitions
Here are the 10 actions you want to take to prioritize your mental health during a big life transition. Pick a few that resonate the most for you to start. Think of this as a mental health toolbox.
Keep Track Of Your Moods
A simple check-in each day can be revealing when you look at the big picture. By tracking your mood everyday you’ll be able to notice patterns, mood dips, and more. I recommend getting an app like DailyBean. It will send you a reminder at whatever time of day you choose and it takes only a minute or two.
Don’t Overload Your Day/Week
A lot of life transitions come with extra tasks to get done, on top of your daily routine. It’s important to not overload your schedule. That is the fastest way to get burnt out, which will only add to the stress. Choosing a productivity system, like the Eisenhower Matrix or Eat The Frog, will help you prioritize what needs to be done first so that you can make the most of your schedule.
Take Time Each Day For “Me Time”
Talking about a packed schedule… No matter how busy your day is you want to make sure you have some “me time.” Think of it as a reset for your day. You are taking time to just be in the moment. Whatever you do during this time, whether it’s reading, working out, or anything else, be all there. Don’t preoccupy your mind with what needs to get done.
Break Down Big Goals/Tasks Into Smaller Ones
Big life transitions often have big goals and tasks associated with them. Think of all that needs to be done when it comes to planning a wedding, buying a house, starting your career, having a baby, etc.. It’s easy to get caught up with everything that needs to happen to make it through these transitions. The best way to approach it is to break it up into smaller goals and tasks.
For example, if you are expecting your first child it may be helpful to split up everything you need to do to prepare into the three trimesters. That way you focus on one time period at a time.
Job searching is another example. Don’t get stressed out about all the tasks you need to do or jobs you need to apply for. Instead try looking for jobs to apply to one day, create your resume and cover letters the next (remember to tailor them to each job posting), and record any introductory videos (if the posting calls for one) the day after that. Breaking tasks down like this makes them feel more manageable.
Keep Your Nutrition In Check
Nutrition is another thing that can take a backseat during life’s transitions. When this happens it also affects your wellness. Have you ever heard the saying, “when you eat like crap, you’ll feel like crap?” There is truth in this. If you are constantly going for what’s convenient and fast, like fast food and freezer meals, it’s going to make you feel not so hot during this time. This will only slow you down and keep you feeling icky.
Some ways you can prioritize your nutrition during this time is to set aside a day for meal prepping, pick healthier options when you are eating out or grabbing takeout, and make sure your meals are balanced. Also, drink your water.
Get Some Rest
Getting enough quality sleep is also important. It’s something you should strive for all the time, but especially when you are going through a big transition. If getting enough sleep is something that you struggle with I’d recommend creating a night time routine. I’ve done this by setting an alarm when it’s time to wind down. It’s helped ensure that I go to sleep at a decent time each night and I can tell a difference.
Delegate What You Can
As I have mentioned, a majority of big transitions include lots of tasks and activities that need to be done. Don’t be afraid to lean on your support system and delegate what you can. Obviously you want to ask first, but most of the time your support system will be happy to help you during this big time in your life. If they can’t take on some of the load I’m sure they can be there as a listening ear and give advice.
Schedule Time To “Worry/Stress”
This is a technique I learned from my therapist. Worry and stress are understandable feelings when it comes to big life transitions. While they may not be the fun emotions, they are emotions that deserve to be felt. A way to express them, without letting them overrule you and distract from what you need to do is to schedule time to let them out. It’s as simple as setting a five to 10 minute alarm and allowing yourself to let it all out. Whether that’s through journaling, talking with a loved one, or another healthy form of expression, whatever is best for you to feel that emotion.
Unplug From Social Media
Social media can be a big distraction and bring up some negative feelings as well. Sometimes when you are going through a lot you need to quiet the noise. Unplugging from social media is a great way to do that. You can do this by unplugging during the time you are dealing with whatever transition you are going through, unplugging for a weekend, or maybe even a month. The choice is yours for whatever you think would benefit you most.
Give Yourself Grace
The last thing I want you to remember to do before we close out this post is to give yourself grace. A big transition is a lot to go through. If things get a little messy in the middle, you feel confused on next steps, or you’re just having a bad day, take a deep breath. You are going to get through this. Remember that the end result will be a great thing, and just take a step forward. Remind yourself that you’ve got this, and when you don’t give yourself grace to know that you will soon.
No matter what type of life transition you are going through, I hope you know you’re not alone. Don’t get so caught up in the chaos that you neglect your wellbeing. By implementing these actions you’ll ensure that your mental health doesn’t take the backseat anymore during this bumpy ride you are on.
About the Author
Kelly graduated from Liberty University with a degree in Advertising and Public Relations and a minor in Journalism. Even though it took her a little while to find her career path, she was always meant to be in Communications. She remembers writing poems and songs when she was a little girl and pitching to my parents the reasons why I should have a cell phone when I was a teenager. She currently has a blog (budding-joy.com) where she talks about her weight-loss journey, mental health and personal development. Her hope is to encourage and inspire readers and let them know they are not alone. Reading blog posts like that are what helped her in tough times and she wants to pay it forward. She loves dance fitness, listening to music, and creating layouts in her bullet journal. She's a big fan of planning, especially when cute notebooks and pens are involved. Her dream job has changed so much over the years; right now she'd love to co-own a dance studio.
Website: budding-joy.com