Whether you’re feeling overwhelmed by work, study, relationships or just life in general – especially during such an uncertain time – it can be a balancing act to keep your mental health and overall well-being in a good place.
You might find it hard to focus and think, go to the gym, manage stressful situations, make plans with friends and family, or simply do those tasks you always do.
But once you find yourself in a hole, how can you dig yourself out? Or even better, work to avoid the hole altogether?
While there is no cookie-cutter solution or answer that works for everyone, there are tools you can use to your benefit – like a personalised wellness plan.
Taking the time to create a wellness or self-care plan can not only set you on the right path to managing your mental health more effectively, but it can also help to improve and support your overall wellbeing.
What is a Wellness Plan?
A wellness plan is essentially a blueprint for how you can work towards better mental health and overall wellbeing every day.
This doesn’t have to be an overwhelming plan to overhaul your entire life – it is simply a way to give you a clear focus on areas of your life that will help to contribute to improved mental health and overall wellbeing.
What are the Key Parts of a Wellness Plan?
1. Physical Health
It’s something that is neglected all too often when things get busy, but your physical health should be a priority – not just for your mental wellbeing, but to make your body feel good too.
Being physically active plays an important role throughout our entire lives – from helping to teach coordination and developing relationships with others, to promoting healthy muscles and bones, improving physical fitness, and reducing the risk of disease.
Prioritising your physical health might involve joining a team sport in your local area, signing up to your local gym to do some classes or even just making a habit of going for a walk, jog or run every morning.
2. Nutrition
Food is essential to life – it provides the energy and nutrients for your body to regenerate and repair, maintain tissues, and tackle each day head-on.
When you are busy, it can be easy to reach for ‘junk’ foods, takeaway, or high-sugar snacks. However, a diet lacking in variety from the five food groups (vegetables, fruit, grains, lean meats and dairy) may be causing you and your body more stress than you think.
The Australian Institute of Health & Welfare found that:
– Less than 1 in 10 adults met the recommendations for daily vegetable consumption in 2017–18
– 9.1% of adults consumed sugar-sweetened drinks daily in 2017–18
– 7.3% of the total burden of disease in Australia in 2015 was due to poor diet.
– 7.1% of children aged 2–17 consumed sugar-sweetened drinks daily in 2017–18
As part of a wellness plan, you should focus on incorporating nutritious foods from the five food groups into your diet each day and limiting the number of discretionary foods you consume.
You can find a range of great resources regarding nutrition on the Eat For Health website.
3. Emotional Wellness
Improving your emotional wellbeing may involve focusing on a few different aspects of your life, such as learning and practising mindfulness, improving the length and quality of your sleep, strengthening your social connections with others, and learning healthy habits for dealing with stress.
Focusing on these key areas of your emotional wellbeing will help you to become more resilient, allowing you to better deal with stress, difficult news, or trying times in your personal and professional life.
4. Workplace Wellbeing
With Australians spending the best part of the week at work, it only makes sense to have a healthy work-life to help bring balance to your overall health.
Working in a career or job that you love and that matches your values is a good start, but it is also important to focus on achieving a work-life balance, feel safe at work, and feel like there is open communication between you and your manager.
5. Financial Wellness
Last but not least, being financially savvy isn’t just good for your wallet, it is good for your overall health and wellbeing too.
A large US bank conducted a survey in 2015 where 70% of respondents reported that good financial habits and health had a positive impact on their physical health as well.
Some tips to get your finances in order include:
– Figure out your cash flow – how much money is coming in and going out?
– Write out your financial goals
– Check out these 13 tips from the Financial Review for managing your personal finances
– Speak to a financial advisor
Help Others with a Diploma of Mental Health
Studying your Diploma of Mental Health with TrainSmart Australia not only gives you the tools to take care of your own mental health, but it also gives you practical real-world skills that can help you to help others.
Trainsmart’s Diploma of Mental Health, which is studied over a 12-month period, is designed to equip you with the skills and knowledge to follow a career in the Allied Health Industry. Learn to support and help others in their mental health journey, as well as practical skills and knowledge that can help you navigate day-to-day life.
So what are you waiting for? Get in touch with TrainSmart Australia today to find out more about the range of courses on offer.
