Mental Health Tips

Every year, the first week of May marks the Canadian Mental Health Association Mental Health Week.

This is the perfect opportunity to offer practical ways to maintain and improve mental health. We asked our mental health experts what are some ways we could maintain our mental health during the pandemic. Check out the simple and unique tips they provided to care for yourself (and possibly others) during Mental Health Week:

• Write a hand written letter to a loved one
• Surround yourself with things that smell good. This could be a scented candle, baking, or a fragrant tea. 
• Reflect on your day and make sure you've done something pleasurable and something where you feel that you accomplished something.  Don't make these goals lofty. This can be things like enjoying your favourite food (pleasurable) and folding some laundry (accomplishment).
• Declutter your home and donate old items
• Organize your computer files
• Phone (not text) a friend or connect with someone you haven't connected with in a while.
• Give yourself a spa day
• Re-arrange your furniture
• Learn a new hobby (sewing, crafting, cooking, knitting, woodwork, drawing)
• Have a movie marathon with family
• Do something kind for someone else. A random act of kindness. For example, pay for someone's coffee in the drive through. Make a small donation to a local charity. Being kind has multiple benefits for our own mental well-being and for others.
• Make a bucket list
• Re-read a favourite book
• Stretch. Stretching is an underrated activity that can help with physical tension and stress.
• Make a photo book
• Take a walk in nature. There's something soothing about being amongst the trees. 
• Read the manual for a piece of technology you only sort of know how to use
• Plan your garden
• Teach your dog a new trick

Resources & Tools

• To learn more about Mental Health Week and virtual events happening in the community, you can visit cmha.ca.
• Access COVID-19 Mental Health resources and support here. 
• If you're having a mental health crisis, access resources here.
• If you're a staff member looking for resources, click here. 
  • Note: this link leads to the MyStJoes intranet and can only be accessed through the St. Joe's network.