Checklist: 30 simple psychological ways to take care of yourself

We often hear how important it is to maintain a standard daily routine in times of crisis, stick to a schedule, make to-do lists, and remember to take care of your mental state. Narrative practitioner offered 30 simple options for dealing with anxiety and establishing contact with oneself in a changed reality.

Sometimes we neglect simple psychological recommendations — drink water, eat healthy food, move, take medicine, tidy up our body and the space around. Many ways seem banal and obvious — it’s hard to believe that such practices can really have a positive effect on our well-being. Nevertheless, it is precisely such “boring” ways that help us calm down and come to our senses.

Here is a list of things to do that will help you relax, take your mind off the news agenda, and regain clarity of thought. You can build on our ideas or add your own proven ways to calm down.

  1. Walk fast, preferably in nature.

  2. Play music.

  3. Dance.

  4. Stay in the shower.

  5. Do breathing exercises.

  6. Sing or shout (quietly or loudly, depending on the situation).

  7. Look at photographs of forests or plants.

  8. Enable funny animal videos.

  9. Drink something warm in small sips.

  10. Hold your hands under running water.

  11. cry.

  12. Meditate, focusing on the objects of the external world, name them and their characteristics.

  13. Do some exercise, stretching or yoga.

  14. Hug yourself.

  15. To swear, to send what irritates, far and for a long time, with expression.

  16. Speak out loud your feelings, name them.

  17. Clean up the apartment.

  18. Draw, express emotions with a pen, pencil or felt-tip pen.

  19. Tear up unnecessary papers.

  20. Read a mantra or prayer.

  21. Eat something healthy.

  22. Drink a soothing collection or tea.

  23. Switch to your favorite hobby.

  24. Look out the window, look into the distance, change the point of focus.

  25. Call a friend or loved one and tell them what’s going on.

  26. Tell yourself «this too shall pass».

  27. Rhythmically pat yourself on the opposite side of the body (left hand on the right side, right hand on the left side).

  28. Stretch your palms and fingers, and massage your feet and back.

  29. Use aromatic oils, incense, cosmetics with a pleasant smell.

  30. Change bed linen and lie down for a while on a fresh and clean one.

You are guaranteed to feel better by doing at least one of the tasks. Try not to postpone these methods for a good time and resort to the most suitable one, depending on the circumstances.

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