Caring for Mental Health in Busy Times
Written by: Alona Henig
Resources compiled by all collaborators at Grove
With all the time we’ve had to spend at home over the last year, one would think we’d be comfortable relaxing on the couch, breathing deeply as we read our favorite books or watch our favorite movies. Unfortunately, for most of us that hasn’t been the case. Whether you’re working or studying, parenting or being parented, doing it all from home takes its toll, and the business of making it work is all-consuming.
As we continue to adjust to these ever-changing times, the feelings of overwhelm come and go. And when they arrive, how do we respond? There is so much to care for: our families, friends, jobs, homes, communities, and more… so how do we make time to care for ourselves, too? It doesn’t always feel possible. In busy times, especially, caring for your mental health is important. We’ve compiled some tips and tricks we use to care for ourselves, in hopes that sharing them will help you do the same.
There are many ways to care for your mental health, and each situation might require a different technique or action. In order to find out what action is right for you, we encourage you to take a moment to slow down. Notice what’s building inside of you and let it guide you toward caring for yourself, even (read: especially) when life is busy.
The more we practice monitoring and managing the hard feelings–overwhelm, stress, frustration, sadness, grief, anger, you name it–the more familiar we become with recognizing our needs. And once we can understand our needs, we can meet them and nurture ourselves in the process.
Here are some ways that Grove collaborators care for themselves in busy times:
“Over time, I've learned to practice noticing when the "DO" indicator light is illuminating. Once I'm able to notice (sometimes this is quickly, and sometimes it is hours or days later), I name it. I'm feeling a sense of urgency. I invite curiosity in, asking what this urgency might be trying to communicate. Ironically, I typically find that my urgency is telling me to slow down and care for myself. I work to respond (sometimes begrudgingly) with a grounding or restful act. For me, this might be a number of things: a walk through my neighborhood, a bath, watching a mindless show, or simply breathing deeply. I typically find that once I have given myself the space to slow down, I feel much more balanced and ready to move forward with my responsibilities.” - Sara Marasco, LMSW (she/her)
“I take a moment to pause, putting my hand on my heart, taking a slow breath, and asking myself three questions:
1. How am I feeling right now? (Hint: notice clues from your body and mind that indicate your current state.)
2. Can I give that feeling some space instead of trying to control it? (i.e. noticing any resistance to my feelings, and softening into acceptance)
3. How can I nurture myself right now? (Do I need a walk? A self-hug? A glass of water? A snuggle from my pet or my child? Trusting that my intuition knows best.)” - Anique Pegeron, MA, RYT (she/her)
“Frequently, I find myself able to take a break that is only about 15 minutes long. I have found that even a short walk can make a difference and be a good reset. I also enjoy singing along with a favorite song or taking a few minutes to dance.” - Dr. Thomas Atkins (he/him)
“I find exercise to be one of the greatest stress relievers in my life, consistent with all the research on ways it tends to improve well-being. It can be hard to build the habit, though. The key, I've found, is to either find an activity that I genuinely love to do AND/OR find someone to do the workout with, thus creating accountability and social incentive.” - Ian Reed Twiss, LLMSW (he/him)
“Caring for my mental health in busy times includes managing overwhelm. For me, that sense of overwhelm comes from feeling like I have too much to do and not enough time, energy, or resources to do it all. To cope, I spend 10-15 minutes (sometimes setting a timer is helpful) and make a list of every obligation on my plate, lingering task that still needs attention, and worry that's been running through my mind. Once it's all out on paper, I make a plan to tackle it all, prioritizing things that are vital or immediate. I find that making a plan helps me to feel grounded and secure.” - Teague Simoncic, LMSW (she/her)
“One of my favorite ways to care for my mental health when I'm busy is something that takes, truly, no time: turning off my phone and putting it in a closet. I find that if I'm stressed or busy, I'm more prone to feel overwhelmed by text messages or feel negatively about social media. It helps so much to force my phone away from me, making me do something else like cook, take a walk, or dance it out.” - Carryn Lund, LMSW, RYT (she/her)
We at Grove encourage you to try an act of self-care this week. Maybe one you read above, or maybe one you thought of yourself. Whatever it is, take a moment to notice your state, ask yourself some questions, and then give yourself whatever it is you need in the moment.
It is hard to remember to take care of yourself, and busy schedules can easily convince us that there isn’t time to do so. And that’s when we slow down. We notice. We check-in. And we nurture. And then, we can begin again.