Adulting can be really hard at times and suddenly one is confronted with all different kinds of responsibilities that you didn’t really asked for but are still required to fulfil in order to live life on a daily basis. While working 9 to 5 jobs and trying to keep their lives at least somewhat organised, people sometimes forget that it also takes a bit of relaxation time for a human being to lead a healthy life. We get so caught up in our daily routine that what is broadly known as mental hygiene, meaning things that keep us mentally healthy and happy, is too often brushed off as irrelevant - which it certainly isn’t.

In my first weeks of working full time I realised that my body and mind wasn’t used to being demanded constant attention and I tended to come home feeling utterly exhausted and mentally as well as physically drained. I was so caught up in succeeding in the job I love that I completely lost track of the amount of work I was loading onto myself and the little amount of time I let myself have to just take a step back, let my body relax and just breathe. 

It took me two months to completely adjust and it took me just as much time to figure out what my body needed. It doesn’t matter if you’re a uni student, at school, working a job or multiple things of the above, taking care of yourself is essential. Which is why today’s post is gonna be a guide to not lose track of what is important. Your own mental health. The motto that always comes along with this is: LET YOURSELF HAVE THINGS.

1. LISTEN TO YOUR BODY

Your body always knows best what you need at certain moments. If your body signals you that you’re tired and need a rest, just DO IT and lie down for 20 minutes. If your body tells you that you need a day off because you haven’t slept properly in days, call in sick and spend a day in bed, I promise it’ll do wonders to your mental and physical health. No one’s going to get fired for being sick every once in a while when you come back well rested continuing to do an amazing job. 

2. LET YOURSELF HAVE BREAKS

Sometimes when you’re on a run and everything seems to work smoothly and you have thousand tasks to get done with in one day, you forget to take a step back and take a breath for five minutes. Don’t do that, let yourself enjoy a break or two throughout the day simply to let your body relax and lose tension. 

3. ENJOY YOUR SOCIAL LIFE

Don’t let work, uni or school take over your life. Education is important and so is earning money but a social life is just as important. Meeting up with people you like, doing things you enjoy is basically the #1 medicine against every kind of daily emotional struggle we might have to face every once in a while. If you think you don’t have the time to get out and socialise, invite friends over and work on things together. Pain and homework are always better shared than dealt with alone.

4. DON’T LOSE TRACK OF YOUR DIET

When you’re working full time or are at uni all day, losing track of your diet is not only tempting but also ridiculously easy. There’s at least one person each day that shows up with cakes or sweets or other tremendously delicious but nutritiously crappy stuff and as you don’t wanna be rude you’ll eat it. Always. Having cake once in a while won’t ruin your diet but it’s important to balance things out which is why I suggest meal preps and delicious, yet healthy snacks such as fruit, veggies and nuts to get through the day. 

5. TIME OFF DOESN’T MEAN YOU’RE LAZY

I know that many people think if they let themselves have a snuggly lie in every once in a while or stay in bed for a whole day they are immediately considered lazy. That’s ridiculous. Taking time off to just chill and let yourself do nothing doesn’t mean you’re a lazy person that will never amount to anything. On the contrary, being well rested will obviously contribute to your level of performance and will make you be a lot more attentive and able to get a lot more work done. So, breaks are cool.

6. GUILTY PLEASURES ARE HEALTHY

As I mentioned in point 4, having sweets or fast food every once in a while won’t make your diet plummet downhill, it’s all about the balance. And if your guilty pleasure are TV series or knitting scarves in your free time, GO DO IT, it’s HEALTHY, life isn’t supposed to revolve around work and uni.

7. DON’T FORGET YOUR INNER CHILD

When we grow up, we often lose the innocence with which we used to look at the world in our early years. The simplest of things seemed to be the most amazing experiences and ordinary incidents would feel magical. Sometimes this innocent perspective makes you realise that even in an environment full of anger, greed and corruption there’s still a beautiful world lying beneath. Being childish and letting yourself forget all responsibilities from time to time does not only keep you grounded but can also make you feel more alive. You’re never too old for ball pits or bouncy castles. Embrace your inner child.

8. SLEEP IS AMAZING …

Well, this is pretty self explanatory. Sleep enough and you’ll be a happier and more relaxed person.

9. … BOOKS ARE TOO

Let’s be honest, nothing’s more relaxing than getting lost in a story written on white pages. 

And last but not least:

10. DO MORE OF WHAT MAKES YOU HAPPY.