HOW TO TAKE CARE OF YOUR WELL-BEING IN THE NEW YEAR?

10 TIPS FROM PSYCHOLOGIST

WHAT TO DO TO MAINTAIN GOOD MOOD AND MENTAL HEALTH?

New year means new challenges, so it's worth considering what role mental health plays and how many different factors can affect our mood. But what is this well-being? It is nothing more than a state of feeling good and the ability to function well in life (school, home, work). Sounds like no big deal right? The author of one model of well-being is M. Seligman, who was a precursor to positive psychology. Seligman identified the most important areas of well-being.

What are the areas of well-being :

Feeling good - influenced by self-confidence, optimism, personal growth, inner joys;
Functioning well - which includes, for example, commitment to responsibilities, relationships with others, healthy habits;
Accomplishing- which refers to reaching one's goals and intentions;
Flourishing - seeing meaning in the activities we undertake and being aware of the impact of our attitude on the world around us, e.g. helping others, volunteering (Seligman, 2011).

What can we do to take care of our mood ? Read the following advice!

#1 GOALS

Think about your goals for the coming new year, write down your thoughts and ideas for achieving them. Make a "TO DO LIST" and tick off a point each time you accomplish a task. Create a MOTIVATION BOARD with pictures related to your plans and dreams - it will definitely boost your motivation!

#2 HEALTHY HABITS

Incorporate a few new healthy habits into your daily schedule such as a glass of water for breakfast, fruit for lunch, an afternoon walk, stretching, 15 minutes of reading a book in the evening. Schedule your activity on a calendar and track your progress - it will be fun and very rewarding!

#3 HOBBIES AND NEW SKILLS

What do you like to do in your spare time? Ask yourself this question to consider what new interests you might develop this year. Learning new skills can have a positive impact on your mood, self-esteem and will certainly allow you to have a nice and creative time!

#4 ACTIVE RECREATION

Staying active and exercising regularly keeps our mood up, reduces stress, improves mental health, and makes us more energetic! If there’s such a possibility,, enjoy a walk outdoors, take a bike ride, or do yoga on the grass. Choose an activity that you enjoy!

#5 RELATIONSHIPS

Spend time with family and friends, with people you feel comfortable with. Ideas for time together: board games, puns, movie night or common conversation.

#6 BALANCE

When we have many responsibilities, it's hard to find time to relax. However, don't forget that it is very important! Plan your day to include time for relaxation and activities that you enjoy.

#7 LIMIT MEDIA

Our phones accompany us every day, and these days we do most of our work on computers. We are ONLINE all the time, which makes us forget how much fun we can have without devices like smartphones, tablets, or computers. Find a time during the week when you turn off all your devices and be OFFLINE! It can be a whole day, or just a few hours - take the challenge!

#8 KEEP A JOURNAL

Keeping a daily journal can help improve your mood and self-esteem. At the end of the day write down a few sentences about your successes, nice memories and positive experiences, what good happened during the day. Such a summary will allow us to reflect for a while.

#9 HELP OTHERS

Get involved in a volunteer or project where you can help others! You can also do something nice for a classmate, for example a small gesture like that can be a lot of fun and rewarding!

#10 BE NICE TO YOURSELF

Think back to a time when you did something nice for yourself. Treat yourself as if you were treating your best friend. When things don't go your way, don't criticize yourself. Instead, accept yourself exactly as you are now.

Sources:

Seligman, ME. 2011. Flourish: A visionary new understanding of happiness and well-being. New York, NY, USA: Free Press.
Seligman, ME. 2011. Pełnia życia: Nowe spojrzenie na kwestie szczęścia i dobrego życia. Nowy Jork, NY, USA: Free Press.
Balica, M. 2021. What is well- being? Policy Research Paper. https://ibo.org/globalassets/publications/ib-research/policy/what-is-well-being-eng.pdf
Schab, LM. 2021. Jesteś kimś więcej, niż myślisz dla nastolatków. GWP Gdańskie Wydawnictwo Psychologiczne.

The text is written and prepared by school psychologist, Adrianna Pawlak.