A new year brings a fresh start and new beginnings. It is a time to set goals and intentions for oneself. But is this mentally healthy for us?
Today we discuss how to be mindful of our mental health and self care while planning for the year ahead!
It's the Simple Things ... Like Making Your Bed!
How many of us get up in the morning, rush out of bed, and juggle our thermos and breakfast in hand out the door? Perhaps you have also neglected the unruly state of your bed, thinking "what's the big deal? No one will notice if I make it!" Admiral William McRaven explains how the simple task of making your bed can be life changing. So, read on and think again about leaving those crumpled covers behind!
Take a Breather!
Diaphragmatic breathing, otherwise known as “deep breathing,” is defined as an efficient integrative body-mind training for dealing with stress and psychosomatic conditions (Ma et al., 2017). Benefits of diaphragmatic breathing, notably emotional balance and social adaptation have been investigated in association with meditative practices, ancient eastern religions (e.g. Buddhism), and the movement arts (e.g. yoga and Tai Chi) (Sargunaraj et al., 1996; Beauchaine, 2001; Porges, 2001). Various psychological studies have also found diaphragmatic breathing to be an effective non-pharmacological intervention for reducing stress, anxiety, and depression (Stromberg et al., 2015) ...
Games for Mental Health & Mindfulness
With the increasing use of technology in our everyday lives, electronic games have become accessible enough and are of enough quality that it is not uncommon to see a child walking down the street playing Pokemon Go on their phone or a working mother playing Candy Crush on her laptop after dinner. Electronic games are often designed to be stimulating, based on progressing through levels or achieving rewards, are available on phones, computers, tablets, gaming consoles etc., and are often linked to social media, which help enable them to be highly addictive. Although electronic games can have a bad reputation for being "mindless" or harmful, there are newer (and often indie) games designed to be therapeutic, mindful, or simply relaxing.
Mental Health and Social Media
Today marks the start of Mental Health awareness week in Toronto! With the rising usage of social media in corporate and personal contexts, our focus this year is on raising awareness about mental health and social media. Are you a community manager? Do you manage a corporate social media account? Are you a social media guru? Blogger? Vlogger? Or regular Facebook checker? Then stay tuned this week to the blog and L&L Social channels for information, tips, personal stories, and strategies to maintain your mental health while using social media.
Beating Monday Blues
We’ve all experienced it from time to time, some of us more consistently than others. Monday blues are often a mixture of sadness, hopelessness, and anxiety about the entire work day or the workweek ahead of you (Smith, 2013). You might feel sluggish or wound up. We have got your covered with tips for beating the Monday blues.
What's in a Commute?
Commuting. The mere word strikes a sense of dread into the hearts of many. Unless you work from home, you have to find a way to reach your place of work. Commuting sets the tone and pace for the rest of the work day and can have negative effects on physical and mental health, such as increasing blood pressure and blood sugar, and increasing risk of depression, anxiety, and social isolation (Zamon, 2015).
International Self-Care Day
Meditation: The Best Medicine?
“Meditation is for hippies”.
“I can’t shut my brain off for long enough to ‘do’ meditation”.
“Sitting in an uncomfortable position while burning incense isn’t really my thing”.
… Sound familiar?
In a society addicted to getting things done and checking items off our to-do lists, there is something seemingly “weird” about silence and stillness in our culture.
A Simple Way to Break a Bad Habit
You would think that breaking a habit entails blocking out your inner desires, obsessions, and sensations towards engaging in it, but what if drawing attention to these attributes can help you beat your next urge? Psychiatrist Judson Brewer, who studies the relationship between mindfulness and addiction has discovered a simple, yet profound tactic that might help you conquer your next desire to smoke, snack, or check your texts during a board meeting.