We aspire to make positive changes that will lay the foundation for a healthier lifestyle. An effective but often overlooked way to do this is to establish a daily routine that puts your mental health first. In this article, we’ll explore simple and effective ways you can create a long-term, stable daily routine that lays the foundation for a healthier, happier life.

Benefits of Establishing Daily Habits

Not only do these habits make our daily lives smoother and more manageable, they also:

1. Provide a sense of order and framework to reduce stress and uncertainty.
2. By reducing the number of decisions we need to make, we can focus on our priorities and improve efficiency.
3. Develop discipline and consistency to help us develop positive habits that are critical to personal and professional success.
4. Provide comfort and stability. Predictable living habits are especially reassuring during challenging times.

Establishing daily habits is more than just managing time, they play an important role in supporting our overall well-being, building resilience, and cultivating a healthier, more fulfilling life.

What Are Some Daily Habits That Support Good Mental Health?

Daily habits that support mental health include:

1. Get regular sleep. Go to bed and wake up at the same time every day. This makes it easier to fall asleep at night and wake up in the morning. If you always put off bedtime, try setting a bedtime alarm. Also, make sure your morning alarm gives you enough time and doesn’t make your workday start too late and cause too much stress. Getting enough sleep can help you regulate your emotions, stay focused, use healthy coping skills, and reduce emergency hormones.
2. Give time and space for stress relief. Whether it’s meditating, exercising, or journaling, make it a habit to proactively do something to manage stress every day.
3. Exercise. Getting exercise is one of the most effective ways to take care of your mental health. Decide when you are going to exercise and put it on your calendar. Try to schedule some exercise for most days, which doesn’t require a lot of intensity or a long period. For example, you could dance at home, take a walk during your lunch break, or ride your bike to the store.
4. Take the medicine at the same time. Taking medication at the same time every day reminds us to take it and allows it to work effectively.
5. Prioritize your to-do items. Sometimes I just want to cross quick and easy items off my to-do list, so I get those done first. But the problem is, these may not be priorities. Get the most important things done first (not the hardest, not the easiest, not the quickest).
6. Be grateful for the good things in life. Many people like to write a gratitude journal before going to bed, listing 5-10 things they are grateful for. You can make it easy by jotting down 5 things you’re grateful for before you get up in the morning or while you’re in the shower.
7. Simple happiness. Your daily habits should also include periods that make you happy. Just make sure the things that make you happy are healthy—remember, this isn’t an excuse to have six drinks every night.
8. Build meaningful relationships. Spend time with the people who are important to you. Family dinners are a great place to start. Going on regular dates with your partner and meeting friends for coffee are good daily habits. Social interactions can provide us with emotional support and promote a sense of belonging and acceptance.
9. Hobbies. Spend time doing things you enjoy. It could be reading, painting, playing an instrument or gardening. Hobbies provide an outlet for creativity and rest.
10. Set boundaries. Communicate your boundaries clearly in personal and professional relationships. Setting boundaries is crucial to maintaining a healthy, balanced relationship that doesn’t lead to burnout.
11. Self-reflection. Spend time on yourself regularly. You can journal, meditate, or just be alone quietly. If you notice signs of stress, overwhelm, or worsening mental health, consider adjusting your daily habits and seeking additional support. Self-reflection can help you identify problems when they are small and proactively make changes to adapt to changing needs.

How to Get Started

It looks like there is a huge list of things to do! Doesn’t this make you unbearable? Remember, you don’t need to do everything at once. At the same time, you will find that many projects can be combined. For example, you can call friends and family during your daily walk.

If you’re adding new things to your schedule, you may need to cut out some other things. This involves setting boundaries and saying no to things that are unimportant or don’t contribute to your happiness. It also means investing less time in mindless activities that don’t solve problems or make you feel fulfilled.

Also, remember that maintaining a consistent daily routine will ultimately save you time. You will become more efficient and energetic.

Most importantly, developing daily habits that support mental health is an ongoing process.

You don’t need to add all of these things to your daily habits in one week. Start where you are and build one healthy habit at a time. If you don’t follow your daily routine perfectly, that’s to be expected. Self-compassion is good for mental health too!