Take control: the 5-step mental health checklist

When it comes to mental health, sometimes it seems like our brain will do all the hard work for us. We can't see the mental wear and tear that we naturally accumulate, so we assume that we're doing fine. Until we're not fine.

The truth is that maintaining good mental health takes just as much work as maintaining good physical health – and the two are intertwined in many ways. Did you know, for example, that people with depression have a 40% higher risk of developing cardiovascular and metabolic diseases?

A practical way to get on top, and stay on top of your well-being is to start a mental health checklist. It’s simple: make a list of the elements of your well-being – we’ll go through them below. Then, once a week, do a self-audit of where you’re at in each category. You can write a few words to describe how you’re going, or even give scores out of 10 if that works for you. 

This will help you identify when things are getting tough – you may see patterns or a slump forming – and could be the prod you need to start prioritizing your mental health.

Here’s your checklist:

1. Your feelings

This is an obvious opener – how have you been feeling this week? Are you down, depressed, or feeling anxious? It’s natural for these things to fluctuate, but if you’re noticing an upward trend it’s important to act before it spirals out of control. 

While many of us prefer to keep our heads down and attempt to power through, that can have dire consequences.

Take anxiety, for example. It might not seem like such a big deal, but people suffering from it have a far higher risk of hospitalisation – so it’s important that we take these feelings seriously when they do come up.

2. Your body

Are you answering emails through clenched teeth or pounding the keyboard in anger? It’s often physical signals that wake us up to how stressed we are, so feel for tension in your shoulders, neck, jaw, or glutes and make conscious efforts to move, stretch, relax or walk away from the source of stress (i.e. your computer!) when you need to. Other physical signs of stress or anxiety include dry mouth, skin breakouts, gut irritations, and biting your nails.

Recently, we took a look at the ways yoga can improve our mental health – regular yoga practice helps regulate our physiological responses to stress, so next time you’re subconsciously biting your nails or clenching your jaw, roll out the mat and release some of that tension.

3. Your sleep

A lack of sleep can be a vicious cycle when it comes to your mental health – you can’t sleep because your mind is too busy, and you can’t function properly during the day because you haven’t had enough rest. We know we harp on about it a lot, but there’s a reason: getting good quality sleep truly is essential for a healthy body and mind.

If you’re finding it difficult to get to sleep at night, or you aren’t sleeping through the entire stretch consistently, cut your screen time before bed, and if you’re working from home, put your “work self” away when you shut down your computer.

The foods we eat can play a significant role in the quantity and quality of our sleep – so be mindful of what you’re eating and you might find that drifting off gets a whole lot easier.

4. Your reactions

Are you snapping at people you love? Are you honking at other drivers? Are you binge eating after a tough day at work? Take note of the times when you’re short-tempered or upset by things that wouldn’t normally phase you. These are signs that you’re highly strung right now – and by learning what triggers you, you can learn to regulate your response to stressful situations.

5. Your friends

Do you have a check-in buddy for when things are tough? Someone to look out for you, and someone for you to look out for? A support network is crucial for your mental health. So when you’re finishing off your checklist, make a call, send a message or jump on a video chat.

When your checklist shows areas you could improve, take action. If you need to talk through things, call your friends and family. And don’t be afraid to seek out a professional if you need further help.