​What a year it has been so far! There are so many reasons why we are looking at World Mental Health Day differently this year. 2020 has been a year that has not only challenged us to think more about ours & our loved one's physical health - but also likely had a huge effect on our mental health. More than ever it's becoming a necessity to take time out and reflect on your personal wellbeing & mental health. 🧘‍♂️

Self-isolation, lock-out, social distancing , WFH - For more than 7 months now, the recent pandemic forced us to live a new life of being alone in different ways. Whether it's having to stay away from our colleagues, friends, and family or being aware of potential health threats to our body. Life, as it used to be, was turned upside down. We had to quickly adapt to the drastic changes happening all around us - both in our personal and professional lives.​

​With the majority of us WFH for most of the year, somehow our work-life balance has become one big mess that is sometimes hard to untangle.

Especially when you are not used to working from home all day and are - after all these months - still trying to figure out, how to balance the distractions of home life, with the requirements of your working life 🤯 You're not alone!

Whether you feel like WFH makes your more productive or are still struggling to get the hang of it, one thing is clear - If you're not disciplined enough to separate your work environment from your personal life it can be more than challenging to stay sane and healthy.​

Physical health is easy to monitor. But with high-stress levels and today's phenomenon of 'always being busy', our mental health is easily overlooked. It's something we often push to the back of our minds, something we will get back to when we have time, something we will do on the weekend, and so on... The problem is, weekends are not always enough to reset and rest our minds. Catching up with friends, family events, chores, life admin, plus one or two BBQs and a few drinks here and there. 😎

But overbooking your schedule exhausts your body, creating a mental response that could be a threat to your wellbeing. Active stress management should be as well a part of your health management as exercise, restful sleep, and a healthy diet. When time is short, however, it’s often the first thing to be nixed.

Physical social distancing does not automatically mean you should distance yourself from your mind.

That's why it's important to make sure you remind yourself and the people around you to take care of yourselves above all. Sometimes you just need to stop, reflect, and take a deep breath. 🌿

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"It’s a letting go of your structure, so you can re-structure yourself inside
and let go of the rigid cobwebs of your thinking that have been draining your
aliveness without you even noticing."

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It's those days that you are allowed to be selfish enough to think about nothing but your own wellbeing and spoil yourself.

This also doesn't mean that mental health days should look the same for every individual. It's your mental health day and it can look like whatever you want it to:

• You could be a bookworm with the yearning desire to devour a book. 📕

• If you're the active type this could mean spending time going for a run at the beach, doing some crazy boxing, or maybe going hiking. 🏃‍♀️

• What about diving into your spiritual self with a relaxing session of yoga or meditation? 🧘‍♀️

... or you may simply want to take a long nap. 😴​

👉 Not sure on how to spend an effective mental health day? Check out this article for some directions.​​

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​You will need to figure out which activity is best for you to fully dive into your body and mind to rest and recharge your energy levels.

It's not just about getting a day off and showing up refreshed. Enjoying a moment of rare introspection and concentrating 100% on how you are truly feeling will not only improve your mental health but your physical health as well.

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Find some time for yourself! ☀️ Happy World Mental Health Day 2020.

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If you or someone you know is struggling, here a list of a few services & charities that could be relevant:

• Lifeline – 13 11 14 - 24 hours a day, 7 days a week

• Beyond Blue – 1300 22 4636

• Butterfly Foundation National Helpline – 1800 334 673

• SANE Australia Helpline – 1800 187 263

• Kids Helpline – 1800 55 1800

• MensLine Australia  – 1300 789 978

• QLife 1800 184 52 –  Web-chat available 3pm to midnight 7 days!

For more information and a more extensive list of health services and support contacts please reach out to a relevant organisation on RUOk? and NSW Government Mental Health Services.