Good mental health is having a sense of wellbeing, confidence and self-esteem. It enables us to enjoy life, form positive relationships and cope with life’s challenges.
A few tips for positive mental health are;
- Connect with others and spend quality time with friends, family and loved ones
- Express your thoughts and feelings
- Enjoy healthy foods
- Be active
- Get enough sleep
- Take time out to relax and enjoy hobbies
- Continue to learn new things and challenge yourself
- Be aware of your stress triggers and have strategies ready for when they may arise
- Ask for help when needed – doctor or health professional
Being active every day is the key to good health and weight management!
Exercise doesn’t have to mean vigorous ‘boot camps’, sweat or tears. Exercise can come from everyday activities that you enjoy, such as gardening, playing with children, walking to the shops and work, taking the stairs where possible, housework and stretching while watching TV.
Increasing your activity efforts leading to an elevated heart rate is also very important for your health and wellbeing. At least 30 minutes on most days of the week is recommended, this can be in short burst of 3 x 10 minute intervals if preferred. The key is to choose an activity that you enjoy, therefore you will be more likely to continue performing it, for example playing a team sport or jogging around your favourite picturesque park land.
We were designed to move, however unfortunately modern technology has reduced the opportunities. Here are a few tips from the Better Health Channel to help increase your daily movement;
Cars reduce how much we walk. Suggestions include:
- Walk to the corner shops instead of driving.
- Cycle to work one or two days every week.
- Walk to the bus stop or train station, and catch public transport to work.
- If taking the bus or tram, get off one stop early and walk the rest of the way.
- Park the car a fair distance from the entrance of the shops and walk, rather than parking right out front.
- Wash and vacuum the car yourself instead of taking it to a car wash.
In the workplace
- Take the stairs instead of the lift.
- Use at least half of your lunch break for a brisk walk, even if it is only 10–15 minutes.
- Stretch at your desk.
- When you need to talk to a colleague, don’t use the phone or internal email – get up from your desk and walk over to them.
- If your job involves sitting at a desk all day, make sure you get up and walk around for a few minutes every hour.
- You might enjoy the housework a little more if you think about all the kilojoules you’re burning while pushing the vacuum and mop around.
- Listen to your favourite music or the radio and dance around the house.
- Play actively with your children.
- Walk the dog more often, or make your usual walk 10 minutes or so longer.
- Get stuck into your garden. Mow, rake leaves and get some planting done.
- Incorporate a few more physical activities into your family’s leisure time, for example, you could take the children to the park or kick a ball around the backyard.
Out and about
- Ignore the lifts in favour of the stairs.
- In shopping centres, take the stairs instead of the escalators.
- Walk up the escalators instead of just riding them.
Where to get help
- Your doctor
Things to remember
- Everyday activities, such as housework and gardening, can help burn kilojoules.
- Research suggests that maintaining an active lifestyle is the key to good health and weight management.