Three mental health breaks that you can do every day: An Anxiety Therapist in Madison, WI gives tips

I’m sure you know that mental health breaks are important. Actually doing them is likely another story. In my experience as an anxiety therapist, it’s best to start small with any new habit. There are multiple reasons for this. If you bite off more than you can chew, you’ll end up feeling defeated pretty quickly. That means you’ll be less likely to try again. On the other hand, once you feel successful in making positive shifts, your success is more likely to build on itself. If your new small habit is helping you, you’ll look for more ways to help yourself in similar ways. It’s the same with mental health breaks.

Nicole Pajer wrote a great article on Huffington Post about how to sneak in mental health breaks. I was a featured contributor, and if you haven’t seen it it’s worth checking out. In it you can find 12 easy things to do throughout your day to improve your mental health. Today I’ll expand on stretch breaks (discussed in the article), and talk about two other mental health breaks that you can do every day!

Adding the following mental health breaks into your day will take as little as a few moments. It could take a few minutes, or more, if you want. If you’re Highly Sensitive, small breaks are especially helpful to combat overstimulation. For all of these resets, it can be helpful to put post-it notes around the house in places where you are doing the resets or phone reminders. Bonus: taking mental health breaks is a great way to prevent burnout!

Mental health break #1: Notice and release tension in your jaw or shoulders

I like to start with the simplest reset! As you know, our bodies and minds are connected. Releasing tension in your body helps release emotional stress. You don’t have to do a full body scan.

The jaw and shoulders are common areas where we hold tension.

You can notice them during a meeting, when you’re working, trying to sleep, anywhere. When you check in with your jaw, also notice your tongue. It may be pressed up on the top of your mouth. If it is, let it float freely in your mouth. If you’re noticing your shoulders, they might be creeping up toward your ears. Just let them fall back down where they can soften. 

This is something you can do at any time! Once you start doing it regularly, you might be surprised at how often your jaw or shoulders tense up. That in turn can give you a lot of satisfaction knowing that you are releasing tension so regularly.

Mental health break #2: Do a small stretch

Again, the mind-body connection. Softening tightness in your muscles is related to your emotional flexibility. Small stretches are something you can do during any transition. Things like getting out of the car, restroom breaks, and after a meeting are all good places to start. The stretch can be very simple! Think about those videos on airplanes that encourage you to move in your seat. Try a shoulder or ankle roll, or gently rotating your neck. If you have the space, you could bend down to touch your toes, or lift your arms over your head. If you are standing most of your day, try something seated, and vice versa. 

Any amount of movement is good physically and emotionally, even something small like stretching.

It takes your mind away from the task at hand and forces you to at least minimally check in with your body. This gives your brain a break and helps prevent tension from building up, physically and emotionally.

If you want more techniques to calm your body, try Progressive Muscle Relaxation for anxiety.

Mental health break #3: Ask yourself, What gave me joy today?

The question might seem insignificant, but it is vital for staying focused on keeping yourself rejuvenated.

The idea is that joy exists already, and your job is to continue to notice where it is.

You don't even have to write your answers down, although you can if you want! The act of reflecting on it every day means that your brain keeps working on it, unconsciously. Your brain will notice more instances of the particular joys that you noticed once, and it will inherently then seek them out. It works kind of like when you learn a new word, you start to see it everywhere. Bonus: this question also works as a first step in recovering from burnout!

You can ask yourself anytime you want, but I recommend finding a regular time. That way you don’t have to think about when you’ll do it. You can ask yourself while you are brushing your teeth, washing the dishes, or doing laundry. If you’re doing this simultaneously with another task, I recommend choosing a task that is mindless for you. You’ll need at least some mental energy to answer the question. You could also do it as you’re going to sleep. 

Don’t get too caught up in getting a profound answer. HSPs especially will want to find something with the greatest amount of meaning. It might take a bit to get used to thinking about this. You might find joy in what you had for dinner, or the color of the sky, or your child’s smile. If it gave you even the tiniest amount of joy, that's perfect.

Which of these mental health breaks feels like it could be helpful for you? Try it out. Start small so that you can be successful and build on it. If it doesn’t land, try another one. Any effort you make to prioritize yourself makes a difference. 

About the Author

I’m a licensed clinical social worker who loves supporting women and HSPs to prioritize themselves.

A graduate of Smith College School for Social Work, I have worked in school, hospice, and community mental health settings before opening Bronwyn Shiffer Psychotherapy in Madison, WI. I’m also licensed in Massachusetts!

I provide online therapy throughout Wisconsin and virtual therapy in Massachusetts. In addition to anxiety counseling, I offer depression therapy and therapy for HSPs.