Todays blog post focuses on a component of holistic self-care, that being mental self-care. I see emotional and mental self-care as different concepts, although the two are often intertwined.
For the purpose of todays blog, I am going to focus on mental self-care as that which encompasses cognitive wellness.
Cognitive wellness or mental self-care refers to the overall health of our mental processes, encompassing cognitive functions such as memory, attention, problem-solving, and decision-making.
Engaging in mental self-care is vital for our personal and professional lives. It allows our minds to approach problems with creativity and flexibility. It improves our decision-making abilities, make informed choices, better handle stress and regulate our emotions. It allows us to communicate effectively, reduce the risk of cognitive decline and improves professional performance.
Out of all the self-care components, this is probably one that most people try to prioritise but what does it practically look like?
Four practices which I have found to be helpful for my mental self-care are mindfulness, meditation, journaling and professional development. They are helpful to my personal and professional life as a Social Worker. There are PLENTY of other ways you can include mental self-care into your life, but for the purpose of this post, I’ll just focus on these main four.
Mindfulness
Mindfulness is a transformative practice which has gained widespread recognition in contemporary psychology and wellness circles. At its essence, mindfulness involves cultivating a heightened state of awareness and presence in the current moment, fostering a deeper connection with one’s thoughts, emotions, and the surrounding environment.
Mindfulness invites us to engage in the richness of our immediate experience without judgment or attachment. It encourages us to observe our thoughts and emotions with a sense of curiosity, rather than being carried away by the ebb and flow of thoughts. It also invites us to practice self-compassion (or at least a more non-judgmental self-acceptance) through acknowledging our thoughts and feelings without labelling them as good or bad.
There are so many ways we can include being mindful in our daily lives. Here is a list of a few:
grounding techniques
Bringing attention to the present moment through grounding exercises, such as focusing on the senses or practicing gratitude, can alleviate stress and contribute to a more balanced mental state.
One technique I have used myself and use with clients is the 5 senses technique. You have probably heard of this one before, but put simply you can try grounding yourself using your five senses, by noticing the following;
- 5 things you see
- 4 things you feel
- 3 things you hear
- 2 things you smell
- 1 thing you taste
mindful breathing
By directing attention to the breath, we can anchor ourselves in the present moment. The slow, rhythmic inhalation and exhalation serve as a focal point, providing an accessible way to cultivate awareness.
I’ve found breathing techniques such as box breathing or diaphragmatic breathing are very helpful. It especially helps when feeling anxious. I remember when I was a teenager, I had my first panic attack and thought I was going to die…if you’ve ever experienced one of these, then you know I’m not exaggerating when I say that. After this experience, I started learning breathing techniques and eventually was able to stop panic attacks entirely. Not only did this help my mental health, it gave me confidence in the power of mindfulness.
mindful eating
This involves savouring each bite with full attention, allowing you to really notice the flavours, textures, and sensations. By bringing awareness to the act of eating, we can also develop a healthier relationship with food and cultivate gratitude for nourishment.
I remember when a previous therapist told me to slowly and mindfully eat chocolate (as my addiction to chocolate was an issue for me). It actually helped because the slower I ate chocolate, the more bitter it started to taste and I didn’t feel the need to eat as much of it. For the record, chocolate is still one of my favourite foods, but I’m not addicted to it anymore.
However, mindful eating is not for everyone. If you find it difficult to eat properly if you focus on texture, smell, etc too much and it is likely to impact your ability to eat at all – don’t do it. Just eating is better than developing an aversion to food.
Basically, mindfulness can be used in every day routine activities as listed above, or other things like walking, cleaning, or commuting to work. By approaching these activities with full presence and attention, we allow ourselves to use mundane tasks as opportunities to practice mental self-care.
Meditation
I have spoken about the positive impacts of meditation before, but I want to briefly mention it in this post as a reminder of how it helps with mental self-care.
Again, there are a lot of ways we can incorporate meditation into our lives. Some examples of these include guided meditation, body-scanning and mantra focused meditation.
guided meditation
Guided meditations often have specific themes, such as gratitude, self-love, or stress reduction. Whether it’s imagining a beach, a lush forest, or a journey through the universe, the goal is to evoke positive emotions and encourage a state of deep relaxation.
I found guided meditation was the best way for me to start trying meditation. I used it find it difficult (or boring) to engage in meditation. It was difficult at first, but I used free YouTube guided meditation sessions such as Kelly Howell and made a goal to stick to daily meditation for one month. What I found the most fascinating was listening to the exact same guided meditation day after day, but noticing something different each time.
body scanning
By closing your eyes and directing focused attention to different parts of the body, we can promote self-awareness, relaxation, and the release of physical tension.
As attention is brought to each area of your body, you are able to observe sensations without judgment, allowing for a deep connection with the present moment. It also really helps with the mind-body connection.
I found this type of meditative practice extremely helpful regarding chronic pain. It has actually allowed me to pinpoint where pain is located in my body and provide me with feedback as to what my body needs (or doesn’t want!). In the process of body-scanning meditation I was able to reduce the intensity of my daily chronic migraine (I say ‘was’ because I no longer suffer from Chronic migraine…but that’s a different story).
mantra focused meditation
During mantra meditation, individuals sit comfortably, close their eyes, and repeat the chosen mantra either silently or audibly. The rhythmic repetition serves as a focal point for the mind, creating a harmonious and meditative experience.
Some traditions prescribe specific mantras, or you can choose your own that resonate with you. As the practice deepens, the rhythmic repetition of the mantra can lead to a transcendent state where the mind moves beyond surface-level thoughts. This state, often described as a meditative flow, fosters a sense of inner peace and connection.
There are other ways of incorporating meditation into your life, but basically – meditation serves as a way of practicing mental self-care through creativity, handling stress and regulating our emotions.
Journaling
I have spoken already about using Journaling as an emotional self-care practice here, but it can also serve as mental self-care practice. When it comes to enhancing our mindset, goal setting, and improving problem solving capabilities, journaling can come in quite handy.
mindset
This refers to our individual collection of attitudes, beliefs, and cognitive frameworks that shape our perception of ourselves, others, and the world. It represents a lens through which we interpret experiences, faces challenges, and approaches opportunities.
Mindset plays a big role in how we view our abilities and how we respond to setbacks. Dr. Carol Dweck (Psychologist) identified that two types of mindset exist, that being a fixed mindset and a growth mindset.
A fixed mindset is characterised by a belief that abilities and intelligence are static traits, leading individuals to avoid challenges and perceive effort as fruitless. In contrast, a growth mindset embraces the idea that intelligence and abilities can be developed through dedication, hard work, and learning from failures. Those with a growth mindset are more resilient, inclined to seek challenges, and view effort as a pathway to improvement.
Journaling can be a fantastic way to help cultivate a growth mindset, offering us a structured space to reflect, express, and reshape our thoughts. It can help us to set and track progress, instilling a sense of purpose and motivation.
goal setting
Journaling often involves setting goals, whether they are personal, professional, or related to cognitive well-being. Writing down goals and plans engages cognitive processes associated with intentionality and purpose. By clarifying objectives and outlining steps toward achieving them enhances cognitive focus, motivation, and a sense of accomplishment.
I am big on goal setting! I use goal setting in my personal life, but I honestly really use it the most in my professional life. It is what keeps me on track, motivated and dedicated to continuous trial and error, learning and helps when imposter syndrome rears its ugly head.
problem solving
Using journaling to reflect on challenges and brainstorming potential solutions can be helpful in your personal or professional life. It engages cognitive processes related to critical thinking (ahem, a core skill of Social Workers).
Improving your problem solving skills can contribute to a sense of empowerment and efficacy, reducing feelings of helplessness and enhancing cognitive well-being.
For example, you can use journaling to challenge cognitive thoughts. This in itself is a way of problem solving. As you weigh the pros and cons of a solution to your situation, record your thoughts. Writing down the potential outcomes and consequences can help you to organise your considerations more objectively.
Professional Development
Last but certainly not least is professional development. I decided to include this one in todays blog post because it is one that I have used throughout my career in human services for almost 18 years. I will continue to use it in my future, no matter what ‘role’ I am in because I absolutely LOVE learning.
Learning is a great tool for mental self-care. It doesn’t have to only be professional development either, things like learning a new language or learning brain games, a new skill, hobby, etc…I mean, there are so many opportunities to learn something new in our everyday lives. But…let’s just focus on professional development for today.
Professional development can look like continuous education, course, workshops and seminars, specific skill development, reading recent research and updates in practice, engaging in mentoring, coaching and supervision.
contiunous education
Staying informed about the latest research, interventions, and best practices ensures we remain up to date, adaptable and effective in addressing the diverse needs of the people we work with.
Although I think my University studying days are over, (maybe?) I have zero regrets when it comes to the choices I made with my degrees. I initially completed a Bachelor of Arts (Psychology) and a Bachelor of Social Welfare and then went on to complete a Master of Social Work years later. Currently, I am completing a coaching course in Nutrition, Womens Health and Holistic Wellness. All of the courses blend really well together, but they each taught me something different and new. Each course opened up job opportunities that were different to one another.
courses & workshops
Many of us work with people who have experienced trauma in their lives. Specialised training in trauma-informed practice equips us with the tools to navigate this type of work. It is also important to help us maintain our mental health in practice when we are regularly exposed to secondary trauma.
Aside from this, choosing a topic that you are interested in, or training that will help you to feel more confident in your role are great ways to engage in mental self-care. If you have a future goal in your career, taking a workshop or course to test the waters is a great way of seeing what it is like and whether you want to pursue it further.
mentoring, coaching and supervision
I am (obviously) a cheerleader when it comes to this! I mean, my entire business is about it and I truly see the value in having mentoring, coaching or supervision as an ongoing mental self-care tool.
Engaging in mentoring provides social workers, case workers and others in the helping profession with a dedicated space for reflection, guidance, and personalised support.
Supervision allows us space to discuss challenging cases, ethical dilemmas, and personal stressors in a confidential setting. It is also a requirement for membership through the AASW and its associated credentials and some organisations will pay for your supervision!
Coaching provides a more focused approach to goal-setting, self-reflection, and skill enhancement. You could use coaching or mentoring in combination with supervision for preparing for your future career goals. Using the coaching/mentoring space to plan, prepare and goal set for your next 5 years in practice can help you stay focused and engaged in the learning process throughout the way.
In summary, mental self-care is a core component of holistic well-being, which can be viewed as separate to emotional self-care when focusing on cognitive wellness. Engaging in practices like mindfulness, meditation, journaling, and professional development contributes significantly to our personal and professional lives.
Incorporating these mental self-care practices into our daily lives empowers us to navigate challenges with resilience, make informed decisions, and foster overall cognitive wellness. As we prioritise and integrate these strategies, we can move towards a more balanced, fulfilling, and mentally resilient life.
If you are interested in learning more, or would like to work with me, I provide online coaching, mentoring and supervision. Click here to book a session or send me an email at rebecca@theorchardrose.com, I would love to hear from you.
