Mental Health Month Day 21 - Develop a Daily Routine
Not everyone is partial to - or even tolerant of! - Mondays, but there’s no better day during the week to develop a daily routine.
Many health care professionals recommend daily routines as a way for bipolar individuals to manage manic episodes. They’re also effective in lowering anxiety levels in people with anxiety disorders, and even assist depressed people is finding a sense of purpose for the day.
Why do daily routines help in managing and maintaining mental health? Well, specifically for people with bipolar disorder:
Developing and sticking to a daily schedule can help stabilize the mood swings of bipolar disorder. Build structure into your life, with set times for sleeping, eating, socializing, exercising, working, and relaxing. Try to maintain a regular pattern of activity, even through emotional ups and downs (HelpGuide.org).
Too, if you suffer from an anxiety disorder, or just tend to experience anxiety more than you’d like, wouldn’t a daily routine help reduce stress? Wouldn’t knowing, or at least having a plan, for your daily activities help soothe your nerves and worries?
The same applies to people with depression. While it feels impossible to get out of bed or out of the house, you can give yourself a little “push” if you promise yourself and your dog that you’ll take an afternoon stroll after lunch, or that Wednesdays are your day to catch a movie, hit the golf greens, or treat yourself to a manicure.
Below are a few free online tools to help get (and keep!) you organized and focused:
- Ta-Da Lists: Free web-based software; you can create to-do lists for yourself, and anyone else you want, and even sign up for your own RSS feeds to stay on top.
- Calendar templates from PC Advisor: Pretty self-explanatory.
- More calendar templates from Free Downloads Center: A wide variety, including monthly and daily formats; some free, some pay.
Creating a to-do list for the day, or a routine plan for the week, will make you feel more in control and even empowered; however, sometimes those feelings aren’t enough to ensure you’ll stick to it. If you think you’ll need a little extra push in the right direction, try posting your schedule on the ‘fridge, and telling your friends, family members, and significant others about it. Ask them to kindly remind you about your schedule if you start to slip.
Routines and schedules have always worked for me. Throughout life, I thought it was simply because I’d spent so many years in school, then college, then the workforce. I thought I was partial to them out of habit. However, when my BP really started to take hold of my life (before I was diagnosed), schedules flew out the window. It definitely took its toll.
For around eight months, I had a very steady daily schedule (out of neccessity, rather than choice). In the beginning it was difficult to get used to; once I did get used to it, I felt significantly better. Though I didn’t know why at the time, I do now, and am striving to get that “significantly better” feeling back.
It’s been over a year since I had that routine, and I can honestly say life in general was less stressful and more manageable during those eight months. Last week I developed (and started using) a daily routine of my own. I’m starting to get that old feeling back. Let’s hope it’s successful!
Do you have any more tips for devloping and sticking to a daily routine? Success stories with your own schedules? Share with me!
POSTED IN: Anxiety Disorders, Current Affairs & News, Daily Thoughts, Everyday Stress, Mood Disorders, No Prescription Needed, Resources, Self-help, Sites of Interest, Tips, Uncategorized
0 opinions for Mental Health Month Day 21 - Develop a Daily Routine
No one has left a comment yet. You know what this means, right? You could be first!
Have an opinion? Leave a comment: