Things that can improve Mental Health ==

Hundreds of Just One Thing

The podcasts From Just One Thing with Michael Mosley are popular and recommended.

Walking is beneficial because if gives access to natural light, ideally in the morning.
Learning a new skill.
Standing on one leg (do it when brushing your teeth). Do it, then do it with eyes closed, then do it for longer every day. It sounds like this needs to be a daily exercise activity before getting old.
Control breathing. This comes up a lot in stress management.
Count your blessings. Get into the habit of writing down things for what one is grateful each day. This is 'Journaling'.

I can't listen to these podcasts. In the background is music comprising clapping and finger-snapping which makes it impossible to listen to. It is like being poked in the ear by a sharp pencil a few times a second. It triggers misophonia.

Time Management

Use your work calendar. Share it with everyone, have it wide open (except for genuinely private matters, which you still include but as busy time).
Start each day by organising the calendar for the day. Create time slots for dealing with emails and updating reports.
Schedule time after meetings to type up what got said and to do immediate actions.
Do not respond to emails as they come in, but at predefined periods. Do not have more than 3 of these periods per day.
Emails: either Delegate, Delete, Diarise

Email management

The 5D method of email management

This started out as the 3D method...!

Defend your inbox (that means anti-virus and spam trapping and unenrolling from mailing lists).
Delete it. (Or archive it.)
Delegate it.
Do it. Can it be done in 2 minutes? Then do it now.
Defer or diarise it. Create a diary slot to action that email.

This page is useful: Screwloose 5Ds email management. Watch the video too. The presenter refers to some other techniques. Especially relevant if you use Outlook as she says how to automate or simplify some of the above techniques.

Journaling

The 5 Gratitudes

Suggested to me by my caring line manager. Each day, sit and think of five things for which you are grateful about that day. It may be the good weather, something made you smile, something didn't go wrong (!), you found something new, the flowers opened, lunch was good, you appreciate that call / email, someone said 'Thank you', you found that thing you were looking for, you got that thing done, you got left alone.

Write them down. This is your Gratitudes Journal. Then each week, go back through that list and reflect on the positive things that have been happening.

Exercise... that is tolerable

Lordy. I don't want to do this. What might be easier?

Walking

Fresh air. NHS says it is enough, if you walk briskly. Means you have to get up, washed, dressed and outside.

Avoid the gym. Do 'Exercise Stacking'

Instead of slogging away for half an hour do a workout, do very short exercises during the day; no more than 5 minutes. Go for a short walk, briskly. Go up and down the stairs a couple of times each time you use the stairs. A few star jumps. Stand on one leg while brushing teeth. Do 'touch toes' when waiting for the kettle to boil. Some squats waiting for the bus / before putting your coat on.

Aim for 30 minutes in total through the day.

Doing exercise in chunks through the day is more natural and more effective that one long workout. Very short exercises tend to be intense, more so than can be done in a workout.

Standing

Better than sitting which is surprisingly bad for you. Stand more often when at a desk. Do video calls standing. Stand up to do 'phone calls.

Aim to stand for 2 or 3 minutes every hour.

Relax

Breathing

Take a breath

Breathe in. Hold for a count of 3. Breathe right out. Hold for a count of 3. Repeat. Now face the world.

Pacing breathing and heart rate

Find the pulse in your wrist.

for three heart beats, breathe in.
for three heart beats, hold it.
for three heart beats, breathe out.
for three heart beats, hold it.

Repeat until you feel better.

Mental Health

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