Improve mental health with new habits

The start of a new year provides an opportunity to begin new goals and habits, according to Teresa Henson, Extension specialist-program outreach coordinator for the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff. Those goals and habits can have a positive impact on mental health.

“Those well-intended resolutions can also lead to feelings of stress and guilt because we often quickly fall off the bandwagon,” Henson said.

A 2022 poll by the American Psychiatric Association (APA) stated that 29% of adults planned to adopt better mental health practices.

Those practices included such things as exercising, meditating, seeing a therapist, focusing on spirituality and taking a break from social media outlets, she said.

The poll recommended that individuals not be overly stressed about the resolutions but rather focus on habits that are not complicated to switch or easily incorporate into their lives.

The National Alliance on Mental Health (NAMI) suggests the following as part of good mental health resolutions:

Prioritize and break down goals — Prioritize each goal based on importance to you, need and timeline.

Plan to pursue goals — A plan is significant for goal setting. Utilize the goal-setting tool called S.M.A.R.T. goals.

S.M.A.R.T stands for Specific — What do you wish to accomplish? Goals should consider who, what, when, where, how and why; Measurable — The goal needs to be monitored for your progress; Attainable — The goal must be manageable; Relevant — The goal is beneficial and appropriate for you and your needs; Time-bound — The goal should have a clear timeline and be realistic.

Be optimistic and challenge yourself — When setting your goals, recognize your limitations and set realistic expectations.

Establish routines and monitor your progress — Turn your goals into habits. This can make your self-improvement activities a routine. Once you set a way, you are more likely to achieve your goals.

Be accountable and have patience with yourself — It is very important to commit to achieving a goal and holding yourself accountable. It is essential to recognize that goals may take a while and that setbacks are okay. If you have a setback, remember that every setback can be a learning moment.

Get support and reward progress — Ask for help. Don’t be afraid to seek support from others.

Having support can help you achieve your goals. Supporters can provide positive reinforce

ment, helpful feedback and offer you the necessary resources.

Identify areas for improvement — Identify a few lifestyles and behavioral changes but focus on one or two at a time.

Remember that you want to avoid overwhelming yourself by doing too much at once.

“The start of the new year is a perfect time to think about setting goals and priorities,” Henson said, “but realize that every day is a good time to make changes to improve your mental health.”