Lifestyle plan for positive mental health

Present life style includes sitting jobs, binge watching, eating processed food, socializing on social media which increases risk for poor physical and mental health. The suggested lifestyle plan will help to de-stress and lower the risk of anxiety and depression.

1. Include physical exercise of at least 2.5 hours in a week. Choose any exercise like brisk walking, jogging, dancing, aerobics, cycling, gardening, strength training, and yoga.

2. Eat healthier food like freshly cooked vegetables and fiber-rich foods instead of packaged or canned food. Avoid eating after sunset, the body gets a chance to repair and restore.

3. Include Mindfulness in daily life. Mindfulness is a technique to be here and now, in the present moment. Choose any activity from your daily chores - walking from the station to your house, washing dishes, stacking clothes in wardrobe. Tell yourself that this activity is an end in itself.

4. Focus on your strengths and solutions. Pay more attention on what you can do rather than focusing on the problems and negative self. When we focus on our strengths we feel more in control and self-empowered.

5. Maintain a gratitude journal. Write 3 things that you are grateful for today.

6. If you are holding on to a grudge or persistently feeling angry from a past insult or injury, write a forgiveness letter. Remember that forgiveness is for your inner peace and not others.

7. Meet people in person. Real intimate relationships play a major role in having a good mental health.

8. Take out time to reflect and review. Try to see things from a larger perspective

9. Give back to the community and volunteer for random acts of kindness. This helps us to become free from my own little world and we feel more connected to the larger world.

10. Align your goals with what you value. What we value also change over a period of time, so take out some time and see what intuitively gives you energy, drives you.

Try to bring the suggested changes in your life style for a month and you will see the difference in your level of well-being and mental health.