25 Self-care Ideas for the Mind: for intellectual and mental health

Welcome to Part 3 of this series on self-care for the heart, soul, mind, and strength:

Part 1 – 25 Self-care Ideas for the Heart: for singles, widows, married people, and everyone

Part 2 – 25 Self-care Ideas for the Soul: for students, ministry people, and everyone

Part 3 – 25 Self-care Ideas for the Mind: for intellectual and mental health (below)

Part 4 – to come next week!

There are plenty of options for the mind below: some free, some not; some apparent opposites because for some of us self-care might mean taking a screen sabbath, and for others of us self-care might mean learning to use our screens more effectively.

The most surprising entry on the list might be “Take a leadership role,” which emerged from one group discussion on self-care. I hadn’t thought of that before as a form of self-care for the mind, but it immediately made sense to me, because taking a leadership role might well include changing your routine, reading, and learning something new. These appear separately on the list below, but taking a leadership role combines them in a beautiful way.

What does self-care for the mind mean to you? If you have an idea to add, please feel free to leave it in the comments below.

25 Self-care Ideas for the Mind

1. Remove disruptive notifications from your phone
2. Add helpful apps to your phone
3. Take a screen sabbath
4. Browse new books in the library
5. Browse old books at a used bookstore
6. Set up a free library
7. Listen to a podcast/radio show
8. Reconcile your bank statement
9. Read one chapter of a book
10. Read the newspaper
11. Do a crossword puzzle
12. Do a jigsaw puzzle
13. Do Sudoku or KenKen
14. Do something imperfectly
15. Watch a documentary movie
16. Learn something new
17. Take a class
18. Daydream
19. Practice single-tasking
20. Slow down
21. Change your routine
22. Turn negative thoughts into positive ones
23. Start or join a writing group
24. Remember, record, and share family stories
25. Take a leadership role

Helpful Related Links:

11 Ways We Can All Nurture Our Mental Health

Making choices like these won’t guarantee you never experience a mental disorder or emotional struggle. And they probably won’t be enough to “cure” a challenge you’re already living with. But in either case, they will help.

Brain Dump Exercise for Psychological Self-care

Psychological self care caters to your mind; your mental health. It involves activities that help you keep a clear head and a positive mindset, and work to decrease stress. So doing a brain dump exercise is a perfect tool for psychological self care.

Reading to Quell the Chaos

Self-care doesn’t have to be complicated. . . . in these first steps of slowing down and stepping away from the day’s hustle, a quiet minute with a book is enough, and in many ways, it feels like freedom.

Four Gifts: Seeking Self-Care for Heart, Soul, Mind, and Strength

This blog series is based on my book—table of contents, endorsements, and order information available here: Four Gifts: Seeking Self-Care for Heart, Soul, Mind, and Strength.

 

Writing/Reflection Prompt: What self-care ideas for the mind can you add to this list?

 

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