4 Ways to Improve Emotional Wellness in Your Home
October is Emotional Wellness Month, which sheds light on many practices you can incorporate into your daily routine to improve overall quality of life. The National Center for Emotional Wellness defines emotional wellness as "an awareness, understanding, and acceptance of our feelings and our ability to effectively manage our emotions through challenges and change.” We have researched the best practices to improve your emotional wellness, and have put together a list of the top four things you can do in your home in order to support them. Each week for the month of October we will explore one of these practices further on Instagram, so stay tuned and follow along as we move towards bettering our emotional wellness together!
Dedicate Space to De-Stress
More often than not, we forget that it's important to press pause on our hectic lives. There's truth to the old saying, "you can't pour from an empty cup", so how do you fill yours? Find a space in your home that you can dedicate to your favourite hobby, activity, or whatever it is that fills that cup for you. Maybe it's reading or video chatting with a friend; create a nook somewhere quiet where you can cozy up and enjoy! Maybe it's cooking or baking, set up your kitchen in a way that makes you enjoy your time in there. If exercise does it for you, move some furniture around and gather your equipment in one place. Once that space is setup, you're a lot more likely to take the time for yourself!
Incorporate Balance
This last year and a half has proven that almost anything can be done from the comfort of home. As great as that can be, it's easy to get sucked in to the craziness of work, family, hobbies, and everything in between being all in one place. Luckily, finding balance in your life can be supported by your space. If you work from home, dedicate a room or area for your work. That way, it'll be easier to leave it alone when your work day is done and you can shift your focus to other important aspects of your life. If you're social for a large portion of your day, maybe you need a quiet space where you can be alone and recharge. Whatever it may look like for you, allow your home to support you in finding that balance.
Organize and Commit
You may have heard this one before, but it is proven that living in an organized home promotes positive thoughts. So take the time to find a place to put everything, and then commit to actually putting the things where you've decided to put them. Tackling a big job like this can seem overwhelming, but if you break it down space by space, implementing organization will help you feel happier and more comfortable in your home!
Focus on Quality Sleep
It is true, better sleep means better emotional health. Good quality sleep is affected by many different aspects of how your bedroom is set up. We all know by now that screens before bed are bad. If you can, plug your phone in across the room and keep the television in the living room. Additionally, blackout curtains and closing your door will lead to less light pollution. Layered lighting is also key, especially if you share a bedroom with a significant other. Smaller and warmer bedside lights reduce contrast and make it easier to fall back asleep after that midnight washroom run. Finally, a good quality mattress and pillows will help you fall, and stay, asleep. Pay attention to the materials used in the products you lay your head on every night, they make a difference too!
Our emotional wellness is a key component to living a happier and fulfilled life, but it can also seem impossible to know where to start. For more guidance on mental health and wellness, you can find some resources here.
We look forward to seeing you on Instagram throughout the month of October as we break down each of these suggestions!
