The fitness scale: the importance of being mindful of your mental health
I’m not a mental health expert, I’m not even sure I know very much about it, but it’s something I’ve thought about more over the last 12 months than ever before and am enjoying taking a more pro-active stance on.
I actually started writing this for myself, but know many others are also grappling with this so decided to publish it. Here are my musings:
1: It’s a scale. Mental health for me is less like how I think of physical health, which rightly or wrongly I have always viewed in a more binary fashion (99.9% of the time I’m lucky enough to be feeling great and don’t think about it), and more like fitness, it’s on a scale.
I measure my physical fitness in my speed and length of runs or cycles or my FTP (geeky cycling reference). There is no such proactive mental health measure(s) that I know of, but I find it really helpful to try and reflect on where I think I am on the scale so I can spot problems coming down the road and calibrate responses to issues appropriately.
One thing I know for sure is that I’m less mentally fit than I was 12 months ago. I have a shorter temper at times, things that I definitely would have brushed off previously are more likely to weigh on me. I feel like I have less reserves to deal with the next unknow problem that comes round the corner.
2: Find your ‘cure’ and make time for it. People have many different and rightly highly personal cure(s). For me exercise is a great tonic. Making sure I blocked out time in my diary to do it (especially as we got to winter last year) became critical. I notice — just like physical fitness, the longer you spend without it the more difficult it is to get into the mood to do it and ironically the more you need it. For me therefore exercise routine is critical.
3: Many people are worse off. This is particularly true in a global pandemic when I’m lucky enough to have a great job and a healthy family. I do find reading about people with tough circumstances and incredibly positive outlooks on life inspiring, but for me knowing this is not always a solution to moving mental fitness materially up the scale.
4: Kids are a blessing and a curse for mental health in a pandemic. Those with kids and two working parents will fully understand this — the constant feeling of doing a thoroughly average job as a teacher, a worker, father, boss etc. etc. is difficult to escape, but on the plus side when things go well you feel almightily proud!
5: Smartphones are the enemy. They are very useful when out and about. At home I find they just mean you’re not doing what you’re supposed to be doing… I have banned mine from the bedroom so it’s not the first and last thing I use. Highly recommended!
6: There is a balance between being informed and being hooked. When the world around you is changing at breakneck speed it’s important to stay informed (if for no other reason than it’s all anyone talks about!). But I was definitely hooked on the news cycle. Spending every spare minute reading up on the virus won’t make you fitter or happier or change the course of the virus. This is a Radio 4 vs Virgin Radio choice for me. Both excellent and thoughtful, but Chris Evans will make you start the day with a smile.
7: Dare to plan ahead. This is a controversial one because for sure cancelling plans has caused some heartache for me (not referring to the logistical admin), but I find having plans is an important way of normalising.
8: Talk about it . If I’ve learnt anything it’s this — don't talk about mental fitness only when you find yourself well down the scale > just like with physical fitness it will take a lot longer to get back to a great place than if you had made small course alterations earlier. And if you really can’t talk about it maybe write about it — I’ve found this process very cathartic!
I hope this is a little helpful. I hope 2021 is easier than 2020 and wherever you start on the scale I wish you luck getting mentally fitter.
