As we are preparing ourselves to welcome the new year, it's a fitting time to reassess how we are doing both mentally and physically. While it is very common to create a definitive plan on how you want to establish a physical change by eating better or doing exercises more frequently, it is equally if not more important to also plan out ways to manage your mental aspects, especially during this uncertain time. Your mental wellness is very important to ensure good productivity, stable relationships, as well as determining your cognitive and physical health. Therefore, on this week's journal, we will be explaining some things you can work on to protect your mental state and some habits that can benefit it. Read on!

Implement healthy sleep routine

How much sleep you get every day can very much determine your overall health, both physically and mentally. As you are recovering from an illness, for example, sleep is one thing that can speed up your healing process. When it comes to maintaining mental and cognitive wellness, sleep is also key as it can help flush out toxins from your brain as well as renew and restore cells inside the body, making you feel more sharp and refreshed after a good night's sleep. Therefore, try to create a healthy sleep routine. Going to bed at the same time everyday may help you sleep better and feel more refreshed, as opposed to sleeping too late and waking up groggy. If you are frequently having difficulties falling asleep, try to find the root cause of it. It might be related to your caffeine consumption or gadget usage before bed, so try to cut back on these things before you hit the sack. It is also helpful to turn your bedroom into a conducive sleeping environment by having cool, comfortable temperature, as well as dark and quiet surrounding.

Schedule frequent exercises

In order to sustain both healthy body and mind, one needs to engage in a proper exercise routine. While it is also not beneficial to do vigorous exercise unless you're an athlete, simply getting your body moving can help maintain your physical fitness, as well as keeping yourself focused and in a good mood. Moderate exercise can be done everyday by commiting a small portion of your time daily. Experts recommend 20-30 minutes of physical activity in order to hone yourself into a better shape both physically and mentally. Moreover, exercise is also beneficial to maintain strong immunity, build physical endurance, as well as reducing stress and increase your concentration.

Consume nutritious foods and stay hydrated

The term "you are what you eat" rings true in this point, as nutrition is pretty much a major factor in determining your overall health, both physically and mentally. Consuming food that tastes good but poor in nutrition may only feel good for a while, but not necessarily can benefit you in the long run. If you want to always be on your peak level, consuming less processed food and eliminating refined sugar from your diet can be a good stepping stone towards better health. For example, substituting your usual chips to nuts can give you more satiety in terms of hunger and nutritional intake. While it won't necessarily mean less calories, at least the food you consume wouldn't just be empty calories and actually contains nutrients that can be good building blocks for your body. Consuming enough water is also important to ensure proper metabolism inside your body, as well as keeping dehydration at bay. Dehydration may cause you to have a dip in your energy levels, triggers headache and impacts your ability to think and process information.

Be selective in your activities

With the seemingly endless activities you may want to cram in the timespan of 24 hours, realistically your body and mind can only take so much before you feel drained. This can be worse when you're trying to do things you are not feel like doing. Therefore, scheduling things according to your energy levels and being selective with your activities can be tremendously helpful for your productivity. For example, you can structure your day to tackle the important things in the morning, so your mind is still clear and able to concentrate better. Keeping your attention undivided by doing one thing at a time can also be a useful tip when it comes to productivity. A lot of distractions are freely roaming around at this day and age, especially with internet and social media being a few taps away. While it is a difficult thing to master, you can always train yourself to keep yourself away from these distractions so your mind doesn't get overloaded by the unnecessary things.

Take some time for a break

Finally, this last tip may serve you big time when done correctly. While it may seem like fewer breaks you take means increased productivity and you get more things done faster, the reality isn't as simple as that. Most of the time, your energy will deplete as you power through numerous tasks during the day. Losing focus and getting easily distracted are both apparent cues to signal that you might need to take a break. Spending a few minutes away from your work may help you recharge and refocus on the next things you need to do. Eating lunch, walking around the neighborhood, doing some exercise, or talking to other people may help. You can also consider taking a power nap for a few minutes when you feel overloaded and losing focus during the day, as this may help you feel fresher as you wake up.