In the penultimate part of my routine series we’re discussing how having a simple and straightforward daily routine can help you to recover from Postnatal Anxiety. Routine became very important to my recovery as it allowed me to gain a sense of control over my day, and ultimately my mind
Read more: Morning Routine for Anxiety, Evening Routine for Anxiety
I recommend incorporating the following five things into all or most days during Postnatal Anxiety recovery:
A simple, household chore
Basic household jobs such as cooking or laundry can feel utterly overwhelming when you’re struggling with Anxiety or panic attacks. But it’s important for confidence and mood to encourage yourself to do at least one per day.
I’m not suggesting you make a huge list of jobs to do and completely set yourself up for failure, but by forcing yourself to complete just one simple task you are helping to give yourself purpose, focus and build your confidence. As always, you must attempt to achieve this task no matter how uncomfortable it makes you.
Read more: Getting Comfortable Being Uncomfortable
Get outside for 30 mins
When you have a new baby something as simple as leaving the house becomes more tricky. Add Anxiety to the mix and it can feel even more daunting. However, being outdoors can have such a positive effect on our mood so it’s really important. When I was at my sickest, my daily walk with the pram became a hugely important survival strategy.
At least 15 minutes of self-care
I’ve spoken so much about self-care and looking after ourselves in the past so I won’t repeat myself (you can read all about it here!) but I wanted to briefly reiterate how important it is to take time purely for yourself every single day. Whether you use it to have a bath, meditate, exercise or do something creative make sure you carve out that space for your personal wellbeing. Remember: there’s nothing selfish about self-care.
Self-kindness & gratitude journaling
Writing can be hugely therapeutic and it doesn’t need to be complex or take a long time. Take five or ten minutes each day to write down three things you’re grateful for (no matter how small) and three things you love about yourself, you’ve achieved or have done well.
Read more: Using Lists To Manage Anxiety
Be uncomfortable for a while
Anxiety feels awful, physically and mentally. Our natural reaction is to do everything we can to avoid those feelings of fear or dread but sadly this only fuels Anxiety’s fire. Instead, we must learn to sit with the uncomfortable feeling, to accept it, to know it cannot hurt us and, thus, begin to take away some of its power and control. This is something definitely worth practising every day.
What do you incorporate into your daily routine to improve your mental health?
Related posts:
How to get space between yourself and your illness
