Mental Health Moments: Five Ways To Focus on Mental Health This May

⌛  By Kaylin R. Staten ⌛

May is National Mental Health Awareness Month. As anyone who knows even a small glimmer about our work knows, mental health is one of our main passions and causes. 

Later this month, Hourglass Media is taking its inaugural Mental Health Week hiatus. LinkedIn gave its employees a paid week off from work earlier this year, and other companies are adopting more mental-health initiatives to combat burnout, improve employee retention, and give a face to mental-health-related issues. The COVID-19 pandemic affected each of us, with mental health becoming a primary focus. So, the last week of May will officially become Hourglass Media’s own paid Mental Health Week. This means no client work, meetings, or anything else work-related. We will truly be off the grid.

In addition to introducing mental-health habits in the workplace, we also want to give you some tools to use both personally and professionally. Here are five ways you can bring your mental health to the forefront this month.

Talk about mental health.

Each person is going to have a different level of comfortability with discussing mental health. Many of us won’t divulge the inner workings of our minds to the general public, and I often am a glutton for punishment. I revealed at least some of my truth in this 2018 op-ed piece in my local newspaper. You don’t have to do a grand gesture, climb to the highest mountain, and scream that you have a mental health issue. It is beneficial, however, to begin talking about it with people you trust. This could be your best friend, therapist, or your journal. Just communicate about it in some capacity. Bottling up your thoughts can have damaging effects, so the more you talk about your issues, the more you may be able to start accepting yourself.

Take some time for self-care.

I am literally laughing out loud and scoffing at the same time as I write this suggestion. A lot of us are “too busy” to take even a few minutes to take care of ourselves. I still struggle with this notion because I usually like to work and do productive tasks until I reach my breaking point. (This honestly happens at least once a week and sometimes more. Just ask my husband.) It’s VITAL to take some time for yourself. It’s so challenging to do this when you feel stretched too thin as it is. Behind the scenes in my world, I am constantly grasping at the tasks on my to-do lists while simultaneously taking care of my son’s needs and ensuring that I spend a ton of time with him. Add chores, dinner decisions, bills, and other responsibilities to the mix, and it can become overwhelming REALLY QUICKLY. You could be a full-time student with a couple of jobs, a single mom trying her best to make every end meet, or going through a period of grief. No matter your current narrative, take that 15, 30, 60 minutes or longer of self-care -- no matter what that looks like for you. For me, writing in my prompted journal, using clean skincare products, watching new crossover episodes of “Law and Order: SVU” and “Law and Order: Organized Crime” (Olivia/Elliot forever), and taking care of my new plants.

Focus on your holistic health.

When I was younger, I didn’t pay attention to my body. I obviously would eat anything I wanted, and I think Cheez-Its, gummy bears, and Black Cherry Vanilla Coca-Cola (RIP) were my only food groups. If I were in my teens and 20s today, I would definitely do things differently! I love that there’s a collective self-care and general health push in mass media today. You cannot underestimate or be overzealous with your health. The way you treat every part of yourself matters, from what you choose to eat to how much sleep you get every night and how much exercise you get. I feel like all health-related roads and narratives lead back to my pregnancy journey. Honestly, I flirted with the idea of taking care of my health before that. I would download the Weight Watchers app, make healthy recipes, exercise for 30 minutes a few times per week, and cut out unhealthy habits. When I would inevitably fall off the wagon, I wouldn’t get back on. When I was growing a human inside me, I took things WAY more seriously. After all, every action I took affected not only me but also my son. When I was diagnosed with gestational diabetes and then later had hypertension issues, I checked my blood sugar levels three times per day and cut out most sugar. Thankfully, my sugar levels returned to normal postpartum, but some habits still remain: less candy, sugar-free options, more protein, less dairy, no sugary drinks, etc. Even small adjustments to your routine can result in long-lasting life changes. I am also an advocate of taking care of all annual (or annual-ish) appointments, like trips to the dentist, OB-GYN, primary care, therapy, optometrist, etc. Taking care of these facets will help you get answers to pressing questions and avoid avoidance. In essence, your mental health will improve, too. I’m the Queen of What Ifs, so being an advocate for my health helps me remain healthy in a myriad of ways.

Let yourself feel however you want to feel.

This sentiment was foreign to me when my now-husband first said it to me. I thought, “Wait a minute… how do you willingly let yourself feel whatever emotion you have in the moment?” I was used to thwarting my emotions for basically my entire life. This goes beyond the standard compartmentalizing. All of us do that in order to get through a task, especially when said task is a presentation or live interview on the news. I tend to avoid my emotions by working myself to exhaustion, not allowing myself to cry, and bottling my feelings so I don’t make anyone else uncomfortable or irritated. I’m going to tell you this because you may not have anyone else to tell you this: It’s OK to feel things. Cry if you feel overwhelmed. Laugh if you think something is funny. Sleep away your depressing day or stay up playing video games. It’s perfectly fine to go on the rollercoaster ride of emotions. (I still have to remind myself of this.) When we attempt to be one way or another all of the time, not only do we not give ourselves variety in life, but it’s just not realistic. Think of all of the toxic positivity coaches you see online right now. You don’t always have to suck it up in order to be successful. You can be successful and still sometimes be an emotional hot mess. *Case in point right here.*

Do what you love.

This can be a loaded ideal. I’m sure you’ve read an iteration of the Mark Twain quote, “Find a job you enjoy doing, and you will never have to work a day in your life.” While many of us do love what we do for a living, it’s still hard work. Not every day is a fairytale snapshot of a perfect workday. We have to push through organizational spreadsheets, cold calls, seemingly pointless meetings, and the like. I am blessed to love each core tenet of Hourglass Media, and as its CEO, I can honestly say I do love to work. But, you cannot have all work and no play. Do other things that you love. You know, all of those hobbies and pastimes that you’re too busy to enjoy. By engaging in a non-work activity, you will rediscover all of the things you used to love. I think the pandemic has taught us that life is too short to not do things you love, even if it’s just a blip in the beginning, middle, or end of your day. 

Journal Prompt:

How do you plan to focus on mental health during Mental Health Awareness Month in May?

Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.

Please note: These blog posts are not clinical, although we will provide symptoms and other information. These posts are based on my experiences with anxiety and mental health in general. If you or someone you know needs help, visit a website like Mental Health America to learn more.

Mental Health Moments blog posts are every other Tuesday of the month. Our CEO and contributors highlight what it's like to live with a mental health disorder and continue to fight the stigma through storytelling.

Kaylin R. Staten, APR, is an award-winning, accredited public relations practitioner and writer based in Huntington, WV, with 18 years of professional communications experience. As CEO and founder of Hourglass Media, she uses her compassionate spirit and expertise to delve into the heart of clients’ stories. She is a recovering perfectionist, mental health advocate, wife, boy + cat mom, and Leia Organa aficionado. Connect with Kaylin on LinkedIn.