What is the theory behind this Hygiene and Mental Health worksheet?
Our mind needs just as much daily care as our body to make it strong enough to deal with daily life stressors. Mental health hygiene can be seen as a preventive or protective measure against development of mental illnesses or maladaptive cognitive functions.
It fosters a healthy mind that is necessary for general wellbeing and our day to day interpersonal interactions. There is a host of research that has shown something as simple as meditation can significantly reduce stress, anxiety, and depressive symptoms.
How will the worksheet help?
This worksheet will provide a list of good and bad mental hygiene behaviours with a checklist that clients can use to assess themselves. It can help promote healthy mental hygiene habits and discourage behaviours that are detrimental to one’s mental health.
How to use the worksheet?
This worksheet can be used as part of psychoeducation regarding the role of individuals in maintaining their own mental health and equipping their minds with the necessary tools to handle daily life stressors. It can also be used in schools, workplaces or group counselling sessions.
Hygiene and mental health worksheet
Did you know you can train your brain to help you cope with daily stressors and the resulting mental issues? Our physical and mental health are inevitably linked with each other. Just as there are hygiene habits that promote a healthy body, there are habits that can promote a healthy mind. Some of those you may already be aware of such as getting a good night’s sleep is good for both physical health and mental health. Use the checklist below to assess how many of these good and bad habits are a part of your life and what you need to change.
| Good Mental Hygiene Habits | Bad Mental Hygiene Habits | ||
| Getting a good night’s sleep. Preferably 8 hours at a minimum. | Getting less than 6 hours of sleep | ||
| Having a fixed morning and night routine | Having no fixed schedule for sleeping or waking | ||
| Practising meditation/relaxation techniques | Lack of exercise | ||
| Keeping a Gratitude Journal | Overuse of Social Media/no limit on screen time | ||
| Keeping a Daily Journal – for your thoughts | Unnecessary ruminations of the past | ||
| Keeping up with religious habits – if applicable | Unnecessary worry about the future | ||
| Engaging in any physical activity throughout the day | Focusing on problems rather than solutions | ||
| Having an enjoyable hobby | Keeping your feelings bottled up inside | ||
| Focusing on the present | Unhealthy food choices | ||
| Keeping your mind solution-oriented | Keeping toxic relationships | ||
| Strengthening your social support system | Comparing your life/situation with others | ||
| Recognizing when to seek professional help | Not taking out time for self-care/rest | ||
| Balanced nutrition | Being too hard on yourself/ Being self-critical | ||
| Practising positive self talk on a daily basis | Not taking necessary breaks/rest between work and responsibilites |
References
You can download this worksheet here.