Tips for mental health Step by step for your mental health

Simple but effective. Take time for a walk every single day. Numerous studies have already shown that outdoor exercise has a positive effect on our immune system and our well-being.

Try to change your perspective from time to time. It’s enough to walk your usual route in the other direction and you will start noticing different things along the way.

How do you turn your walk into a daily habit?

– Make it a fixed date in your calendar in the morning.

– Use your lunch break and walk around the block after eating.

– Combine it with something useful: walk to the shops.

Take a noseful of fresh air. Spending time outside is an excellent oppor­tunity to do conscious breathing exercises. Deep breathing can reduce stress and help you relax.

Try the 4–7–11 method:

The “4–7–11” method is simple but effective: inhale for 4 seconds and exhale for 7. This is repeated eleven times.

If possible, move your breaks outside. A short walk after lunch can increase produc­tivity and reduce mental fatigue.

Make a conscious effort to set a time for this in your calendar. Motivate other colleagues to join you and make it a weekly ritual.

Deli­be­rately leave your mobile phone at home on your next walk. Concentrate fully on your surroundings and nature around you. A few hours without a screen can work wonders and coun­teract the daily sensory overload.

Social inter­action can have a positive effect on mental health.

Instead of the next meeting in a café or restaurant, go for a walk together. A long hike on the weekend also is an excellent activity to do together. Not only do you get some exercise in the fresh air but also spend time with like-minded people.

Medi­tating is not for you? Then try mindful walking. This is a mind­fulness practice in which you focus your full attention on walking. It involves consciously concen­trating on your actions and sensations while moving.

– Find a quiet place with few distractions.

– Breathe consciously: before you set off, focus on your breath and inhale deeply to centre yourself and focus on your breath.

– Walk consciously and at a slow pace.

– Conscious steps: focus your attention on your steps. Feel the contact between your feet and the ground. Concentrate on your movement as you walk.

– Pay attention to your senses: what do you see, smell, and hear? Notice sounds, smells, and images. Simply observe – without judging – what is happening around you.

– Stay present: let go of distracting thoughts and always return your focus on walking.

Mindful walking can have a calming effect and help to reduce stress. It can be done anywhere: in a park, on a sidewalk and even in the office.