Mental Health Minute

You've heard of taking of work or school for a mental health day.

Well, now that I am in school to learn how to save people's lives, I don't have time to take a mental health day.  And as a matter of fact, if I were going to nurse you back to health, you probably wouldn't have wanted me to take frequent mental health days, you would want me to know everything there is to know about nursing you.

So, I am going to start taking mental health minutes, and advocating them for others as well.

You know you need a mental health minute when you are about to cry while doing homework. Or when you think, I wish I had to go to the bathroom during this class so I wouldn't feel bad about walking out.  Or when you are in Walmart and are overwhelmed by the people and the largeness of the store and can't even read your shopping list anymore.  Don't grab a Twix (need a moment?).  Take a mental health minute.

What to do during your mental health minute (not in any particular order; use one or more than one during your minute; not a comprehensive list):
1) Get a drink of water.
2) Check Facebook
3) Read a chapter of the Bible
4) Take a walk around the building
5) Play the piano/guitar/etc.

I think the point of my mental health minute is not just avoiding or separating myself from the anxiety riddled thing, but to actually stop thinking about it for a few minutes and doing something fun or distracting.  I can play the piano for 10 minutes to help me de-stress, but if all I'm thinking about is the homework I should be doing, I'm not really de-stressing.  On the contrary, I am making the stress worse by thinking I'm procrastinating during my mental health minute.

Don't worry, be happy.

"These things I have spoken unto you, that in me you might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world." John 16:33