I take the time to brush my teeth every morning. To eat (more or less) balanced. To see my doctor when something is physically wrong. But am I taking care of my mental health with the same regularity? Mental health is not a state that we possess or lose once and for all, it is something that is maintained, that is nourished, that is protected on a daily basis. According to the WHO, mental health is “a state of well-being in which a person can realize his or her potential, overcome the normal stresses of life, perform productive work and contribute to the life of his or her community”. This balance is built in daily habits, not in exceptional moments. Here is a practical and comprehensive guide to taking care of my mental health every day.
1. The 6 pillars of daily mental hygiene
| Pillar | How it protects my mental health | Concrete gestures |
|---|---|---|
| The body | The body and mind are inseparable. Physical activity, sleep and diet are the biological foundations of mental balance. | 30 min of movement/day, 7-8 hours of sleep, diet rich in fiber and omega-3 |
| Emotions | Emotions naming and expressing emotions rather than repressing them reduces suffering and promotes regulation. | Emotional journal, STOP technique, daily mindfulness |
| Meaning | Having clear values and activities that give meaning nourishes motivation and resilience in the face of proofs. | Clarifying your values, engaging in meaningful projects, acts of generosity |
| Relationships | Authentic social connection is the most powerful and best protective factor for mental health documented. | Cultivate 3-5 close relationships, express gratitude, ask for help |
| The Present | Reducing ruminations about the past and anxious anticipations about the future reduces stress and improves life satisfaction life. | Meditation, mindfulness, sensory grounding activities |
| Recovery | The brain needs time without performance, without intense stimulation, without obligation. Rest is not wasted time. | Regular breaks, pure pleasure activities, time in nature, screen-free evenings |
2. Building my mental health routine: the principles
Regularity takes precedence over intensity. 5 minutes of meditation every day is infinitely better than an hour on Sunday. The brain is reconfigured through repetition; it is consistency that creates lasting change, not one-off performance.
Behavioral anchoring (habit stacking). I linked each new habit to an existing habit. Meditate after my morning coffee. Write in my journal before brushing my teeth. Take a walk after lunch. This anchor reduces decision-making effort and gradually automates good habits.Kindness in the face of failures. I'm going to miss days. This is normal and inevitable. Kristin Neff's research shows that self-compassion in the face of failures increases the chances of returning to the habit, while self-criticism reduces them. I resume without judging myself.
The minimum viable. In difficult times, I define my minimum viable: the smallest possible version of my routine that I can maintain even on bad days. 2 minutes of breathing. A sentence in the newspaper. 10 minute walk. Maintaining a thread, even a thin one, is infinitely better than abandoning it altogether.
3. My morning routine: 20 minutes to get started
The first minutes of the day influence the emotional tone of everything that follows. Here is a morning routine validated by wellness research:
- ●Don't look at your phone for the first 30 minutes: Exposing my brain to the flood of notifications, emails and news first thing in the morning immediately triggers the stress response before the day has even started.
- ●5 minutes of exposure to natural light: morning light synchronizes the biological clock, stimulates serotonin production and sets the timing of the morning cortisol peak, the day's dose of natural energy.
- ●5 minutes of movement: some stretching, gentle yoga, a short walk, activating the body activates the brain and reduces residual stress hormones from sleep.
- ●5 minutes of mindfulness or journaling: a moment of attention to the present, an intention for the day, 3 things for which I am grateful.
4. My evening routine: prepare for a good night's sleep and good recovery
- ●Set work at a fixed time: define and maintain an end time for the professional day. A short closing routine (write down the day's 3 accomplishments, write down the next day's priorities, close applications) signals to the brain that the work is finished.
- ●1 hour without screens before bed: blue light inhibits melatonin and delays falling asleep. Replace screens with reading, music, stretching or conversation.
- ●5 minutes of journaling or decompression: note what was difficult today, how I feel, and one thing that went well. This emotional release reduces nocturnal ruminations.
- ●Same bedtime 7 days a week: regularity of sleep schedules is the most protective factor for quality sleep.
5. The health check as an anchor of prevention
Taking care of your mental health every day is good. Regularly reviewing your overall condition with a healthcare professional is even better. A health check-up is an opportunity to objectively assess the indicators of my mental health, level of perceived stress, quality of sleep, mood, energy level, quality of relationships, life satisfaction, and to identify priority levers of action.
Mental health prevention doesn't start when things are bad. It is built in periods when things are going well, like a capital of resilience that I patiently accumulate, day after day, gesture after gesture. This is the conviction that is at the heart of everything we do at Iris Prévention.
💡 tips to remember
- Mental health is built in small actions repeated every day, not in big, exceptional decisions. 5 minutes of daily meditation is infinitely better than an hour on Sunday.
- I don't look at my phone for the first 30 minutes of my day: exposing my brain to the flood of notifications as soon as I wake up immediately triggers the stress response before the day even begins.
- I define my viable minimum for bad days: 2 minutes of breathing, a sentence in the newspaper, 10 minutes of walking. Maintaining a thread, even a fine one, is infinitely better than giving up altogether.
- Self-compassion in the face of failures increases the chances of resuming a habit, while self-criticism reduces them. I resume without judging myself, as often as necessary.
- A regular health check-up is an opportunity to evaluate my mental health indicators (stress, sleep, mood, relationships) and to identify priority levers. Prevention is built when things are going well, not when things are going badly.
