Why We MUST Prioritise Our Wellbeing

A few years ago, I heard a quote, said by a sports player, that was along the lines of “well I exercise my body to keep fit, why would I not do the same for my mind?” Since then, I have tried countless times over to find who said it but haven’t been able to, but at that moment in time it was exactly what I needed to hear.

Wellness and all things related are an ever-evolving topic. Constant revelations are being made as to how much our daily lifestyles can impact our wellbeing and, in turn, health. It’s almost as if the covers are slowly being peeled back revealing all the objects, we tried to hide underneath them in hopes no one would notice as, on the surface, we appear pristine. When in fact, our mind can be in total chaos. When I first saw the quote above it really made me stop and question why we so often push ourselves through all sorts of mental battles but, going through an injury or even just getting your common cold, we take at least a day to let ourselves recover.

It then occurred to me how it is not always seen as acceptable to slow down or take a ‘mental health day’. Because that problem is inside, and when you physically appear fine it becomes harder to generate the same sympathy as when you are sick with some sort of flu. However, what is not spoken enough about is how, for example, when you are sat working on a presentation to secure a deal and your mind suddenly wonders to the edge of the rabbit hole of ‘is this going to work? Are my colleagues going to think I’m incompetent? What if I forget what to say? Oh gosh now I’m nervous! What if others can tell I’m nervous? What if I’m not able to focus on finishing this because of how nervous I now am?’ And so on, a dialogue I’m sure many of us are well aquatinted with. That thought process can be as exhausting as running, our body has now entered this panicked state with head spinning, heart rate racing and we can’t help but tumble down the rabbit hole of anxiety where we start looking for all the problems that may occur in our future. Healthline has an article about anxiety and the different physical symptoms that can occur, from high heart rate, problems with digestion, shallow breaths and more. Let me tell you, it’s exhausting! And this is only one scenario as to how our mental wellbeing can drain us out doing day to day tasks.

By the time that presentation is finished you’ve probably played through 100 different scenarios …aka run 100 different races leaving you exhausted as you now gaze up to the sky realizing how far down the rabbit hole you went. And just when you think the battle is over you realize it is not, because what is still to come is climbing your way out of the rabbit hole. So, in reality, your main focus should be figuring out all the ways to help recharge your batteries which are beyond depleted to recover. However, I am sure many of you have been guilty of trying to push through. Please note the use of guilty. According to the Merriam Webster dictionary definition of guilty is “justly chargeable with or responsible for a usually grave breach of conduct or a crime.” By forcing yourself to push through after a mental marathon, you are, in my opinion, breaching a code of conduct on yourself by not looking after your body.  Whether recharging is taking a day for yourself, or surrounding yourself with your closest friends and family, you deserve to spend the time doing it. And you should not let anyone who makes you feel otherwise deter you from doing so. It is acceptable to look after your mental health and put self-care first. By taking care of yourself, you are putting yourself in a better position to be productive, energetic, and present for whatever you may need to be.  As a result, all you require is your own permission. And, if you are ever in doubt, ask yourself why you wouldn’t work to keep your mind healthy like your body? It is hard to find a logical answer, and I’ve tried countless times!

Nevertheless, I will admit, it is a learning curve, I mean, I am writing this with about my fifth cold of the year. But I have finally accepted (because I already had a suspicion) that it is probably burn out. I eat well, I exercise, I do what I can that on the surface makes me look shiny but underneath maybe not so. The truth is, I don’t often get enough sleep, I sometimes say ‘oh I’ll work this weekend it’s okay, one won’t matter,’ but this is perhaps the fourth consecutive weekend I have said this, and eventually I get run down and my body firmly reminds me to slow down by saying ‘hey, I need a minute’. So, it is all a work in progress, but I am doing my best to internalise that it is totally acceptable to take time or days to focus on my mental health. And not the kind of day where I am sat thinking about all the things that I need to do and then feeling guilty for not doing them! No, a day to do what I love, what boosts my energy and embrace the joy of it all letting the positivity recharge my batteries to boost me for what is to come.

// Sahira Dharamshi, Founder of A Blog for Days