Since college (and maybe earlier?) I’ve dealt with seasonal depression… the winter blues, some say. This year I finally decided to get some help for it. I’ve been going to group therapy for the last two months, and I’ve learned some incredible things.
I’ll attempt to share them with you one at a time.
This post is about building daily maintenance lists. When we’re not feeling our best, we can often trace it back to something on this list that we’ve let slide. The first thing to go for me is the correct amount of sleep. 7-9 hours is recommended. When I’m feeling my gloomiest, I’ll get 11-12 hours of sleep. Go to bed early, wake up early, take a nap. Hibernation, I suppose. Exercise slips away around the same time.
We make these lists so we can check up on ourselves. When I start to feel low and unmotivated, I need to look at the list and remind myself that if I do just these things in a day, then I’ve accomplished something great.
Here’s my list…
Things I know I need to do for myself EVERYDAY to make sure I stay well:
- Shower, brush teeth, wash face
- Eat healthy foods and drink water
- Get dressed
- Leave the house and the apartment complex
- Exercise, even if it’s just a walk or stretching
- Quiet time
- Tidy house
- 7-9 hours
Things I need to do WEEKLY to make sure I stay well:
- Grocery shop
- Laundry and house chores
- Wash hair
- Shave legs
- Talk to parents, family
- Socialize
- Go out to eat
- Cook a meal
- Be creative (art, writing, etc)
- Meditate
- Read
Things I need to do MONTHLY to make sure I stay well:
- Adventure and explore (leave Redwood City)
- Date night
- Photo shoot
- Visit Brad for lunch
- Spend time with a new friends
- Try a new restaurant
- Go over budget
- Set goals, do personal check ups
- Hot tub
Things I need to do PERIODICALLY to make sure I stay well:
- Travel
- Have a house guest
- Go to the beach
- Shop
- Bake
- Journal
Special little things I can do for myself when I need to feel better:
- Bath with candles and oils
- Alone time hike
- Nap
- See a movie
- Go out for a dessert
- Learn something on Youtube
Share your lists! Did I miss something vital?
Home Life and Social Habits of an American Muggle 