The topic of protecting our mental health is near and dear to our friend, Nicole Brown, who is not only a full-time employee at Butler Snow LLP, but also has another role as a fashion and lifestyle blogger at Lelia’s Southern Charm. We asked her to share with us her advice for taking care of ourselves while establishing boundaries between work and home life.

Many of us have had to make a significant amount of changes to our everyday lives in the midst of a pandemic. As we continue to adjust to this new normal, we must show ourselves compassion through this process. We are in a brand-new year, and that brings lots of hope. In today’s post, I wanted to share a couple of ways to help guide you in protecting your mental space.

Set boundaries
We are fed information 24/7 from news sources, social media, the internet, tv, etc. It can be very overwhelming if you let it. I had to reduce the amount of time I was intaking from about three times a day to once a day. You will feel better because of it, and it will keep anxiety levels at bay.

Check-in with Yourself
How are you feeling? It’s okay to say you’re not okay. Here are a few of my favorites when checking in on yourself:

  • Journaling – Doing this creates an opportunity to process what you’re feeling and creates space for you to write down the highs and lows of life. Not sure where to start? Start with a question like, “How can I make today just a bit better than yesterday?”.
  • Meditate – I always like to find a few minutes in my day to sit in silence. For many of you, that can be hard to do if you have a hectic schedule or a full household. This is where you will have to get creative! Try setting your alarm 20 min earlier than you need to be up (or before the rest of your house wakes up) and sit in silence.
  • Practice Gratitude –Whenever I start to feel overwhelmed, I verbally speak all the things that I’m grateful for, taking a few moments each day to say (or write) what you’re thankful for will leave you with a full heart!

Cue some confetti
If you don’t know, I love confetti, and I love celebrating all the joys (even the tiny ones). So, find something that you can celebrate daily! Also, whether it’s watching a funny movie or laughing at yourself by attempting to do a fun TikTok dance, looking at funny memes, find some time to laugh! Lastly, celebrate the things that bring you joy, even the simplest thing of lighting a candle or having a self-care night.

I hope one or all these tips help you in the days and weeks to come. I appreciate you taking the time out of your day to read this post! Hope to see you on Instagram or over www.leliassoutherncharm.com!