Schedule Time for Your Mental Health

I like routine and keeping things familiar; it’s not to say I can’t be spontaneous or enjoy an unplanned adventure occasionally, but in my day-to-day world, I want a plan of attack or a recipe for my meal plan. Having a schedule keeps me from feeling frazzled. According to a Tel Aviv University research study, “predictable, repetitive routines are calming and help reduce anxiety.” If I can control some aspects of my day by planning ahead, scheduling events, or incorporating tasks as part of my routine, it prevents stress.

Creating “predictable scenarios” through habits allows a person’s mind to adjust, understand what to expect, and alleviate anxiety over the unknown. Some helpful tips from the Calendar Productivity Center include:

• Define your purpose. Decide what is important, what tasks need to be completed, and where to spend your time and energy before the day, week, or month starts.
• Identify “crunch” times. We all have those extra tasks that are dotted throughout our calendars (birthdays, holidays, home projects, work events, etc.). It can be beneficial to carve out extra time to allocate for these events.
• Prioritize tasks. Not everything is a top priority or an emergency; our reaction to it needs to reflect the importance of the task.
• Set completion dates for your goals. We all have ambitions but achieving them can be a daunting task. Setting milestones along the way helps with accomplishing your objectives.
• that procrastination happens, but a schedule prevents you from aimlessly wandering and provides a road map to stay on task.
• a plan to save money. Time is money, and you are more efficient when you run errands together, allocate appropriate resources, and stay within a budget.
• Keep everyone on the same page. No one likes to waste time. Knowing others’ availability and what they are working on promotes smarter collaboration.

Remember, it’s good for your well-being to plan ahead!

Colleen Eusterwiemann, Suicide Pre & Postvention Coordinator for The Kim Foundation

Colleen earned her Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology and Sociology from Northwest Missouri State University and her Master’s Degree in Public Administration from the University of Nebraska at Omaha. Colleen has previous experience working for local non-profits focusing on consulting, coordinating, planning, and providing direct care. Colleen joined The Kim Foundation in January of 2022.