Weekly Digest #35: Taking Care of Yourself
(cover image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay)
Self-care is always important, but given current political events, it is more crucial than ever. However, just as with time management (covered in last week’s digest), the internet is awash with mental health “tips” that aren’t necessarily grounded in research. In this digest, we have put together a few resources that are both evidence-based and open access. Please take a few minutes for yourself today, to explore and make use of these resources.
1) 10 Simple ways to Manage the Emotional Toll of Social Media By Dr. Eoin Lenihan, @EoinLenihan
Image from Twitter
This blog post, published just a couple of days ago, could not have come at a better time. Dr. Lenihan’s motivation for writing it was the difficulty he experienced right after the US Election with feeling compelled to constantly check social media. The post discusses the evidence behind social contagion, and provides specific, simple advice for avoiding its negative impact on your mood.
2) The Mental Health and Wellness Blog By Dr. David Susman, @DavidSusman
This blog is the mental health equivalent of the Learning Scientists Blog! Dr. Susman’s goal is to provide “science-based information and resources to offer support, hope, inspiration, and encouragement to persons in recovery and to those who care about them”. Particularly relevant to current affairs is this piece from earlier this year on anger management for voters.
3) Online Relaxation Exercises By Dr. Prentiss Price-Evans
This article first puts forward the evidence behind relaxation exercise, and then briefly instructs the reader as to the best way to do the exercises. What follows is a series of audio tracks that guide you through brief (6-10 minute) breathing and relaxation exercises.
4) Coping in the Wake of Incidents of Mass Violence By Paolo del Vecchio & Dr. Maryann Robinson
Image from Pixabay.com
This resource from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (@samhsagov) includes a series of guides, in English and Spanish, for how to cope after a tragedy. The blog post also includes a few quick tips, as well as links to other disaster assistance resources.
5) Be Happy: How to Bring More Joy to Your Life Free online course by Dr. Sonja Lyubomirsky @slyubomirsky
Dr. Lyubomirsky has dedicated her career to studying human happiness, and here’s why:
“Why is the scientific study of happiness important? In short, because most people believe that happiness is meaningful, desirable, and an important, worthy goal, because happiness is one of the most salient and significant dimensions of human experience and emotional life, because happiness yields numerous rewards for the individual, and because it makes for a better, healthier, stronger society. Along these lines, my current research addresses three critical questions: 1) What makes people happy?; 2) Is happiness a good thing?; and 3) How and why can people learn to lead happier and more flourishing lives?" - Source: http://sonjalyubomirsky.com/
The title may make you skeptical, but don’t worry: this is a legitimate, thoroughly evidence-based online course about happiness, and it’s completely free (otherwise we wouldn’t share it with you).
Every Sunday, we pick a theme and provide a curated list of links. If you have a theme suggestion, please don’t hesitate to contact us! Our 5 most recent digests can be found here:
Weekly Digest #30: Learning and Attention
Weekly Digest #31: Exercise and Learning
Weekly Digest #32: Evidence-based Learning Strategies for Learning Disabilities