Mental Health Support

Ways to Care for Your Mental Health

Adapted by Maine Township School District 207

General Tips

Get out of your pajamas and get dressed, even if you don’t have anywhere to go. How we look can influence our mood, and showers can increase our energy level.
Create and maintain a daily schedule, to the extent possible, including going to bed and waking up at around the same time. In addition to making time for school work, be sure to make time for self-care.

Sample Schedule

8:00 am Wake up

8:30 am Exercise/Meditate/Breakfast

10:00 am E-Learning

2:00 pm Lunch/Connect with friends

3:00 pm Go for a walk

4:00 pm Art/Cook/Helping others activity

5:00 pm School work

6:00 pm Dinner

7:00 pm School work

8:00 pm Connect with others/Watch something funny/Listen to music

10:30 pm Sleep

Although it is important to keep social connections and check in on relatives and friends, it is also crucial to give yourself a break from technology. For a good night’s rest, put your phone away at least 30 minutes before bedtime and avoid checking it during the night. You could even choose to charge your phone in another room to avoid temptation.

Avoid over-exposure to the news. While you want to stay informed and aware of any news updates, it can be upsetting to read/hear about the crisis repeatedly.

Self Care

Take a bike ride or walk or jog outside, as long as you are able to maintain six-feet distance from others. Sunlight, fresh air, and time disconnected from devices is important for mental health.

Try to exercise for at least 30 minutes each day. Several free classes are offered online. Schedule a virtual workout “date” with a friend or family member to increase motivation.

CorePower Yoga is offering free yoga on-demand.

Planet Fitness offers a free, live-streamed home “work-in” at 6 p.m. daily, led by personal trainers and special guests. No equipment required.

Orangetheory Fitness is offering daily at-home workout videos on Instagram. No equipment is required.

Golds Gym is offering free on-demand workouts.

Alo Moves offers free yoga, fitness, and mindfulness classes on their YouTube channel.

Fitness Blender offers workout videos for every level, all free!

Fitness Formula Clubs offers free workout classes on their Facebook page under “videos”

Create Art

Meditate

Learn

Take advantage of your extra free time by learning a new skill or doing something you’ve been putting off because of your busy schedule.

Learn a new language for free on Duolingo.

Class Central is offering hundreds of free online courses from Ivy League schools.

Yale University’s most popular class ever is now available for free online -- The Science of Well-Being teaches you how to be happier.

YouTube Cooking Channels: Food Wishes, Binging With Babish

Connect With Others

FaceTime, Skype, Gmeet, phone calls, texting, Zoom, etc. - connect with others to seek and provide support.

This new Google extension for Netflix lets you chat with friends while watching shows and movies apart from each other.

Billboard has a list of free livestream and virtual concerts you can watch.

Do a virtual Chopped Kitchen Challenge with friends.

Play cards and board games with family or virtually with friends.

Connect with friends virtually, share screens and complete a crossword puzzle together on USA Today Crosswords.

Help Others

Write letters to the elderly in nursing homes: Expressions at Enumclaw: 2454 Cole St, Enumclaw, WA 98022/ Living Court Assisted Living: 2229 Jensen St, Enumclaw, WA 98022/ Village Concepts of Enumclaw: 1777 Highpoint St, Enumclaw, WA 98022

Make a card for a child who is currently hospitalized. http://www.cardsforhospitalizedkids.com/about-making-cards.html or mail to
Mailing Address:
Cards for Hospitalized Kids
7290 W. Devon Ave.
Chicago, IL 60631

Write positive messages on your driveway or on rocks for neighbors to appreciate.

Remind Yourself This Is Temporary

Remember to Laugh

Seek Help If Needed

If you have a therapist or counselor, reach out for help. They may be available for sessions online or by phone. If you are taking medication, keep up with it, and be sure to continue communicating with your psychiatrist or doctor.

The Juniper Center in Park Ridge is offering FREE Tension Tamer Live sessions every Friday at 10am via Zoom. These are available to anyone who may be feeling scared, anxious, or isolated.

National Suicide Prevention Hotline: Call 1.800.273.8255 or text HOME to 741741.

The Mental Health Referral Service for Children and Teens links families to outpatient mental health providers in their local area who fit the child and/or teen's needs, including insurance coverage, provider availability, and treatment type. This free service offered by Seattle Children’s Hospital provides referrals for children and teens age 17 and younger.

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