Evidence indicates you can take five steps to enhance your mental health and well-being. Following the steps to mental well-being outlined below can make you feel more positive and help you get the most out of life. 

1. Engage with Other Individuals 

Your mental well-being depends on good relationships because they are essential. Good relationships are when you connect with people. They can: 

• Help you develop a sense of belonging and self-worth. 

• Enable you to share opportunities for positive experiences. 

• Enable you to support others while providing emotional support. 

There are various things you can try to build robust and closer relationships. Let us explore the dos and don’ts that you must follow for the best results. 

Dos 

• Whenever possible, spare time every day to be with your family, for example, try to arrange a fixed time to have dinner together. 

• Think about friends you haven’t seen for a while and arrange a day out with them. 

• Spend time with your children, family, and friends talking or playing games by switching off your TV. 

• Have lunch with colleagues. 

• Friends and family members need occasional support and company. Consider visiting them when you have the time. 

• Volunteer at a local school, hospital, or community group by learning how to volunteer on the Gov.uk website. 

• When trying to stay in touch with your family and friends, make use of technology as best as possible. Chat apps like Skype and FaceTime are helpful, especially when living apart. 

Don’ts 

• Social media is great for news and communication. However, it is not reliable to build relationships as it is easy to get into the habit of texting, messaging, and emailing people. 

Be Active 

Being active is not just beneficial for your physical health and fitness. Evidence indicates it also helps improve your mental wellness by 

• Improving your self-esteem. 

• Assisting you in setting goals or challenges and achieving them. 

• It boasts melatonin production in your brain to help change your mood positively. 

Read about exercise guidelines and workouts to help improve your fitness and mental wellness by reading the NHS Well-being guide. 

Dos 

• Read about exercises such as running and aerobics to help improve your fitness and get you moving. 

• Learn how to improve your strength and flexibility by reading books or publications about them to help you increase muscle strength, improve balance, and minimize joint pain. 

• If you use a wheelchair, read fitness advice for wheelchair users. 

Don’ts 

• Do not ever get the impression that you have to spend hours in a gym. On the contrary, it’s helpful and best to find enjoyable activities and make them a part of your life. 

Learning new skills 

According to research, you can improve your mental wellness by learning new skills. The skills benefit you by: 

• Boosting self-confidence and enhancing self-esteem. 

• Assisting you in developing a sense of purpose. 

• Helping you connect with others. 

Even if you think you don’t have sufficient time or do not need to learn new things, there are various ways you can bring learning into your life. Some of the things you could attempt include: 

Dos 

• Try learning to cook new recipes by learning about a healthy, balanced diet. 

• Try accepting new responsibilities at work, such as mentoring junior staff members or improving your presentation skills. 

• Try working on a DIY project such as fixing a garden gate, a broken bicycle, or something larger. You can find many free video tutorials online. 

• Consider volunteering for a cause at a local college. You can consider learning a new language or practicing skills like plumbing. 

• Try new challenging hobbies such as writing a blog, taking up a new sport, or learning to paint. 

Don’t 

Do not believe you have to learn new qualifications or appear for exams if it does not interest you. It’s best to discover activities you enjoy so they become part of your life. 

Giving 

Research indicates that the acts of sharing and kindness help improve your mental wellness by: 

• Creating positive feelings and a rewarding sense. 

• Providing you with a feeling of purpose and self-worth. 

• Assisting you in connecting with others. 

Acts of kindness towards other people can be small or large, such as volunteering in your local community. Examples of some things you could try include: 

• Expressing gratitude to someone for things they may have done for you. 

• Asking family, friends, or colleagues how they are and paying attention to them when they answer. 

• Sparing time for relatives or friends seeking support or company. 

• Offering assistance to someone you know with a work project or a DIY project. 

• Volunteering within your community, such as helping at a care home, hospital, or school. 

Mindfulness 

Your mental wellness improves when you pay more attention to the present moment. It includes your thoughts and feelings, your body, and the world around you. 

Some people call a witness to mindfulness in their lives and understand themselves better. Mindfulness can positively change your feelings about life and how you approach challenges. 

Learn more about money, including the steps you can adopt to remember movement in everyday life. 

The five steps to mental health suggested in this blog help not only improve your mental wellness but also your attention to your physical well-being, making it essential to follow. The information provided is evidence-based and aimed at improving the mental health and well-being of the entire population. This report provides the results of a scoping exercise considering how the five ways to mental health have been used across the UK since their launch in October 2008.