6 creative ways to help calm your mind

It’s important to look after our mental wellbeing, particularly whilst we find ourselves spending more and more time at home. There are plenty of things that we can do to help us cope with how we may be feeling. Even if it’s just to give ourselves some much-needed relaxation and refocusing time. So we’ve decided to highlight some creative ways to help calm your mind. We hope you’ll give a few of them a go! 

1. Colouring in

It doesn’t seem to matter what age you are, colouring in can help us focus and escape the demands of the world. This in turn can help us to relax and refocus our minds. There are plenty of colouring books full of intricate designs being sold as a way to help calm your mind.

 2. Crafting

“Not only is it great fun, but creating things can also do wonders for your wellbeing, helping to ease stress, anxiety and depression,” say our partner Boundless¹. There are many examples of crafting and one of our favourites because it can help charities, is knitting! Knitting is a creative, repetitive activity that can be really absorbing, like colouring! There are many charities that rely on the generosity of knitters and have charity knitting patterns for you to copy.

Find out more at www.ukhandknitting.com/knitting-for-charity

3. Cooking

There are two reasons you should give cooking a try to benefit your mental wellbeing. The food that we eat can directly impact our health - both mentally and physically. And cooking can be a great creative outlet for mental wellbeing and what’s more, everyone loves to share their favourite cooking recipes online so there are plenty to choose from!

4. Learn an instrument or sing!

Learning and playing an instrument has some real benefits to boosting your mood and mental health, as it sparks electrical signals using both sides of your brain.² Remember your voice is also an instrument, the most accessible and it’s free to have a go!

Why not sing next time you are in the shower or exercising?

5. Dancing

The physical, mental and emotional health benefits of dancing are endless. It’s like a whole-body workout that’s fun!  Dancing may help improve your balance and strength along with mental benefits too. It can challenge your brain and boost your cognitive performance.³

Why not pop on your favourite tune and dance like nobody’s watching?

6. Online games and puzzles

Supporters of charity, Mind, have said that playing a game or doing a puzzle helps distract themselves from what’s going on.⁴ There are lots of free online games that can be played on computers or other devices!

Visit the Mind website to learn about their supporters’ chosen online games.  

^{1 www.boundless.co.uk/be-inspired/wellbeing/how-crafting-can-boost-your-mental-wellbeing}

^{2 https://www.bbc.co.uk/teach/bring-the-noise/new-years-resolution-learn-an-instrument/zhpd92p}

^{3 www.healthline.com/health/fitness-exercise/benefits-of-dance}

^{4 www.mind.org.uk/need-urgent-help/how-can-i-distract-myself/games-and-puzzles/ © Mind. This information is published in full at mind.org.uk}