Here at Hedges, we know the importance of protecting your mental health, but this can be particularly difficult when going through a separation as a parent.
Here are our top tips for looking after your mental health:
1. Engage with your support network.
We can support you through the legal side of your separation, but it’s helpful to have other people to help with the emotional side of a separation.
Consider what support friends and family can provide, and consider whether a divorce coach or counsellor would be beneficial to you.
2. Set some time aside to spend with your children and consciously decide not to think about your separation during this time.
Similarly, you can set some time aside each day to action anything related to your separation, so it doesn’t feel like it’s occupying all of your time.
3. Set up a separate email address for matters relating to your separation.
This way, you can decide as and when you check this inbox, rather than have a potentially distressing email pop up when you are spending time with your children or in the middle of your working day for example.
4. Maintain a healthy lifestyle as much as you can.
It is well publicised that eating healthy and staying active can have a positive impact on your mental health. Even a walk to get some fresh air every day can be hugely beneficial.
5. Ensure you are getting a good night’s sleep.
This may be tricky, as you no doubt have a lot on your mind.
We would recommend keeping a notepad close to your bed, so if you do wake up in the night with lots on your mind, you can jot these down and try to get back to sleep.
There are also great natural sleeping aids available, such as pillow sprays.
6. Plan something to look forward to.
This can be anything from booking a holiday with the children, or arranging to go for a coffee with your friends, but always having something in the diary to look forward to can help with positivity.
7. Everything that needs to be dealt with during separation can be very overwhelming, so try to take things one step at a time.
You will get there in the end.
8. Remember that alcohol is not going to help, and is likely to make you feel worse in the long run.
If your mental health is something that you are really struggling with, it is important to speak to your GP to get further support.
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