Simple Steps to Maintain Mindful Sustainability

Simple Steps to Benefit You and the Planet

There are many mental health benefits to getting outside and incorporating activity into your daily routine. With the end of Earth Month approaching, it’s a great time to get out and about to better the planet and your mental wellbeing. Outdoor activities have long been associated with lower levels of stress, depression, and anxiety. By taking a day to participate in environmentally beneficial projects, you can simultaneously contribute to protecting the planet and your mental wellness.

“Sustainable habits contribute to a stronger sense of purpose and emotional wellbeing by fostering a connectedness to the world that we live in,” wrote Tianna Dow, an Early Intervention Support Services therapist at Acenda.

The Mental Health Benefits of Connecting with Nature

Nature can play a large part in managing your wellbeing and providing mental health benefits. Participating in outdoor activities is a surefire way to reduce stress, as getting outside can help to regulate your sympathetic nervous system which can decrease your feelings of stress.

Additionally, incorporating sustainable practices into your everyday life — like composting or recycling — can help you to feel a stronger sense of purpose and wellbeing. Some eco-friendly activities that promote a healthy planet and mindfulness include gardening, upcycling, and beach cleaning.

“Research indicates that spending time in nature directly impacts our stress levels by decreasing the activity in our amygdala, which manages anxiety, stress, and fear,” wrote Dow. “Nature offers us a peacefulness as everything — the animals, bugs, wind, sunshine, streams, trees, etc. — interacts cohesively, which brings us a sense of connection. I believe that similarly to learning mindfulness skills that encourage relaxation in therapy, the input from our five senses evokes emotions of calm and grounding so our brain knows it can relax for a moment. This ultimately results in a decrease of our stress hormone and increase in more positive emotions.”

Sustainable Practices for Your Routine

There are plenty of simple practices you can incorporate into your day-to-day that are beneficial for the planet and your wellbeing! These can include:

Declutter and Donate: Decluttering your space is a great way to start in your sustainability journey. Take the time remove things you no longer use and donate them to local thrift stores or sell them at a discounted price to your community. You could also upcycle materials or items you aren’t ready to part with to give them renewed purpose. Reducing clutter can provide mental relief and give your items a second life with you or in a new home — a win-win!

“Decluttering is beneficial for mental health as visual clutter can increase feelings of anxiety and contribute to mental clutter,” wrote Dow. “Mental clutter can be related to what we consume via television, purchase or diet, lack of physical activity, poor sleep habits and unresolved emotions for example.”

Conscious Consumption: When contemplating new purchases, consider each item carefully with sustainability in mind. For example, when purchasing a new blender for your kitchen, consider getting one that is suitable for multiple purposes (blending smoothies, emulsifying soup, juicing fruits and vegetables) as opposed to multiple appliances that only serve one purpose. By thinking about your purchases more consciously, you can save money and the planet!

Meal Planning: Prepping your meals in the beginning of the week is a great way to reduce your food waste and mid-week stress. Whether you just plan breakfasts or take on all three meals, you’ll always appreciate the time you spent early in the week to make the rest run smoothly. When preparing for the week, consider using produce that is in season and local as a more environmentally- and budget-friendly option.

“Sustainability practices can benefit a person's mental wellbeing by increasing mindfulness,” wrote Dow. “These practices help us to become aware of our unhelpful habits and how the consequences reach beyond just ourselves. They also assist with identifying things that bring us purpose, like volunteering or donating things that you no longer use, minimizing overindulgence that can result in negative outcomes.”

Mindful Upcycling as Stress-Relief Activities

Pots to Planters: Make planters out of your old pots and jars. Gardening has been proven to relieve stress and anxiety and reusing your containers reduces landfill waste.

Furniture Refresh: Give your furniture a second chance at life by reupholstering your couch cushions or sanding and painting your old dining chairs. Upcycling your current pieces and utilizing your creative skills is a great way to reduce feelings of stress while saving some money!

Custom Candles: After removing the wax from your old candles, you can recycle those containers and make more candles! All you need are some old, heat-safe containers (like glass and ceramic), candle wax, new wicks and, optionally, fragrance oils. By investing a little money and time into creating your own candles, you can save later on, all while burning your custom candles at home.

Manifest with Magazines: Do you have any old magazines, picture books, or pieces of cardboard lying around? Use them to make your own vision board! A vision board is used to help you visualize goals and projects you would like to work towards in the future. By cutting out images and words from your old magazines, books, or other recyclable items, you can set your intentions for the near future, giving yourself plans to move forward and reducing some of the clutter and trash around your home.

Conclusion

With all of the overlapping mental and environmental benefits resulting from sustainability practices, participating in outdoor and eco-friendly activities is a great way to honor the planet and your mental wellbeing.

“Intrinsically, people want to be part of something that they can contribute to and be proud of,” Dow wrote. “When we care for the planet, we are setting the groundwork for future generations and that is amazing! This contribution also adds to a person's identity, self-worth, self-image, and sense of community. The sum of these positive feelings is expansive and contributes to our emotional wellbeing and overall sense of purpose.”

Start out your journey to environmental and mental wellness by picking out one of the practices above to incorporate into your day-to-day life. Once you’re used to it, pick another one, and build on your progress! By introducing small, sustainable practices into your daily routine, you can lead the way to a healthier planet and a happier you.

About the Author

Riley de Jong, Communications Strategist at Acenda, attended the University of California – Los Angeles for her undergraduate degree in Communication and minor in Entrepreneurship. She enjoys supporting her community, telling engaging stories, and connecting with others.