Boost Your Mental Health with These 5 Self-Care Practices

Life moves fast, and in the rush to keep up with work, family and financial responsibilities, self-care often gets pushed aside. But your mental health deserves just as much attention as your physical health - or even your bank account.

The good news? Taking care of yourself doesn’t require a major lifestyle change or expensive habits. By practicing simple, consistent self-care, you can reduce stress, increase focus and feel more grounded every day. Even better, many of these habits support your financial wellness, too.

Here are five practices to help you boost your mental health and feel more balanced.

1. Prioritize Daily Movement

Exercise isn’t just about fitness—it’s about mental clarity and stress relief. Movement helps your body release endorphins, the “feel-good” chemicals that naturally improve mood and reduce anxiety. Research shows that regular exercise can help ease stress, boost focus, sharpen your memory and increase energy.

And the best part? It doesn’t have to cost a dime. Try a brisk walk around your neighborhood, a stretch break during work or an online fitness class. Regular, consistent activity that you enjoy is more effective than infrequent intense workouts.

Pro tip: Movement can also save you money. Walking or biking instead of driving cuts down on gas costs, and using free resources like parks, trails  or online videos eliminates the need for pricey memberships. With a little creativity, you can care for both your body and your budget.

2. Set Healthy Boundaries

Boundaries are essential for protecting your mental energy. Without them, stress and burnout can pile up quickly. Boundaries might look like:

• Saying “no” to extracurricular commitments or plans that cut into valuable sleep time or don’t align with your values.
• Setting limits on work hours to protect family or personal time.
• Reducing screen time or social media use to avoid information overload.

Just as important, boundaries apply to your finances, too. Financial stress is one of the most common causes of anxiety, but setting clear money boundaries can help. Avoid overspending by sticking to your budget and be cautious about how much financial responsibility you take on - whether that’s loans, credit or family obligations.

3. Practice Mindful Spending

Money and mental health are deeply connected. Overspending often leads to guilt, while intentional, goal-driven spending brings peace of mind. Mindful spending means pausing before a purchase to ask yourself “does this align with my goals or is it just an impulse?”

Here are a few ways to put mindful spending into practice:

• Use cash or debit instead of credit for everyday purchases.
• Sleep on larger spending decisions before buying.
• Track your purchases for a week to see where your money really goes.
• Consider opening a savings account to set aside money for your priorities. Separating funds for your goals helps keep daily spending intentional and stress-free.

Mindful spending also means celebrating when your money supports your values - whether that’s enjoying a dinner with family, donating to a cause or saving for a dream vacation.

4. Make Time for Rest and Reflection

In a culture that glorifies busyness and constant movement, rest often feels like a luxury, but it’s actually a necessity for mental health. Sleep restores your brain and body, improves memory and lowers stress. Without enough rest, even small challenges can feel overwhelming.

Creating a healthy bedtime routine can make a big difference. Try journaling for five minutes, practicing deep breathing or unplugging from technology an hour before bed. Reflection is equally powerful and writing down thoughts, goals or gratitude can bring clarity and calm.

5. Connect with Your Community

Humans are wired for connection. Strong relationships reduce loneliness, lower stress and create a sense of belonging - all key ingredients for mental health. Community can mean family, friends, co-workers, church or local groups. It can also mean supporting causes and businesses close to home.

Here are some ways to nurture connection:

• Schedule regular catchups with friends or family.
• Volunteer for a nonprofit that inspires you.
• Shop at local businesses to strengthen your neighborhood economy.

Building community also means strengthening financial wellness where you live. Choosing a community bank or shopping locally helps keep money circulating in your area, creating opportunities for everyone.

Self-care doesn’t have to be complicated or costly. By focusing on small, intentional habits - like movement, boundaries, mindful spending, rest and connection - you can boost your mental health and feel more balanced in your daily life.

OMB and its affiliates do not provide legal, tax or accounting advice. You should consult your legal and/or tax advisors before making any financial decision.