May is Mental Health Awareness Month, and to mark the occasion, here at Trainerize we’ve got something special planned!
On May 25, 2021, our team will be taking the day off. We’ll all be unplugging, unwinding, and taking time to put our mental health and wellbeing first, and we want you and your clients to join us.
Join us in celebrating Mental Health Awareness Month on May 25, 2021! 🎉
As fitness professionals and business owners, you probably already know that exercise and nutrition play a key role in mental health and wellbeing. Eating right and working out can help us destress, improve cognitive function, and release precious neurotransmitters and chemicals that balance our mood, sleep cycles, and more. The work you do with your clients is already so important to their mental health.
We’d love for you to join us on May 25, 2021, and schedule a “Mental Health Day” into all of your clients’ calendars too. 🗓 It doesn’t have to be a day off (though it certainly can be!), just a special day dedicated to reminding your clients to put their mental health first.
Follow these steps to learn how! 👇
1. Tell your clients about the big day!
Schedule 2 auto-messages into your clients’ calendars. The first, a few days ahead, telling them about their upcoming Mental Health Day, and the second on the day of detailing what they should do on the day and sharing any resources you’d like.
SAMPLE MESSAGE 1: Hey [name], did you know that May is Mental Health Awareness Month? In honor of that, I’m going to be scheduling a “Mental Health Day” into your calendar on [date]. This day is meant to be a chance to recharge, refocus, and put your mental health first. I’ll be sharing some tips and special activities to help you make the most of the day, so stay tuned for that!
2. Record a video message
Next, prepare and record a short video where you speak directly to your clients and share a message of support and encouragement, and remind them to check in with themselves and those around them during tough times. You can then either attach this to your day-of auto-message (see above), or you can share it the day of by posting it in a group for all your clients.
Here are some ideas on what you could include:
- An inspirational talk about breaking down the stigma surrounding mental health
- A short lesson on how physical and mental health are closely connected
- A personal story about mental health (if you’re comfortable sharing it)
- A supportive message encouraging your clients to reach out for help if and when needed
3. Build a group for your clients
Setting and crushing health and wellness goals is hard. But it’s easier when you have people standing behind you, cheering you on, and helping you get back on course when you trip up. Create a group for all of your clients so they can come together and become their own little online cheer squad and community.
Even if your clients will never meet in person, you can use the group to spark social motivation and build a sense of camaraderie. To drive group engagement, try asking open questions to the group, or sending “Emoji-vote polls”.
4. Add some special day-of programming
To really make sure the day is focused on mental health, you might want to shake up your clients’ assigned activities for the day.
Option A, if you like the “day off” approach, is to clear or reschedule your clients’ typical activities and just offer them some general guidance on things they can do instead that will help improve their mental health and wellbeing.
For example:
- Make a playlist with your favorite music and go for a long drive with the windows down and the music turned up
- Press pause on all chores for one day and only do things that make you happy
- Pamper yourself at home (a long shower or bath, full skincare and/or hair care routine, mani/pedi, etc.)
Option B is to schedule in some special mental-health-focused programming, like special habits to complete, or carefully curated video workouts.
Here are some ideas to get you started:
- Video workout: stretching to let go of tension
- Video workout: meditation 101 (a beginner’s guide to the basics of meditation and mindfulness)
- Video workout: guided meditation for sleep and relaxation
- Video workout: yoga for stress release
- Special habit: catch up on sleep by sleeping in later and going to bed earlier
- Special habit: don’t check any work-related messages or emails for a full 24 hours
- Special habit: digital detox for 24 hours (no social media, no screens)
- Special habit: check-in with someone you love (phone call, Facetime, etc.)
Talking about mental health can be tricky and from time to time we all need a little bit of extra help getting by. That’s why you might also want to use today as an opportunity to share some valuable resources that your clients can either use right away or tuck away for when they need them most.
UNITED STATES
- United States Government mental health support resources
- Crisis Text Line
Text HOME to 741741 from anywhere in the United States, anytime to connect with a crisis counselor. - National Suicide Prevention Lifeline
A free, confidential crisis hotline that is available to everyone 24 hours a day, seven days a week. - Mental Health America
A community-based nonprofit dedicated to addressing the needs of those living with mental illness. - National Institute for Mental Health
A research-focused agency with important statistics, information, and educational resources.
CANADA
- Government of Canada mental health support resources
- CAMH
Canada’s largest mental health teaching hospital and one of the world’s leading research centres. Where Mental Health is Health. - Crisis Services Canada
Available to all Canadians seeking support. Includes a 24/7 suicide prevention service. - Wellness Together
Access supports ranging from self-assessment and peer support, to free and confidential sessions with social workers, psychologists and other professionals. - Hope for Wellness
Available to all Indigenous peoples across Canada who need immediate crisis intervention. Experienced and culturally sensitive helpline counselors can help if you want to talk or are distressed.
UK
- National Health Service mental health support resources
- Shout 85258
24/7 service offering help with a range of issues including anxiety, depression, suicidal thoughts, relationship problems, bullying, or if you’re feeling overwhelmed. - Hub of Hope
The UK’s leading mental health support database, offering immediate help accessing local mental health support services. - Samaritans.org
We offer a safe place for you to talk any time you like, in your own way – about whatever’s getting to you. - Mind.org.uk
Advice and support to empower anyone experiencing a mental health problem.
AUSTRALIA
NEW ZEALAND
6. Take the day for yourself, too!
Just as important as your clients’ mental health is your own. So whether you take the same day off as your clients (10 points for modeling positive behaviors!) or choose another one for yourself, carve out some time and enjoy a little TLC.
Make mental health a priority for your clients EVERY day ✅
Scheduling a mental health day for your clients is an amazing opportunity to shine a light on this important topic, but why not make mental health a priority for your clients every day?
You can work together with clients to set custom goals, like “Improve my mental wellbeing” or “Improve my sleep to feel more rested and energized”. Then use Trainerize’s built-in habit coaching features to schedule habits into your clients’ calendars that will help them reach their goals and keep them thriving year-round.
Some of our ready-to-use favorites include:
- Prioritize self-care: this habit focuses on getting your clients to prioritize self-care routines throughout their day.
- Celebrate the wins: this habit focuses on recognizing and celebrating wins as clients make progress toward their goals.
- Digital detox before bed: this habit focuses on helping your clients get better quality sleep by avoiding screens and mobile devices before bed.
- Practice a bedtime ritual: this habit focuses on improving your clients’ sleep health by practicing a bedtime ritual.
- Recruit social support: this habit focuses on leveraging friends and family to keep your clients accountable.
But you can create your own custom habits for your clients too! So get creative and expand your programming to help them improve both their physical and mental health.
Here are some ideas you can use when creating custom habits:
- Practice gratitude
- Complete a breathing exercise
- Meditate for 5 minutes
- Put your phone away after 8 pm
- Journal about your day
- Get outside for at least 20 minutes
- Sign off from work by 6 pm
- Call a valued friend or family member
Learn more about habit coaching with Trainerize.
Need to contact us on May 25? 🤔
Although our team will be away on May 25, we’ll be returning to our normal schedule on May 26, so you can still expect to hear back from our team quickly.
You can still submit a ticket or leave us a message on May 25 and our amazing team of Coaches will get back to you once they’re back online.
#TakeAMentalHealthDay
We’d love to spread the message far and wide of how important mental health is—and we could use your help! If you and your clients are celebrating with us on May 25, we’d love to see how you’re doing it.
Share messages of support or snapshots of your Mental Health Day on your favorite social media channels and make sure to tag @trainerize and use the hashtag #TakeAMentalHealthDay.
Why this all matters…
Now, more than ever, it’s important that we remind ourselves and those around us to make their mental health a priority, find healthy ways to cope with the stresses and challenges we all face, and reach out for help when needed.
Life as we know it has been flipped on its head, and we’ve all battled through, rolled with the punches, and found new ways to press forward. Let’s all come together on May 25, 2021, and celebrate Mental Health Awareness Month and all that it means.
Let’s all #TakeAMentalHealthDay