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Mental Health
One Good Thing: ‘read and reflect’ to consciously slow down your brain
By Lauren Geall
2 years ago
4 min read
Welcome back to One Good Thing, Stylist’s Sunday series that asks experts in mental health for the one good thing we can all do to boost our wellbeing.
This week we’re speaking to Gabby Humphreys, a mental health lecturer and ‘bookstagrammer’ at @humphreads, about her One Good Thing.
Hello Gabby! If you could recommend one thing we could all do to improve our mental health, what would it be?
Reading and reflecting. OK, I know that’s two things, but it’s an important combination and I’m confident that it’s this pairing of reading – and then journaling about it – that has had such a beneficial impact on my mental health.
Consider us intrigued. Can you tell us more? Why is that your One Good Thing?
Self-care has a bad rap. Its goals are admirable (don’t we all want to look after ourselves?) but the online world has filled this concept with unattainable It girl trends and unlimited opportunities for profit.
To me, however, self-care is about slowing down. It’s about ditching the endless scroll and spending time by myself doing something I love. For me, that something is reading. And a specific goal I’ve introduced this year is to take more time to reflect upon my behaviour, opting for quality over quantity, and removing any rush from this hobby.
That makes sense. So how does your One Good Thing work?
This year I’ve deleted the reading apps and avoided setting a goal of reading a certain number of books. Instead, I’ve begun using a reading journal – mine being from Papier – to take my time after finishing a book and really think about this activity.
It’s easy to find yourself going ‘next-next-next’ on autopilot once you’re comfortable doing an activity, so this shake-up to my routine and extra self-care step has been a delight.
It certainly sounds delightful. Tell us more about the benefits of your One Good Thing.
If you search the benefits of reading online, you’ll get a huge list of desirable outcomes. I’m not one to talk about stress reduction because some of the books I read are very unhinged, and they’ve definitely kept me up at night and distracted me from my daily work (and if HR is reading, pretend you didn’t see that).
For me, the biggie here is joy. The mental stimulation that books provide me – someone who struggles to engage with TV – is notable. The investment I have in some fictional scenarios may be a little questionable but is simultaneously wonderful. And on top of this, the discussions I have with other bookish people on these stories are unmatched.
Slowing down the act of reading by adding in that extra journaling step is the cherry on top of the cake.
To me, self-care is about slowing down
Are there any potential pitfalls of your One Good Thing? And how do you recommend overcoming them?
Most of us see reading as a healthy habit and aim for it, which is a great goal, but it can bring a toxic productivity culture with it. It’s worth reminding yourself that reading is effortful, especially if it’s new to you, but that it shouldn’t feel like a chore. This is not your year nine English homework and you do not have to read a chapter each evening for a set deadline. Burnout comes in every area, including reading. Equally, your workload is likely to fluctuate, so scrap any page goals.
Going one step further, remember that you don’t have to finish a book. I’m a big believer in ditching something a couple of chapters in if I’m not enjoying it. If you’re struggling to enjoy titles – cue self-promo – it might help to refer to reading accounts, such as mine @humphreads, on social media, and keep on scrolling until something sounds like it might be up your street.
How do you personally do your One Good Thing?
Reading for me comes naturally because a book is always by my side. Journaling, however, is something newer that I’ve had to build into my routine. I couldn’t be further from a night owl and my ideal reading session is from 8–10pm while I’m tucked up in bed before a massive sleep. It’s this sacred time that I’m also using for journaling. After finishing a book, my next evening will be spent jotting down thoughts in my reading journal, rating the book and just spending more time with the pages and my feelings instead of rushing straight on to the next book.
That sounds ideal. One last question – how has doing your One Good Thing changed your life?
Some days reading and journaling act as the cherry on top of a perfect day, but other days they’re absolutely an escape from my intrusive thoughts and negative inner monologue.
On top of that, some books impact my mental health through their content – with Meg Mason’s Sorrow And Bliss highlighting the important validation a diagnosis can bring and Jessica Andrews’ Milk Teeth giving me goosebumps over its body image discussions. Others may never reference mental health but will fill me with nostalgia and comfort, and I can pick them up to lift my spirits time and time again.
Frame Of Mind is Stylist’s home for all things mental health and the mind. From expert advice on the small changes you can make to improve your wellbeing to first-person essays and features on topics ranging from autism to antidepressants, we’ll be exploring mental health in all its forms. You can check out the series home page to get started.
Image: Getty; Stylist design team
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