Awareness surrounding the topic of mental health has fortunately increased over the recent few years, and with that – many tips and tricks claiming to be beneficial towards one’s mental health have popped up all over the internet. These range from tangible checklists of activities one could do in order to boost one’s mental health, to heartfelt advice and stories of those who have experience with regards to different aspects of mental health.
So, the million-dollar question is – do they all really work? In this article, we will be looking at the efficacy of mental health hacks that claim to effect positive change on their user’s mental stability and welfare. Some popular hacks we’re going to explore (sourced from this Forbes article and this WebMD article) include decluttering, walking in nature, and listening to music. We have invited our very own NUS residents to try them out for you – read on to hear about their experiences and their final verdicts!
First, let’s get to know the residents who have tried and tested these mental health hacks!
Hi! I’m Eaindra, an incoming Y2 Psychology major living in the College of Alice and Peter Tan (CAPT). Some of my hobbies include knitting, crocheting, and annoying my chonky cat. I also play Netball if there are any netballers reading this XD
Hello! My name is Ashleigh, an incoming Y2 studying Psychology. I am currently living in Tembusu College.
Hi, I’m Lixon, a Y2 Physics Major currently studying in Tembusu College!
Mental Health Hack 1: Declutter
Tester: Eaindra
Before the hack, how were you feeling?
I tried this hack on a weekend when I had some free time to reorganise my room (for context: while I was trying these hacks, I was working Mon-Fri). After much procrastination at home, I finally got down to cleaning and my mood was a 3.5/10. I was feeling lethargic and all I wanted to do was lie down on the sofa and watch TikTok, but I willed myself to start.
Experience doing the hack
30 minutes into cleaning, I decided that I should simultaneously pack for move-in day – so I did that as well. The whole process took up about 2.5 hours of my morning. I managed to clean my room partially before giving up, but I did successfully finish packing most of my stuff for move-in day!
Eaindra’s cat in her room amidst the decluttering process
Post-hack feelings
After this arduous process, I was feeling more physically tired than before. On the other hand, mentally, I felt more refreshed when looking at my decluttered room (let’s say my mood was a 6.5/10). I also felt productive to have conveniently cleaned my room whilst packing for move-in, and I was quite proud of myself for finishing both these tasks before lunchtime (*pat pat*). I would recommend this hack if you have a messy room that needs cleaning, because I feel like the cleaner room really boosts my morale for the day! Also, perhaps do it before lunchtime, so that after lunch you can regain your energy ◡̈.
Mental Health Hack 2: Pet a furry friend
Tester: Eaindra
Before the hack, how were you feeling?
My experience with this hack might be slightly skewed, because I do own a cat whom I see daily. Hence, the effects of conducting a one-off petting might not have contributed much to lightening my mood (i.e. If you aren’t a pet owner, this hack may have more impact on you than it did for me!). I decided to try this hack on a day when I felt extremely overwhelmed and drained from work.
Experience doing the hack
Upon reaching home, I spent some quality time with my cat, combing his fur and petting him. Afterwards, he was in a playful mood, so I played with some of his favourite toys with him.
Eaindra and her cat
Post-hack feelings
Simply seeing my cat had already dissolved all the negative thoughts in my head, and I was happy that I could peacefully enjoy some time alone with him. Overall, spending time with my cat cheered me up and I could go to sleep peacefully that night without thinking about work stuff. I would recommend this hack to everyone too (unless you’re afraid of animals or allergic) because animals are so cute and guaranteed to give you that serotonin boost! I rate it a 9.5/10!
Eaindra’s cat with his toy
Mental Health Hack 3: Find something funny
Testers: Eaindra and Ashleigh
Eaindra’s experience
Before the hack, how were you feeling?
Before trying this hack, I had to deal with a demanding and aggravating client at work, so I was feeling pretty gloomy, and just wanted to go home to sleep.
Experience doing the hack
Usually, my friends and I would exchange funny TikToks or Instagram posts and they never fail to make me smile or sometimes even burst into laughter. Hence, I decided to turn to the TikToks sent by my friends to cheer myself up.
Post-hack feelings
That day, every TikTok they had sent felt funnier than those from previous days, perhaps because my morale was extra low, or maybe the videos were just that funny. Nonetheless, it really cheered me up, and got me smiling before the day ended. I think it also helps to have people to share your troubles with! Shout out to my awesome friends who never fail to cheer me up with their nonsense when I need it most <3. In general, I would recommend a source of entertainment that you can rely on to lift up your spirits (mine is TikTok and Instagram reels) but be careful not to get sucked into the blackhole of TikTok addiction.
Ashleigh’s experience
Before the hack, how were you feeling?
Before trying this hack, I was feeling a bit anxious and restless thinking about my current trajectory in university, as it felt like there was an overwhelming number of things that I was not doing right, or am plain unaware of.
Experience doing the hack
I tried this hack out by going onto YouTube, where I managed to catch a new video by a creator whose content I’ve enjoyed for quite a while. I immediately immersed myself in the video and the creator’s familiar antics, and without realising, my mood was lifted (to the point where I had trouble remembering what I had been upset about in the first place while writing this).
Ashleigh watching a YouTube video
Post-hack feelings
Of course, I recognise that this hack might not always work, especially in severe cases of mental lethargy – I have unfortunately experienced instances like this myself. One should also never ditch their unresolved problems and rely on the overconsumption of media to feel better. However, the value of this hack, in this context, lies in how quickly it can have that positive effect during occasions where one may need a quick boost in mood so that they can resume other activities with a fresh mind, and return to the initial problem later on.
Mental Health Hack 4: Buy something nice for yourself
Tester: Ashleigh
Before the hack, how were you feeling?
Before trying this hack, I was feeling pretty angry at myself because I had just slept through lunch plans I made with my friend, and had stood her up by accident.
Experience doing the hack
I tried this hack by getting something from Carousell (a local buy-and-sell platform for second-hand goods). I directed most of my attention to looking through my liked items and searching up new keywords, before narrowing my options to about two items that I really liked, and which I felt I could afford to buy. I definitely felt a little calmer after that.
Ashleigh wearing her new top
Post-hack feelings
I think that, instead of reverting to the typical explanation of retail therapy being inexplicably able to make one feel better, the main reason I actually felt better was because I managed to divert all of my restless energy into doing something that required some thinking and planning, which made me feel more in control of myself. Retail therapy was definitely still at work to some extent though!
Mental Health Hack 5: Walking in nature
Tester: Ashleigh
Before the hack, how were you feeling?
I was feeling a little burned out from juggling work and school matters. Around this time, my usual hobby, which was drawing, began to feel a bit frustrating to do as well.
Experience doing the hack
I walked to the park nearest to my house, and made it a point to take my time rather than rush to my destination. Upon arriving at the park, I took the path closest to the beach to get to my usual spot on one of the breakwaters to sit for a while and watch the water. My mind felt pretty healed after that, and a very deep sense of calmness slowly took hold of me.
Ashleigh at her usual spot in Pasir Ris Park
Post-hack feelings
I think that walking in nature helps ease negative emotions such as tiredness and burnout. This hack really made me feel like I had reconnected with something bigger than myself, and that was very comforting.
Mental Health Hack 6: Listening to music
Tester: Lixon
Before the hack, how were you feeling?
Before trying out the hack, I was feeling quite distracted and jumpy from work. Keeping track of many deadlines made me feel like there were so many thoughts just bouncing around in my head, and it made it quite difficult for me to stay focused on one thing at a time.
Experience doing the hack
I decided to try to listen to some music to relax for a bit. I put in my earbuds, turned off the lights, and lay back in my bed so that I could focus more on the music. While listening to the first few songs, my mind was still jumping around with random thoughts about work, but I slowly began to lose myself more in the music. I focused on different parts of the music each time – the vocals, the instruments, and the softer background melodies. Sometimes I would picture myself performing the songs on stage, and other times, old memories were stirred up by some nostalgic pieces.
After about an hour or so of this, I found my head to be a lot clearer than before. It even felt somewhat lighter, and it was easier for me to get back and focus on work.
Lixon listening to music
Post-hack feelings
I think that listening to music is a great way to get some “active rest”. I am not someone that can just stay still and do nothing, so listening to music is a good way to get some rest while keeping myself somewhat entertained. Focusing on music serves as a way to reset my thoughts, and it really helps with clearing my head. I also find that music evokes a lot of emotions when I listen to it, so it acts as a great outlet when I’m getting overwhelmed, be it from stress or sadness.
Some parting thoughts from Eaindra:
“Overall, I think that these hacks do work in cheering you up, and they are things that I find could be easily incorporated into your life (maybe if you are not a pet owner, hacks such as petting a furry friend would be less applicable, but if you stay on campus there are always the NUS cats to pet!). To me, mental wellness is really important, so I try my best to remain mindful of the things I do and take some time to do self-care regularly (although this is really just an excuse for retail therapy at times). There are many simple ways to release your stress and I think that forming these small habits can go a long way. Simple is the best way to go!”
Ultimately, these mental health hacks are not meant to replace proper, long-term self-care, nor turning to professional help when necessary. They serve to help clear one’s head, and potentially lighten one’s mood. Some of these hacks have evidently helped improve the moods of the residents in this article, who have tested them out. We would recommend you to try these mental health hacks for yourself too, especially those activities that appeal greatly to you. If you do try them out, share about your experience on Instagram and tag us @nusresidentiallife – we would love to hear it.
