Spring is here! Time to ‘Spring Clean’ your mental health!
Let’s be real….winter can be a total drag. The days are short; it is cold and dark and it can be incredibly easy to fall into a winter slump. Maybe you spent the last few months hibernating under your covers, binge watching too many shows on Netflix, letting schoolwork pile up, scrolling TikTok until midnight (put your phones away!) or just blobbing around, feeling low on energy.
But the frost is melting, the sun is finally sticking around longer, everything is waking up and we can see creation Springing (get it?) back to life. Just like people deep-clean their houses this time of year, spring is the perfect time to declutter your mind, drop habits that drain you, and reset your mental health.
Feeling motivated but have not got a clue where to start? Don’t worry, I have you covered. Here is your ultimate guide to a Mental Health Spring Clean!
1. Clean Out Your Digital Drama
Your phone is probably the messiest ‘room’ you own. It connects you to friends, information and entertainment, but it can also become overwhelming, draining and distracting. If scrolling leaves you feeling stressed, distracted or stuck in comparison, it might be time for a digital detox.
The ‘Unfollow’ Sweep: If an account makes you feel insecure, stressed, or annoyed, hit unfollow. Your feed should inspire you, not drain you.
Mute the Noise: Group chats blowing up with drama? Hit mute for 24 hours. You do not need to be available 24/7. And let’s be honest… when you come back, the drama will have either past or you will jump back in with a fresh set of eyes.
Scrub your Screen Time: Set a timer and give yourself a mini holiday from screens. Go for a walk, play with your dog or do a bit of doodling. Try leaving your phone out of arm's reach when you study or sleep so your brain can actually rest. Take a few moments and see what you notice when you connect to something other than a screen.
2. Reset Your Physical Space
A messy room can mess with your mind. Research shows that cluttered spaces overload your brain with visual stimuli, causing your cortisol ( a stress hormone) to spike.
Start Small: Don't try to clean your whole life in one hour. Pick one drawer or one pile of clothes to start. Completing even a tiny cleaning task releases dopamine, making you feel instantly more accomplished.
Style your Study Zone: Clear your desk. Add your favourite photo, a Bible verse that inspires you, a sensory / fidget tool or a plant. Studying in an organised space instantly boosts your concentration, focus, and memory.
Gamify your Goals: Try pairing chores with sensory rewards.
Listen to a high energy playlist or podcast that you save specifically for cleaning.
Set a timer and try to ‘beat the clock’ by getting a task done before the alarm goes off.
Make a list of three to five mini tasks that you have to finish, check them off as you go and reward yourself with trip outside, a kick of a soccer ball, a chapter of a book or a chat to a friend.
‘Sensify’ the process. Use candles or lovely smelling cleaning products that help you associate cleaning with a positive sensory experience.
3. Sweep Away Fixed Mindsets
Winter might have brought some disappointing grades, sticky social moments, or creative ruts. Spring is a chance to leave that baggage behind and create something new.
Put Away the Need to Be Perfect: School pressure is real. Grades, Friends, Goals and School Dynamics can be tricky to navigate. But beating yourself up over mistakes you made when you were doing your best is not helpful. Take a moment to reflect. What did I learn? Can I use this experience to change something in the future? Mistakes are literally just data. They don’t define who you are. Remember…. if we could be perfect on our own, Jesus would never have had to die for us.
Embrace the Power of ‘Yet’: Shift your language. Instead of saying ‘I’m terrible at maths,’ change it to ‘I haven't worked out this concept YET.’
Spring Clean Your Brain: Grab a notebook and do a 10-minute unfiltered, Brain Dump journal entry. See what you notice when you get the racing thoughts out of your mind and onto paper. Not so scary now, are they?
4. Wake Up Your Body
Hibernation mode is officially over. Get your body out and about to naturally boost your mood.
Soak Up the Serotonin: Go for a 10-minute walk outside. The Vitamin D from the sun naturally triggers serotonin, which stabilises your mood and helps you sleep. How good is it to have the gorgeous Tassie sun warming up your face again?
Use Hydration for Invigoration: After a long, cold winter, it is completely normal to be experience brain fog or feeling sluggish. Before you reach for an energy drink, try drinking a glass of cold water instead. Water helps improve blood circulation, supports brain function (just in time for exams!), helps your cells and their energy producers (called mitochondria) run efficiently and helps to regulate your temperature. Fill up your water bottle, pack some watermelon or snack on some celery. Your brain will have its own dance party!
Dust Off an Old Hobby: Remember that thing you used to love doing before it got so cold that you thought your fingers would freeze? Why not sweep out the cobwebs and free up those fingers? Pick up the guitar, do some shading in your sketchbook, start a new book, head out for a walk or shoot some hoops. Hobbies are a great way to connect with friends or get some downtime, move your body, stimulate your brain and regulate your mind. They are also a proven way to slash anxiety levels. You are not alone. The dark and gloomy winter weather can make us stay indoors, exercise less, be unsociable and eat unhealthily.
Let's Chat!
I hope you have found a few ideas that will help you clear away some of the Winter clutter. Remember, Spring cleaning your mind is not about being perfect—it is just about making a little more room to breathe.
Which of these tips are you going to try first? Feel free to chat to Mrs Conway at or share this blog post with a mate who needs a seasonal reset!
If you or a friend are feeling overwhelmed and a simple reset is not enough, please reach out. You can talk to a trusted adult, your Head of Year, Mrs Conway at mconway@calvin.tas.edu.au, or a youth helpline like Headspace at https://headspace.org.au/online-and-phone-support/. You do not have to clear the heavy stuff alone.
