challenge yourself and others to practice at least 10 minutes of mental hygiene from march 1-31. kick-start some healthy habits for your mental wellness!

participants can sign up to join the royal mental hygiene challenge by completing the registration form via this link.

once you've completed the registration form, you will receive:

• a list of 17 easy, simple, flexible mental hygiene practices with demonstration videos and worksheets
• they’re evidence-based and recommended by experts at the royal!
• free calendars to track progress, available in printable and digital formats
• blueprints to help you get started
• links to helpful resources
• an invitation to join our supportive facebook community
• an invitation to attend our interactive event on march 4 (learn more here!)
• … and more!

the goal here is to see how you feel after 31 days of practice. and who knows? the small changes you make might be the beginning of a big boost for your mental wellness.

share your experience and follow along on your favourite social media channels using the hashtag #mentalhygienechallenge. be sure to join our facebook group as well!

ps – sometimes challenges are even more fun when they’re done with a friend. feel free to invite a friend, colleague, or loved one so you can do it together.

daily habits to support your mental health and wellness for as little as 10 minutes per day. check out this infographic or watch the video below to learn more.

the term “mental hygiene” refers to daily activities that support and maintain mental health. public health guidelines tell us that we need to do small tasks daily to maintain our physical and dental hygiene, like showering and brushing our teeth. we are now extending the same concept to mental health. just like going to the gym is about building up our strength, mental hygiene is about building up that mental muscle. it’s an important way to maintain good mental health and build the resilience we need to help face challenges in the future.

experts at the royal ottawa health care group have developed a list of 17 research-based mental hygiene practices that can help boost your overall sense of wellness when practiced daily. some of these include deep breathing, journaling, guided meditation, gratitude exercises, self-compassion, mindfulness, and spending time in nature, to just name a few. check out our full list of exercises with instructions, how-to videos, and printable worksheets by registering to participate in the 2025 royal mental hygiene challenge.

to spread the word and get people excited about mental hygiene, the royal decided to turn the concept into an annual public challenge for the month of march! it’s easy – just pledge to incorporate 10 minutes of mental hygiene practices into your day from march 1-31. you can use some of the resources developed at the royal to help you throughout this journey to building healthy habits.

participating in this challenge may help motivate people to prioritize their mental hygiene and help turn these daily practices into lifelong habits that contribute to overall wellness.

all challenge-related materials have been developed in both english and french, and it is entirely free to participate.