Mental fatigue and demotivation are often experienced by all of us at one point or another, regardless of our profession. Unfortunately, working indoors and behind a screen for the majority of the day only serves to amplify this. Web designers and developers can count themselves particularly at risk, due to the internalized nature of the work and the possibility for repetition and periods of isolated working during the working week.

We’ve compiled a list of the top five essential tips to instantly boost your mental health as a web designer or developer, to help ward off mental fatigue and demotivation. Read on for our psychologist-approved tips.

Use your time meaningfully

"By using your time meaningfully, you’re actually being good to your brain," Dr. Carol, UK-based psychologist explains. "Being good to your brain gives us an inner satisfaction and promotes overall wellbeing."

We know that exercising your brain frequently helps to keep you mentally alert, and using your time to do meaningful tasks — rather than mundane, sedentary ones — helps foster happiness.

Surround yourself with supportive family and friends

"Everyone has a need to be cared for," Dr. Carol says, “it's one of the essential human needs — to be cared for and to be loved. And if you don't have that, you can become lonely and, inevitably isolated."

This can lead to personal neglect and a lack of motivation to care for yourself as well as you should.

Eat well

Good nutrition is essential for optimal bodily functioning. It's a well-known fact that in the absence of good nutrition, our mood and overall wellness is compromised.

Dr. Carol says "without seeing to yourself first, you can't expect to be a good friend, supportive family member, or inspiring role model."

Evidence shows that when you eat well, you're less likely to suffer from mental health problems: a time when the saying ''you are what you eat'' definitely holds true. With a good diet, you're also less likely to suffer from physical health problems.

Exercise well

Exercise promotes wellbeing, releases those all-good endorphins, and provides a feel-good factor that's hard to find elsewhere.

Everyone strives to feel better, and exercise is an easy, cheap way of accomplishing that.

Take time out

“Taking time for yourself allows for that all-important de-stress period, which is much-needed with everything else we have going on," says Dr. Carol. "Good sleep is also really important.”