It’s vital you look after your mental health & wellbeing, even in the workplace
Did you know that there is a direct relationship between mental health and working. According to the Heath Foundation ‘Good mental health is a key influence on employability, finding a job and remaining in that job. Unemployment causes stress, which ultimately has long-term physiological health effects and can have negative consequences for people’s mental health, including depression, anxiety and lower self-esteem’
While there is still a lot of stigma attached to Mental health and a lot of professionals refrain from reaching out for help. it has become increasingly important to not only identify the signs of mental illness but also to look around and watch out for our colleagues and speak to them in their own comfort zone. According to Personnel Today only 14% workers feel comfortable talking about mental health.
There is huge stigma around mental health and gender, but it is important to express that both men and women go through mental health even if women are reported higher degrees of distress than males. According to News Medical, men are encouraged to define themselves in opposition to women by concealing their own health needs and refusing to seek care to conform to the socially prescribed male role.
In today’s article, we have collated a guide of top 10 things both men and women that you can do in the workplace to address your mental health.
Work-life balance
It is important to have a work life balance, where you can work but also enjoy your personal life. One way you can have a work-life balance is by setting yourself a target of ensuring you get all your tasks done during work, so that you do not have to worry about taking your work home.
Many of our clients provide roles such as Warehouse Operatives, Production Operatives and Hygiene Operatives which only require you to do the work on the job rather than outside work hours. This gives you an opportunity to create a work life balance, where you are not taking the work home plus you have days off during the week where you can spend it with yourself, friends and family.
Make sure you give yourself a break when needed, as most of our Challenge-TRG candidates are entitled to a set number of holidays per year but this is dependent on the client. However, you can take full advantage of booking yourself some time off by booking a holiday or a get a way which can help you reset once you are back from having a break. This can allow you to work better and harder, once you are back to working.
Talk about your feelings
Talking about your feelings can help you understand and take control of your thoughts and actions. Whether you are female, male, or other gender identity we may not understand why we feel a certain way but having someone to speak too when you do feel down, sad or upset will help you give an understanding of why you are feeling the way you are Once you are able to understand your feelings you can take action on how to make yourself feel better.
Not all colleagues are just colleagues, some people meet their best friends through work environments, so speaking to a colleague can help as they may also feel the same.
Ask for help
We all sometimes get tired or overwhelmed by how we feel or when things don’t go just as we planned. Reach out to a team member at Challenge-TRG or HR to see if they have any employee programme that can help your mental health. These services are confidential and can be accessed for free, and are a great way for you to find some mental ease and manage your work-related stress effectively.
Do something you’re good at
If possible, plan your workload to include tasks you know you are good at, to put things together you know will be harder or more stressful. Doing this will help beat stress and eventually increase your work productivity. You should ask for help if you do get stuck on a task to avoid you feeling overwhelmed.
Doing something you’re good at, such as cooking or sports outside of work, is a good way to enjoy yourself and have a sense of achievement.
Care for others
Wherever possible, be there for your colleagues, either someone on your team, or your line manager. Encourage your team members to undergo various coaching and training on Mental health and other well-being initiatives at work.
A lot of people go through mental health without showing visible signs, so you need to ensure that you are treating everyone fairly and equally. It is important that you are kind and compassionate as it may not only benefit those who suffer with mental health but also it can make us feel needed and valued, and that boosts our self-esteem.
Accept who you are
Self-acceptance and self-care can be very hard when you’re having issues with mental health, which we can all work on. Recognise and accept the things you may not be good at, but also focus on what you can do well. Be proud of who you are and utilise your shortcomings as your steppingstone to progress things further. Don’t be too hard on yourself if you have not achieved your goals or tasks, just ensure that you have learnt from all your experiences so that next time you try harder than your previous experience.
Keep in touch
Work politics and a fast-paced office environment can be a real challenge sometimes, especially when we have mental health problems. It can be helpful to find a mentor or a small group of trusted colleagues who you can discuss feelings about work with and they can help you tackle different challenges.
Eat well
It can be hard to keep up a healthy pattern of eating at work. Ensuring regular meals, plenty of intake of water, planning your meals ahead, bringing food from home or choosing healthy options when buying lunch are some of the simple ways that can improve your physical and mental health, both. According to the Mental Health Foundation, eating well – a balanced diet full of vegetables and nutrients – can improve your sense of well-being and mood
Drink responsibly
Be careful with work functions that include drinking. It can be tempting to have a drink to boost your confidence, but if you feel anxious, you may drink too much and end up behaving in an irresponsible way, which will increase feelings of anxiety in the medium to long term. Being vigilant and responsible is the key here.
Stay active
If you work in an office, it can make a huge difference to get out for a walk, or even walk/cycle to work wherever possible. Since COVID-19 a lot of people do continue working from home, so making sure you get out for your lunch, having a walk around your area to get you out of your own home environment. Devote some time between your work and personal time for some form of exercise, or any workout session that suits you well. An exercise session of up to 30 minutes is sufficient to energise you throughout the day and improve your mental agility and health.
Try these tips and shape your life around these as these are great ways to tackle your own mental health as well as the people who need help around you. Make sure you look after those around you, and equally look after yourself.