“Being good to yourself and one another” Remembering World Mental Health Day.
As we remember and reflect upon World Mental Health Day, its good to take time to consider our mental health at our respective workplaces.
Our workplace is firstly somewhere we all spend a significant amount of our time: sometimes we spend as much time at work as we do at our homes or with our families.
But along with the amount of time spent at work, our workplace mental health is quite often as important, as our jobs or employment is one of the greatest sources of stress in our lives.
The stress of work can also find its way back home with us having feelings of anxiety as we consider going to work or feelings of unease as we reflect on the day we have just completed.
Although all of us can have shifting emotions because of our work, many of us are having emotional struggles because of our work or are experiencing mental health difficulties at our workplaces. Statistics from The Workplace Health Report reveal that:
- 60% of workers are experiencing symptoms of anxiety,
- 56% of workers are experiencing symptoms of depression, and
- 76% are experiencing moderate-to-high levels of stress.
In terms of our mental health at work, for many people, they are surviving instead of coping - and the idea thriving in our mental health and emotions in the context of our work seems to be something very difficult to experience, or even imagine.
But there are things we can do at the workplace that can both protect and also enhance our mental health. That, as we remember World Mental Health Day, we can think about and put into practice, Things that will help not just our own mental health but also the mental health of our colleagues and those that we work with.
Here are a number of suggestions that help our mental health and those that we work with:
1. Make time to take care of yourself – put aside at least 20 minutes a day for personal self-care activities: this could be reading, having a coffee, taking a walk or simply do nothing.
2, Set a good example – if you are a leader, supervisor or manager, make sure that you take the lead on mental health. For example, allow your staff to take time to care for themselves but also, by discussing and sharing your own experiences openly with other staff members, it can help to create safe spaces where others can open up.
3. Pay attention to others – it’s not always easy to spot the mental health struggles of others, but noticing mental health challenges are as simple as observing that someone doesn’t quite seem their usual self.
Don’t be scared to have a conversation with someone to find out how they are doing and if they are struggling. Try to show compassion and empathy throughout your conversations with others on how they are doing.
4. Raise awareness on mental health – there is still a lot of ignorance and stigma regarding mental health and especially mental health in the workplace.
You could break the silence by promoting discussion about mental health by using existing organisational forms of communication to talk about mental health. Also, you could suggest that there be discussions about mental health at staff and team meetings.
5. Know where to go in order to get help – as you discuss mental health, or as colleagues share their mental health challenges, don’t be worried if you don’t have all the answers.
Don’t be afraid to act as a “signpost” to show others where they can get help. You can come up with a list of books, resources, help lines and other support organisations where people can get help.
6. Ensure work and health balances – it is very easy for the boundaries between work and home to become blurred or disappear entirely. It’s not wrong or a sign of weakness for you and all your colleagues to work “sensible” and “reasonable hours”.
Ensure that you and others take lunch breaks, are not contiually working after hours and are avoiding working at weekends.
7. Encourage healthy workplace practices – there are simple and fun things that can help boost people’s wellbeing.
Encourage each other to avoid long sitting periods, try to do a fun activity together at some of your lunchtimes, have times where you do exercise together i.e. go for a walk together and have regular social activities.
Finally, going to work can have its challenges and regardless of what job that we have or how much we might enjoy our job - there will be times where we are no longer excited about work or our workplace.
Whether it’s to do with our work or things in our personal lives, work can feel like the last place where we want to be.
Remembering, promoting and supporting mental health is about helping one another to be the best version of themselves in all the challenges and circumstances that they might experience.
Let’s take time today to remember ourselves and to think about others so we stay mentally well and healthy.