How to Look After Your Mental Health at Work
Discussing mental health, particularly in the workplace, often feels taboo. Many fear the repercussions—misunderstanding, isolation, or even job loss—more than the mental health challenges themselves. Yet, understanding and addressing mental health at work is crucial for long-term wellbeing.
In a mental health training session I attended in the past, held by Mental Health UK, I was surprised by how little we know about people going through mental illness, and mostly how important it is to keep, and train, our mental health.
The Unspoken Challenge of Workplace Mental Health
The reluctance to discuss mental health issues at work often stems from stigma and fear of negative repercussions. The labels and misconceptions surrounding mental illness—terms like “crazy” or “unstable”—only contribute to the stigma, obscuring the reality that mental health issues are common and treatable. We’ve heard stories of people overcoming it or on the contrary, ending their lives as they couldn’t find a way out.
That is why it’s vital to challenge these perceptions and foster an environment of openness and support. Still, most of the times, on top of the challenge of recognising these behaviours, we also don’t know what to do about it, how to help and support our colleagues or ourselves, and who to go to for help.
Mental health encompasses such a wide range of conditions, from anxiety and depression to more complex disorders. Recognising this spectrum is the first step in acknowledging there’s something to pay attention, empathize and discuss.
The Impact of Anxiety and Depression
Anxiety and depression are the two most common forms of mental illness people experience in their lives, and inevitably, they affect their performance in the workplace. They affect around 1 in 10 people, and anyone can get them at any age or moment in their lives, as the causes are diverse and often unpredictable. The repercussions of untreated mental health issues can extend beyond work, affecting personal life and overall happiness.
Anxiety will make it hard to keep up with your life, job, maintaining your relationships, trying out new things, or just enjoying activities that you used to enjoy.
Depression is a constant feeling of low-worthiness, low-energy, feeling sad, irritable, angry, losing interest in any activity, losing sleep, or always sleeping; and in general, having thoughts that stop you from doing anything you previously enjoyed.
Strategies for Mental Wellness
Usually, developing a mental illness is the result of accumulating too much stress that causes an imbalance in your brain and leads to feeling unwell. I like the representation of this through the “stress bucket” model:
Imagine your mind as a bucket that operates comfortably when it’s in a “relaxed” state, with manageable stress levels. However, when stressors like adapting to change, financial strains, health concerns, inadequate sleep, and workplace challenges start to accumulate, they raise the water level beyond “normal.” Our mental capacity is put to the test, and the bucket begins to brim over.
Life’s pressures are inescapable, and stress is a recurring guest in our daily existence. The crux of the matter lies in our ability to drain the stress from our minds, maintaining a “normal” state that our brains can handle effectively. Key strategies to alleviate pressure include unwinding through relaxation, confiding in those we cherish and trust, engaging in enjoyable activities, and mastering the art of time management.
All these contribute to a wellbeing plan we should develop for ourselves, in which we should be able to have a ready answer to the following questions:
- How do you visualize your own wellbeing? What activities bring you peace? How does a perfect day look for you?
- What daily aspects contribute to your wellbeing? Consider your habits, companions, and favoured pursuits.
- What is your go-to strategy for enhancing your wellbeing? Identify the actions or people who can uplift your spirits, no matter the circumstances.
- How do you recognize when your stress levels are going above the reasonable limit?
- What triggers your stress, and how can you navigate it? The focus isn’t on evading these triggers, but rather on managing their impact.
- Who can provide you with support, and where can you seek it?
This plan is meant to keep our mind in good shape. The way we know exercising is good for our body, a wellbeing plan is needed to keep good mental health.
Fostering a Supportive Work Environment
People going through lighter or more severe mental health illnesses will have lower performance. Their struggles can hinder business progress more significantly than their contributions to its success. Consequently, it’s imperative for organizations to cultivate a supportive environment for mental health challenges, helping their employees face and overcome such challenges.
A healthy corporate culture, from my perspective, is one that encourages employees to manage their “stress bucket” effectively. It promotes a balance, ensuring that work-related stress is counteracted with activities that have been proven to relieve stress for most people.
Conversely, employees should feel empowered to be candid about their experiences, confident in the knowledge that they will receive the support they need. This could range from having a confidant at work, assistance in reorganising and reprioritising their tasks, or the provision of time off for medical consultations or recuperation.
Mental health issues are a by-product of our contemporary lifestyle, where the brain has yet to fully adapt to the luxuries and overflow of information that define our era. Hence, it’s crucial for us, as individuals, to take charge of our mental health proactively. Organisations, too, must integrate these cultural principles, attending to the mental and physical wellbeing of their employees.
