Emotional health and wellbeing tips for the workplace
Staying mentally well, focused and motivated at work can be somewhat challenging.
Some days it may feel like you can prioritise your emotional health and wellbeing OR your focus and work output, but not both simultaneously.
Mental health difficulties are all around us, even if you can’t see them. If you're struggling to manage your mental health, you will know it can become more challenging to keep up with work duties, among the other responsibilities on your plate.
The Mental Health Foundation believe that almost one in seven people experience mental health problems in the workplace with evidence suggesting that 12.7% of all sickness absence days in the UK can be attributed to mental health conditions.
Perhaps then, if there were ways to look after our emotional health and wellbeing whilst also taking care and pride in our work, we would notice improvements in both areas of our lives.
Here’s our Emotional Health and wellbeing tips
Plans and routines
Establishing healthy routines and habits is a great way to look after your mental wellbeing in the workplace.
Research has shown that having a regular routine can help to lower stress levels, make best use of your time, think more clearly and feel more accomplished and focused.
Structuring your day ensures that you complete the tasks that must be done, which will leave you with the time to schedule in other things that you want or need to do. If you work from home, try to keep to a routine, make a dedicated workspace and switch everything off when the working day is over.
Getting into the habit of planning your day to include email checking, project time, meetings, regular food and drink breaks and some time outdoors, if possible, is a great way to start.
Prioritise
When we prioritise our workload it reduces stress and anxiety. If we have too much on our to-do lists and too little time to get everything done then it can lead to overwhelm and burnout.
Try to start your day with the most important tasks so that whatever course it takes, your main bulk of work is complete and you have achieved something. It can motivate you more later in the afternoon if you have a sense of accomplishment before lunchtime.
Prioritising your projects also helps you get more time back. Instead of working longer hours, you can work smarter, not harder on your greater priorities, meaning you have more time to recharge and take mental and physical breaks from work.
Be honest
Even though your colleagues may have the best intentions, they aren’t psychic and can’t always tell how you’re feeling or sense your struggles.
If you’re reaching maximum capacity and juggling more than you can balance, then try and speak to someone and set boundaries for yourself.
Learning to say ‘no’ can be incredibly challenging, but also very helpful for your own wellbeing. If your to-do list is already packed and your co-worker asks you to do them a favour, it's perfectly fine to say, ‘I would love to help, but I have too much on at the moment.’
Limiting the extra tasks you take on can help you meet your more important deadlines while having the ability to work at a more relaxed pace.
Take breaks
Regular breaks during the working day are important for our wellbeing and standards of output.
Making sure we get away from our desk and screens, walking outdoors, taking lunch breaks away from the office and having meetings in alternative locations are all ways of changing your scenery and freshening your perspectives.
If it has been a while since you last took a day off, you’re probably ready for a holiday or simply a few days off to relax at home. There’s nothing wrong with taking some time away from work to catch up on personal errands, appointments or jobs around the house. A break from the office can help lower stress levels and help you feel recharged when you return to work.
Look after yourself
Just as you wouldn’t expect your car to run on an empty tank, you can’t pour from an empty cup either.
Healthy nutrition, sufficient fluids and good sleep are important to help you get through the working day.
Making your own nutritious meals will likely be better for you than buying lunch each day at the nearest cafeteria. You can also pack yourself a little treat to look forward to when you need a boost.
Drinking more water not only supports your levels of hydration but also helps with energy, alertness and concentration. If you find plain water dull, then why not try infusing fruit, cucumbers or fresh mint into your drinks.
Make time for self-care
Self-care has become somewhat of a buzz term lately and you’d be forgiven for not really understanding what it is or how to do it.
In its simplest form, self-care refers to the small things we do each day to look after our wellbeing. It is the process of listening to our bodies and minds and responding to our needs as and when they arise.
Examples of workplace self-care include nourishing yourself and drinking enough fluids, wearing comfortable clothing, getting enough sleep to help with concentration levels, taking regular breaks and starting and finishing on time.
Self-care is not selfish or self-indulgent and should not be viewed as such. If we learn to look after ourselves and our mental wellness then we can thrive in the workplace.
Improve your work-life balance
The Mental Health Foundation claim that having a good work-life balance includes meeting your deadlines at work while still having time for friends and hobbies, having enough time to sleep properly and eat well and not worrying about work when you’re at home.
If life is beginning to feel like all work and no play, it is likely that you can’t make the most of your downtime. When we work late into the evenings or at weekends and can’t get our minds off our to-do lists, it’s a sign that our balance is uneven.
In order to realign ourselves and readdress the balance, we can ensure we stop working on time, refrain from checking emails outside of work, make the most of our non-working time, prioritise our work and personal commitments, continue to be realistic with expectations and speak out when we feel the struggle.
END
References: