Helping tools: Create daily wellbeing work habits.
Establishing healthy routines and habits is a great way to look after your mental wellbeing in the workplace.
A recent article in NYC Therapy states: “Routines help alleviate anxiety. Mental routines create predictable scenarios through habits and allow your mind to adjust, understand what to expect, and alleviate anxiety over the unknown.”
Similarly, Very Well Mind says: “Even if you don't typically thrive on a strict schedule, having a routine can be helpful in times of unpredictability, uncertainty, and stress. Implementing a structure to your day can give you a sense of control. It can also improve your focus, organization, and productivity.” All of which is very important when applied to work.
Research has shown that having a regular routine is a helping tool which can:
· Lower stress levels
· Form good daily habits
· Make the best use of your time
· Think more clearly
· Take better care of your health
· Feel more accomplished
· Feel more focused
Use these helping tools to create a mentally healthy work routine
The key is to focus on a structure that can bring a sense of predictability to your working day. As life can throw all sorts of curveballs your way, it’s important to add a margin of flexibility and room for variation so that any last-minute changes can be accommodated in your plan.
If your routine is too rigid you could end up causing yourself even more stress when something spontaneous springs up. Your schedule is bound to change somewhat depending on the day of the week for example, but sticking to a basic structure for when you will get up for work, arrive at your desk, complete your tasks, take a break and attend meetings can help you feel less tense and more organized.
Allie Sanderson is an Employment Specialist within a midlands-based NHS Trust and she supports people with mental health difficulties to find meaningful jobs as part of their rehabilitation and recovery. She works with clients to build beneficial helping tools that support and manage their anxiety levels when starting new roles.
She says: “A workplace routine can be essential to manage your mental wellbeing. Whatever job you do in whichever environment you work in, you will benefit from a loose but definite structure.
We’re taught routines by our parents from an early age; when to wake up, eat our meals, brush our teeth, go to school, have a bath and go to bed etc. and whilst our daily tasks at work will change, performing them in a pattern helps to maintain focus and control. When we feel on top of our day-to-day activities, our anxiety levels and worry decrease.”
Structuring your day also ensures that you accomplish the tasks that must be done, which will leave you with the time to schedule other things that you want or need to do.
Allie continues: “Just as I encourage clients to schedule tasks and projects, it’s vital to remember to factor in time to self-care, take a break, eat and drink. Having a workday plan that you stick to can ensure you still have time to do other things you enjoy, creating a better work-life balance.”
Here are 7 helping tools to create healthy routines
It’s all in the planning
Making plans, forming habits and creating routines can all improve mental health at work. But how exactly can you get into the habit of doing it if it’s all new to you? What helps to get started?
Here are some of our top tips for utilising routines to benefit your mental wellbeing at work.
Get organised
You can’t make a start on creating lists, schedules and alerts without a device to help you do so. Some people prefer online calendars with alarms to notify you of tasks whilst others love the idea of a diary or paper organiser which allows you to physically write your schedules and plans for the day. Something to be aware of however – plans and meeting times change, so write in pencil!
Take regular breaks
Escaping your desk and screen, grabbing a drink, having lunch or going for a walk are essential parts of the working day and can be easily forgotten if not scheduled. How often do we find ourselves working through our lunch break to get something done and staring at our screens for hours on end because we’re too busy to move?
Not planning breaks can lead to overworking, burning out and increasing stress and heart rates. No matter how busy you are, you will work better and feel more refreshed for physically moving away and changing the scenery around you.
Move!
As well as taking screen breaks, it’s important to get your body moving. When we sit for long periods it can be detrimental to our joints, digestion, circulation and muscles. Whilst physical activity like walking is ideal, you can still do small movements at your desk such as flexing, stretching and progressive muscle relaxation. If your building has stairs, try to climb them as opposed to getting the lift and physically get up and speak to people instead of calling and emailing them.
Prioritise
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 also motivate you more later in the afternoon if you have a sense of accomplishment before lunchtime.
Schedule email time
Don’t be a slave to your inbox and Team’s chats by gazing at them all day long. Not only can this derail you from the important work you have to do, but it wastes a great deal of time reading and replying to less-pressing matters. Why not schedule 30 minutes of message checking in the morning and late afternoon to keep on track with your to-do list but also on top of communications from colleagues.
Plan for tomorrow
This is such a key way to finish your daily routine by pausing any incomplete tasks that you want to plough on with tomorrow and setting yourself a reminder. It not only helps you to psychologically draw a line under work for the day but also saves time the following morning when you know exactly where to pick up work again.
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References
https://www.verywellmind.com/the-importance-of-keeping-a-routine-during-stressful-times-4802638