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This is a collaborative post.
Statistics prove that over 70 million working days a year are lost due to mental health related illness at a cost of 2.4 billion pounds to employers. While workspaces will routinely have a trained first aider on site to deal with injury and accidents, how many companies have someone who is familiar with mental health first aid in Glasgow or anywhere else in the UK.
There can be many causes of mental illness, things such as traumatic events, relationship issues, financial worries can all contribute to a person’s mental wellbeing. A person’s state of mind can also have a significant effect on their physical health. Until recently there was a stigma around mental health issues meaning that people wouldn’t always come forward and admit they were suffering. However, there is now a greater understanding of the part mental health plays in people maintaining a healthy and happy lifestyle.
Research indicates that nine out of ten employers feel personal or work related stress can have a detrimental effect on their workforce. One of the main issues is the disparity between work and life balance. So, how can we ensure that we take care of our mental health at work, listed below are ten tips that will help.
Switch Off When You Finish Work
You should always be aware of where work ends, and your home life begins. Try to avoid looking at work e mails after work, if needs be turning your out of office message on every night. Working at home has become the norm during the pandemic. If this applies to you try and keep any work related items in a room where you can shut the door at the end of the day. That way you can keep it separate from your home life and remove the temptation to keep checking things.
Take A Break
Being sat at your desk all day means you are continually at people’s beck and call and in a stressful environment. Make sure you take a break at least 15 minutes in the morning and afternoon and a specific lunch break.
Take a Walk
If possible, get out for some fresh air, stretch your legs, and have a change of surroundings. Taking breaks at your desk is not healthy and can have a negative impact on your health.
Eat Well
Having a good balanced diet isn’t just good for your body it plays an important part in having a healthy mind. Certain vitamin deficiencies such as iron can affect moods. If you tend to feel anxiety or stress, try, and avoid caffeine as this can make you feel more on edge.
Socialise
Try not to become insular, make a positive attempt to socialise with colleagues as that will help you feel happy at work. Whether this is at lunchtime or for a drink after work it all helps. If possible, attend work social events as the more involved you are with colleagues the more relaxed you will feel.
Get Your Work Life Balance Right
Always make sure you make time for your family and friends. A vibrant family or social life is a great way to relieve any work related stress. It is important that you put different parts of your life into different compartments.
Practice Positive Thinking
Positivity can have a significant effect on your physical and mental health. Having a positive outlook can help reduce stress and ensure you deal with challenging situations more easily.
Don’t be Afraid to Ask for Help
Worrying about workload, or feeling you are not up to certain tasks and the worry associated with it will undoubtedly impact on your mental health. Asking for help is not a sign of weakness it shows you are keen to ensure the job is done correctly. Sometimes all you need is a little reassurance.
Organise Your Workspace
A clean and tidy workspace is a great way to help alleviate stress. Working in a cluttered environment can cause stress by making you feel flustered and anxious. Try and make time to clean and tidy your workspace at least once a week. A good adage is tidy desk tidy mind.
Be Kind and Help Others
In the same way you would ask for help, always try to make yourself available to colleagues who may be struggling. A kind word or help with what may seem to you a menial task may only take a moment of your time but may mean the world to a workmate.
Remember mental health is just as important as physical health and hopefully the tips we have given above will help you stay in a good place.