5 Tips To Improve Your Mental Health At Work
Work plays an incredibly vital part in many people’s lives, so it’s no wonder that work can sometimes be a triggering factor that impacts our mental health.
With work taking up a significant part of our life, it’s important to know how best to tackle the harder parts and stop to think of some key things that can positively impact your mental health whilst at work.
Here’s our 5 tips on how to improve your mental health at work:
- Taking time to talk
This might seem like an obvious one but much of our working day is focused on getting the work in hand done. We now live in a very much hybrid-working world, where sometimes half of us are in the office and the other half might be working from home. For some, they are completely logged in online. In between work calls, meetings and quick chats about projects – why not schedule in some general catch-up time? Have a cup of tea break with one of your favourite co-workers. Schedule an online quiz for an afternoon to have a natter and some fun. Whatever it is, taking the time out to talk to the people we work with can be a massive help to others and for yourself.
- Exercise
It’s no secret that sitting at a desk all day, every day isn’t good for your health whether it’s mentally or physically. For a lot of people, the daily commute into the office is a chance to get out and about and lots of people look forward to their 20-minute walk to the workplace. But working from home may mean you can neglect those exercise breaks. Our advice is to schedule some exercise into your every-day routine whether you work from home or the office. Studies have shown that even taking a ten-minute brisk walk at lunch time for some fresh air can massively impact your mood! So, no – we’re not asking you to join that scary CrossFit gym round the corner from you. But a little movement to your day could go a long way.
- Take A Break
Like taking a break from your desk to take part in a bit of exercise, it’s great to take a break just for a little time for yourself – whatever that may be. Listen to a podcast, catch up on your favourite TV show for 30 minutes or just generally relax! Also, regular holidays or taking time off using your annual leave is another way to reset your mindset and having a well-deserved rest from work. Don’t feel guilty to book your annual leave – it’s what it’s there for.
- Do something you love
Tapping into the parts of your job you really love and enjoy can be a great way to positively impact your energy and mental reflection in the work you do. Being able to identify the parts of your own personality and what interests you then weaving this it into your work is something plenty of us can do. For example, being an organised person and a lover of a spreadsheets – perhaps you could head up the project management of an ongoing campaign? Or love yoga? Why not set up a work-yoga class for everyone to enjoy? There’s no reason why your interests can’t flow into your working life, so embrace them!
- Ask for help
If you feel you’re really struggling with your mental health, there is no shame in being able to ask for your help from your workplace. There are tonnes of resources and ways in which your workplace can help you. Being able to talk it out and speak openly with your workplace will make you feel better, so that you and them can work out a way for you to thrive at work happily once more.
Check out these free guides from Mind for you and your workplace to have:
