World Mental Health Day: Tips for managing your mental health and well-being at work

World Mental Health Day, October 10

For over 30 years, Mental Health Day has been observed across the world to shed light on well-being and mental health.

Mental health is:

• Your emotional well-being
• Your psychological well-being
• Your social well-being
• A priority

Mental Health is not:

• Taboo
• Unalterable
• Always visible to others
• Two words at the bottom of a to-do list

Mental health issues can affect anyone, regardless of their circumstances, including in the workplace.

Recent studies claim we spend an average of 90,000 hours of our lifetime at work. So we might as well care for ourselves and the colleagues surrounding us. Contentsquare is aware of its responsibility in providing a healthy work environment and and supports several initiatives to promote well-being in the workplace. These include Plumm, our mental health support program providing meditation, coaching, and therapy services. The Culture Crew also plays a role in improving your work-life experience through various creative activities: Painting lessons, silent disco, cooking classes, knitting classes, video game tournaments are just a few examples of what they have organized for employees to meet each other and have fun. In some offices, yoga classes are available, and there’s also the well-being allowance, specifically designed for self-investment. It can be used, amongst other things, for courses, sport equiptment, theatre tickets, massage sessions, and various events.  Meetings are also a huge part of our daily work lives. To ensure they don’t become a burden, Contentsquare outlined guidelines (the do’s and don’ts as well as a meeting brief) on how to conduct pleasant & efficient meetings. A Decision Tree has also been created to double-check that a meeting is needed in the first place! On top of an individual approach, a structural approach, such as rethinking our daily habits, is necessary to take care of mental health on a company-large scale.

That being said, no matter what the company implements, you are the only person who knows what’s right for you, and you might not find your peace in what’s been listed above. Therefore, we’ll share some tips that will help you address any physical or mental challenges you may be facing.

As you may already know, sitting down and working on a computer for several hours without breaks is unhealthy (let alone for 90,000 hours). Add to this stressful meetings and a multitude of tasks and you’ve got the exploding cocktail.We understand you can’t simply click ‘delete’ on all these factors, but you do need to prioritize your mental health, so here’s what you can do:

Take a real break
Yes, a real ‘mind break’ – not 5 minutes on your mobile phone or freely browsing on your computer; go for a walk, stretch, or just breathe deeply for a few minutes! You have a beautiful landscape desktop background, but the ones outside, although sometimes less beachy, are still worth it. Block some time on your calendar if you need to. Breaks are as important and deeply linked to your working time. A well-rested brain hour of work is much more efficient than 2 hours of an annoyed and tired person.

Play a sport or just get moving
No need to start with a triathlon – you’d be surprised how good you can feel after a little jog or some bodyweight exercises. Enjoy a calming playlist, or the sound of nature in your closest park. Sports generate endorphins: neurotransmitters that improve your mood and reduce stress. It’s worth it.

Give back to those around you
Do you want to know what else can boost your energy? Giving back. How about mentoring someone from the company at the company you work? You get what you give (great song by New Radicals), so do provide guidance to anyone seeking it! You could join an employee resource group or even volunteer for NGOs outside of work. What you can also do is help others on a specific task. Theres no such thing as being too great of a human being and research shows that committing to one act of kindness a week  is associated with an increase in well-being.

Stop Switch-tasking
This is widely spread and unrecommended. You might not realize it, but you’re not being more productive. Quite the opposite actually. Several studies have shown that when one thinks they’re multitasking, what they’re truly doing is switch-tasking, which results in a loss of time. The human brain is not made to do several cognitive tasks at once. You will be more efficient and therefore avoid frustration if you focus on each task one at a time. Try it for 30 minutes, don’t check your emails, put away your phone, mute your slack, and focus on that one chore. 

Follow the 3×20 rule
The 3×20 rule is also a good tip to have in mind. Every 20 minutes look 20 meters away for 20 seconds. It’s an “easy-win” healthwise, and can keep the headaches away. 

Communicate openly
If you’re feeling overwhelmed or stressed, don’t keep it bottled up. Chat with your colleagues, friends, family, manager or HRBP about it. Let’s make talking about mental health at work as normal as discussing last night’s TV shows. 

Set boundaries between work and life
Don’t let your work hours bleed into your personal time. Work is just part of your life, not your entire life. Manage your time, make room for hobbies, friends, and family. When it’s vacation time, go full “out of office” mode and enjoy yourself. One first-step of doing so is to disable your slack and work email notifications on your mobile phone. 

Have a laugh
Finally, have a laugh! Watch a funny movie or show, spend time with your friends or family who brighten your day, read a funny book, have a game night, or attend a comedy show. Laughter releases endorphins, reduces stress, and boosts your mood, making it a powerful tool for improving mental health and promoting a positive outlook on life. 

Truth is: Once we become more aware of the factors that drain our energy, we can be more intentional about how we incorporate regular revitalization activities into our daily routines to eliminate that mental fatigue and even boost our energy. Once you give yourself some “me time” it’s a virtuous circle, personally and professionally. Committing to one of the tips above might bring you great benefits. Do not underestimate the positive outcome of simply trying. You can find much more information about mental health by clicking here.