One in six people experience the symptoms of a mental health problem in any given week - latest research conducted in England shows! Our working environment can promote wellbeing or trigger more problems. Self-care, although it isn’t easy, especially if we feel anxious, depressed or low in self-esteem, should be prioritised at all times!
There are several ways you can take to improve your own mental health, and build the ability to cope with adversity:
1. Talk about your feelings
Identify someone you feel comfortable with and who will be supportive. You may want to think about what you want to disclose, who to and when a good time and place to do this could be. If you don’t feel able to talk about feelings at work, make sure there’s someone you can open up to about it - your partner, friends or family.
2. Keep active and eat well
How much you exercise and what you choose to eat can have an immediate effect on how you feel in the short and long term. If you work in an office it can make a huge difference to get out for a walk or do a class at lunchtime, or to build in exercise before or after work to ease you into the day or create a space between work time and personal time.
3. Keep in touch
Work politics can be a real challenge when we have mental health problems, it can be helpful however to find a mentor or a small group of trusted colleagues with whom you can discuss feelings about work – to sense check and help you work through challenges.
4. Ask for help
We all get tired or overwhelmed sometimes by our emotions and problems. Reach out for help! Most employers should have an employee assistance programme or give you access occupational health support through your manager or HR. The first port of call in the public health service is your GP who may refer you to a counsellor.
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