Your work life should not be harmful to your health, nor to your peace of mind. It should be aligned with a lifestyle that helps you look and feel your best. Today, the importance of mental health is higher than ever.
Why is that?
The need to take care of wellbeing has increased a lot after the pandemic as the way we work has changed so much in the last two years. That surely caused the increase of stress for many people. To understand whether you need to pay more attention to your mental health, ask yourself if you have the following symptoms:
- You spend more time doing regular tasks at work.
- You have chronic fatigue.
- You tend to procrastinate until the last minute.
- Loss of productivity.
- Feeling overwhelmed.
- You suffer from insomnia because you can’t stop thinking about work.
If you answered “yes” to anything on this list, it is likely that you are experiencing professional burnout. You are not alone in this. According to a recent study, 62% of workers suffer varying levels of stress at work for a variety of reasons. The important thing is to notice it and take action.
Why is your mental health so important?
It is a fact that most people spend more than half of their lives at work. This means that the satisfaction of your working conditions influences the quality of your life directly.
If you don’t feel good during your working day, this will have a negative impact on your performance and productivity. On the other hand, if you are satisfied with your working life, you have better results and feel happy.
To understand how to have good mental health in the work environment, first answer yourself: Why don’t I feel good?
The reasons for your discomfort may be the consequences of the following:
- Not being able to say No.
- Not taking holidays.
- Working overtime.
- Not dividing your personal life with your work life.
- Lack of awareness of their mental state.
- Other factors (e.g. toxic communication at work).
It is the issue that most people are interested in, and the demand to pay attention to their state of mind and their own health has increased a lot since the pandemic, as the way we work has changed a lot in the last two years.
How to understand if you have to quit your job?
When you realise that you can’t take any more work stress or, worse, you are suffering from burnout, it is important to find the reason not to make impulsive decisions. You are not obliged to make a big decision today. The important thing is to be aware of the problem and look for solutions, without increasing risk factors.
However, it is alarming if you face the following issues at work:
- Lack of communication and clarity about your work tasks.
- Rumours or the feeling that you are not accepted.
- You are constantly criticised by your boss.
- No opportunities to grow.
- You are frequently fined, or not paid the promised salary.
- The boss does not think about the employees’ mental health.
If you feel that your discomfort is not up to you, but that the work environment is the reason, then it would be better to create a plan to change the job. Remember that the feeling of being respected and valued in your working life is the most important thing. However, if you think that you can improve the current situation without changing your job, read our recommendations.
Activities to support your mental health at work
#1. Create rituals within your company
Remember that you don’t have to be the manager to influence others. Everyone can be a leader and have a positive impact on others by working in an ordinary workplace.
If you feel that your company is missing special occasions, you can make a proposal!
For example, implement a custom of starting each week with a session where everyone shares how they feel and can talk about things that concern them. If you work in a multinational team, you can organise international lunch days, where everyone prepares their traditional dish and shares it with their team.
Note: If you are teleworking, it is not a hindrance! You can always organise something to maintain a positive atmosphere. For example, in our company, we have English conversation clubs, where we play games, chat and share our news every week. Small rituals can improve your emotional state, and relationships with your colleagues. You lose nothing by offering it to your bosses or co-workers.
#2. Use apps to track your work time.
According to recent WHO studies, the fewer hours you work, the more tasks you complete. Many employees confess that they do not spend their entire working day working. This means that no one expects you to work 8 hours straight every day. It sounds incredible, but it’s not the number of hours that counts, it’s the productivity of your work that counts. It is very useful to track how many hours you are really focused on your work tasks.
Why?
- Many workers find time trackers useful for:
- Avoid the feeling that you are working 24/7.
- Help you have better focus, and tackle tasks faster.
- Learn to take breaks every 60-90 minutes.
- Discipline yourself and avoid burnout.
By identifying the amount of your productive hours, you will be able to manage your time better and find time to do something for your emotional well-being.
#3. Get into useful habits
Your physical activity, diet, and quality of sleep are closely related to your overall well-being. Nowadays, many people happen to work in front of their computers, which can cause health problems due to a sedentary lifestyle. Therefore, small changes in your daily life can improve the quality of your life (and generate more endorphins in your body).
For example, new habits, such as going to bed before midnight, enrolling in a dance class, or exercising in the morning, will have a positive impact on your well-being. Your new lifestyle will also have a positive impact on your long-term work performance. Your state of complete physical well-being decreases the risk of mental illness. mental illness. If you live a healthier life, you will have more energy, which translates into energy, which translates into better results and focus.
#4. Take days off
You may have heard the term “mental fatigue”, which is caused by over-consumption of information. You need to think about what activities make you feel good. It is worthwhile create small rituals for yourself that you could implement in your routine life.
For example:
- Spending one day a week without social media.
- Meditate.
- Listening to the TED talks podcast.
- Do gratitude and meditation practices.
You should find time to relax and recuperate, especially if you have a high workload. Being attentive to your needs, will help you to avoid mental health problems.
#5. Learn to say “NO”
It’s a skill that can be difficult to develop, but it will serve you well in your work life. If you’re used to doing extra tasks that you don’t really like, it’s time to ask yourself: ” “What’s going to happen if I don’t do it?
Sometimes other people don’t know that you feel uncomfortable to refuse when they ask for a favour. That is why it is very important to tell your colleagues what kind of tasks you want to do, and which ones are not interesting for you. Sometimes there is a chance to delegate them to other people. You should also learn to separate your personal life from your professional life. For example, you can tell your colleagues that you will not be available on your days off, because you prefer to relax. They will surely understand! Besides, the best ideas and solutions come in moments of relaxation.
Conclusion
We would like to remind you that there is nothing more important for you than your health. It is imperative that you take care of yourself and take action to improve the quality of your mental wellbeing, and avoid stressful situations in your workplace. Start implementing these techniques in your daily life today!