Supporting Your Mental Health at Work
No matter what you do for work, chances are it is a stressor in your life. Even if you enjoy your job, there might be tasks or colleagues you’d rather not deal with. Work is a necessity not just for income, but also purpose, goal setting, community, and future planning.
That doesn’t mean it isn’t stressful.
Below are a number of ways you can support your mental health as a worker.
Basic Maintenance Goes a Long Way
You might already know that routines, rituals, and structure can support your well-being, so focusing on identifying working hours (and rest or play hours), practicing good sleep hygiene, and implementing boundaries around your work phone or logging in can be incredibly helpful for supporting your mental health. It can also be helpful to create a transition ritual where you let your nervous system know that you are changing from work you to home you. Listen to a meditation app on your commute or change clothes as soon as you are home. These can signal to your body that it is time to relax and let go.
Find Many Outlets
This is plural for a reason: you need different kinds of outlets for different reasons. For example, it can be helpful to have people in your life who understand what it is you do and the frustrations generated from it, so an industry mentor or trusted coworker-turned-friend is a good idea (if neither of these work for you, a therapist can help!). If you work a sedentary job, having a movement practice can feel good to your body. If you stare at a screen all day, you might want hobbies that are analog, like a colouring book or knitting. Having a few different resources to tap into can be a great way to give yourself what you need, instead of always relying on food.
Build In Moments to Pause
We live in a society that praises hustle culture to the point of burnout, which in the end doesn’t serve employees or employers. By building in moments every day to step away, breathe, and re-center yourself will help you feel calmer throughout the day. Read on your lunch break, get some fresh air for a few minutes, stretch in the bathroom, put your headphones in and listen to your favourite playlist, grab a fancy coffee and take the first few sips at the café, not your desk. Anything that brings you back to the present and slows you down works!
Use Your Vacation Days (and actually be offline)
If you have designated vacation days, don’t just keep rolling them over from year to year, use them! And there is no right or wrong way to do this. One of my client’s dreads January and February, so they take long weekends throughout. Others might want to take two back-to-back weeks so you can ‘forget’ work, it’s totally up to you! The most important part is: once you’re on vacation, be on vacation. Don’t take your work phone with you, delete your email app, don’t check in.
You might be wondering how this can apply if you’re self-employed, which can put taking care of your mental health at the bottom of your to do list. This can be challenging if you’re self-employed (but not impossible!). Set an automatic email or social media post that explains you’re out of office. That way you don’t feel like you have to immediately respond to every email, comments, or direct message. And from my own experience, the more I take time to myself, bringing balance to my life, the more I come back to my desk inspired and ready to work!
💛 Your peace awaits.
