Mental health awareness month.

13th-19th May 2019 marks mental health awareness week, hosted by The Mental Health Foundation. Mental health is something that’s being talked about a lot more often (which is a positive step in the right direction) however, it still remains as something some people shy away from talking about.

Approximately 1 in 4 people in the UK will experience a mental health problem each year. Look around your office now… how many people would be included in that statistic? We don’t want mental health to go unnoticed, so we’ve come up with our top 5 mental health tips that will help you and your colleagues at work and have shared them with you below.

Top 5 Mental Health Tips for the Workplace

Make the most out of your lunch break

Are you allowed a 1 hour lunch break? Take it… take that whole hour! You may be tied up in work deadlines, but that 1 hour is yours and for your mental you should make the most of it. Go outside and go for a walk. Sit and have your lunch away from your desk. Put your headphones in and watch something on your phone or laptop. Read a book. Whatever your preference is, take your lunch break as a time for your brain to wind down for a bit.

Listen to music

Whistle while you work! … Or, a less distracting option, put your headphones in and listen to some music or put on a podcast. If your place of work allows you to have headphones in whilst you’re working, music can be a great way to feel more relaxed and can increase your mood.

Get a work-life balance​​​​​​​

“Work-life balance” – the phrase we all talk about, but don’t always do. Creating a good work-life balance is so important for your mental health. Create a clear boundary between your work life and your personal life. Once you leave the office, try your hardest to not think about it and just leave anything that’s stressing you out when you’re back in the next morning with a fresh head.

Fuel yourself well

Good food and drinking often is very important for maintaining your mental health at work. Make sure you’re drinking water often to stay hydrated, and don’t get so caught up in work deadlines that you forget to eat; low energy levels are likely to increase your stress levels. What’s even better is sharing that good food with your colleagues to spread the positivity; bake some cakes to share, get some Krispy Kreme donuts… nothing spreads positivity quite like a tray of sweet treats!

Talk and support each other

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The final of our mental health tips is something easier said than done, we know. But if there’s one thing we want to spread with mental health awareness, it’s that it’s okay to talk. If you’ve got an issue at work, speak to your manager or a colleague. Have a catch up with colleagues over a coffee. Support each other – if you notice a colleague acting differently, talk to them.

There you have it. Our top 5 mental health tips to support you and your colleagues at work. Share it around, spread positivity, and together we can lift the stigma of mental health!

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