October 10th marks a super important global awareness initiative, World Mental Health Day, and to kick off celebrations, we’re teaching you how to protect your mental health in the workplace!
When you’re planning on entering the workforce, looking after your mental health at work should be your number one priority. After all, we can’t be our best, most productive selves when we’re not feeling happy and healthy! That’s why we’re behind this initiative 110% and can’t wait to share all our tips and tricks for creating the most positive work environment possible.
What’s more, this year’s theme couldn’t be more relevant to what we do here at Explore Careers. We won’t give it all away yet, but it’s all about feeling great in the workplace. If you want to know more, and we know you do, keep on reading: by the end of this post, you’ll know just how to fully embrace this World Mental Health Day!
What is World Mental Health Day
As much as we’d like to believe otherwise, there’s still a bit of stigma surrounding mental health (even though younger generations are actively working to break it down). However, throughout the pandemic, we saw an incredible rise in mental health awareness, and it’s up to all of us to keep the momentum going. That’s why World Mental Health Day is so crucial; it reminds us to keep fighting the good fight!
Since its inception in 1992, World Mental Health Day has been a means to spread accurate information about mental health issues, encourage more mental health support and promote happier lives for everyone!
Why is World Mental Health Day Important
There are a million reasons why World Mental Health Day is important, but essentially, increased awareness about mental health issues leads to decreased stigma and misconceptions and helps to facilitate lifesaving conversations about how we’re really feeling. In short, it makes for a more accommodating and understanding world!
Education, understanding and honesty are key to unlocking happier futures, and World Mental Health Day helps promote those attributes! To join in the fight against mental health issues, make sure you’re getting fully involved.
This Year’s Theme: It’s Time to Prioritise Mental Health in The Workplace
Every year, the legends behind World Mental Health Day choose a relevant theme, and 2024’s is our favourite yet! The importance of mental health at work cannot be understated. After all, we spend an average of 90,000 hours working over the course of our lifetimes, so we want to make sure we enjoy it!
However, work can challenge our mental health in a variety of different ways. To be clear, we’re not pushing the misconception that work has to be miserable: we believe that by finding the right industry and employer, you’ll truly feel excited to go to work! But on the other hand, poor mental health practices and toxic workplaces can make us feel pretty down in the dumps. In fact:
- 1 in 6 people experience mental health problems in the workplace
- 12 billion working days are lost to anxiety and depression
- Mental illness is the most common cause of work-limiting conditions
- 83% of employees agree that mental health and wellbeing training is important in workplace culture
- Happy employees are 13% more productive
With all that in mind, it’s easy to see why mental health at work is such a worthwhile cause!
How Do I Work on My Mental Health in the Workplace?
Fortunately, there are a bunch of ways to feel happy in the workplace, and today we’re sharing some of our favourite strategies! Try out some of these solutions, and we bet you’ll feel better in no time!
Talk About Your Feelings
You know that old cliché ‘A problem shared is a problem halved?’ Well it’s popular for a reason. When you turn to someone you trust (perhaps a manager, family member, or even a friend), you can have a much needed vent session about mental health and brainstorm ideas about what you can do to make yourself feel better! Trust us, you shouldn’t be scared about sharing how you really feel: those who love you want to help.
Look After Your Body
When your body isn’t healthy, it’s hard for your mind to be. That’s why true mental health wellness starts with healthy eating and staying active! Try meal prepping your favourite nutritious dishes and heading out for a quick walk on your lunch break. You’ll be surprised at just how much of a difference it makes!
Take a Mental Health Day
When we’re feeling overwhelmed at work, it can feel like you don’t have the option to take a day off, even when you really need it. However, when you’re feeling really down in the dumps, taking a mental health day to do the things that you love (and maybe have a sleep-in) can make you feel way better.
Find that Work-Life Balance
Finding your work-life balance isn’t always easy, but it is always worth it! Take your lunch breaks, make time for hobbies, nurture your relationships and leave work stress at the office! There’s no point constantly carrying all that tension with you – after all, if you’re not on the clock, there’s nothing you can do.
FAQ: All About Mental Health at Work
Now that we’ve covered how to work on your mental health at work, we’re recapping with a frequently asked questions section! If you have any burning questions left over, this is where you’ll find your answers.
Question: Can Mental Health Affect Work?
Answer: Absolutely! Mental health issues can easily interfere with your ability to complete your work, and conversely, a toxic work environment can also affect your mental wellbeing. It goes both ways.
Question: Why is Mental Health at Work Important?
Answer: Looking after your mental health at work helps you stay happy during your 9-5, be the most productive version of yourself, and have energy to maintain your work-life balance.
Question: Is it OK to Take a Mental Health Day at Work?
Answer: It is absolutely fine to take a mental health day when you need it! However, if you’re constantly requesting time off, it might mean that a simple day off won’t do the trick and that it’s time to talk to a mental health professional.
Question: What to Do When Work is Affecting Your Mental Health
Answer: The most important thing is to be honest with yourself about how you’re feeling. Once you’ve identified these negative feelings, talk it though with a friend and put some self-care practices into play.
Like Our Advice?
If you’re picking up what we’re putting down, you can find tonnes of helpful articles about starting a career, navigating school, and everything in between! Simply head to our blog and start browsing today!
