A lot of people will agree when we say that Covid-19 has added an unprecedented amount of work stress. Add to that, daily life stress and other factors that go unnoticed, we’re sure that many people are not doing so well in the mental health department.
For your sake, we hope that your office has some sort of wellness programme and a few policies in place that can help improve your mental health. But if not, then we’ve got a guide for you that will help you take matters into your own hands.
So let’s take a look at what you can do to improve your mental health at work.
1. Use food to your advantage
We’ve all heard of the quote, “an apple a day keeps the doctor away.” Well, here’s another for you: “Omega-rich foods and dark chocolate keeps mental stress at bay.”
Sure, these are not superfoods but they do have some qualities (nutrients and minerals) that can help elevate moods, reduce anxiety, and overall, benefit your mental health.
Besides, the junk food that you’re eating every day is beating down your mental health too. So swapping them for healthier options can definitely help.
2. Take frequent breaks
We’re all human and as such, none of us can function in a stressful 9-5 without taking frequent breaks. These breaks don’t necessarily need to be long, but even short breaks can prove to be quite the mood booster.
Although we didn’t preface this before, breaks where natural light is available are the best. Keeping that in mind, try to go for walks where sunlight is present.
These breaks don’t only have any effect on your mental health but can improve your cognitive function and physical health too.
3. Make note of all your achievements
We all have a few difficult days at work that are just impossible to survive. And possibly there’s nothing that you can do to make such days better.
But here’s a trick that will help shed some light on those dark and dull days: make a journal, and keep a log of all your achievements.
These need not only be work-related achievements or something necessarily big (like a promotion or a raise) but they can be smaller things too, like when someone compliments your work, or when you ace that presentation and receive praise from everyone.
4. Create a work-life balance
There’s a high possibility that your mental health is affected at work because you don’t have a balance in life. We know that some of us don’t have the luxury of creating that balance. But for those of us that do, take a leap at it.
Having a social life outside of work-life can really improve your mood by a significant level. Try meeting your friends, make frequent trips to meet your family, socialise a little after work, pursue your hobbies, read a book — whatever helps you feel better, do it.
5. Seek the help of a therapist
Therapists are a god-given treasure that can prove to be the magic potion that helps save your mental health. If you have the luxury to seek the help of a therapist, then make sure you consult one who specialises in work related stress.
For those of us that cannot afford the luxury of seeking the help of a mental health professional, we can use free resources available online, in particular, the free downloadable resources by Mental Health UK, or the free UpLift app, which helps improve moods by 50%.
To conclude It’s never easy to deal with mental health. Some days are good, some days are bad, and some days, you’ve just got to survive. But we hope these resources helped. If there’s anything that you’d like to add, feel free to get in touch with us at www.auraadesigns.co.uk.
