promoting mental wellness in the workplace
Work can be one of my biggest stressors. The tight deadlines, the quick turnarounds, the pressure, the high expectations and the coworkers down your throat can be a lot for anyone. While my job sometimes offers “mental health resources” or 10 minute stress-relieving massages once or twice a year, it doesn’t feel like enough. I need something more.
America’s corporate scene can be draining, high pressure and major stakes, when it doesn’t have to be. Maybe I’m in a generation where I don’t think we need to be busting our asses to feel so stressed and depressed. I don't think anyone should feel like they have to choose between mental health and affording to live through a job.
Negative workplace environments can include: job uncertainty, constant layoffs, long hours, poor working conditions, discrimination, harassment, inability for growth, poor communication, gossip among coworkers, unfair treatment, unequal pay, etc. (I can really go on and on.)
There’s a few things I think we can do to promote mental wellness in the workplace:
Transparency.
Recognize when a break is necessary.
Lean on others.
Me vs me energy.
Create a safe space and a healthy environment.
Company tools.
And I want to start with transparency.
There’s been a million times where I’ve felt like there’s been too much on my plate or I’ve had personal issues that I feel would hinder my work performance. I’ve usually kept quiet and just pushed through.
One, because I don’t want people in my business.
And two, because I don’t want people thinking I’m “weak,” “incapable,” or simply “don’t have what it takes.”
I get in my head and worry about how being honest and saying I’m struggling looks. I worry that that I’ll miss future opportunities or promotions because of “that one time she told us she was overwhelmed.”
It’s crazy! Employees like someone who is honest, who they can trust (right?) I’d want someone working for me to tell me “hey, I don’t think I’ll be able to handle this other assignment because my family member had to go to the hospital, and it’s really been affecting me this week.” Or “hey, I don’t think I’ll be able to go to the company happy hour tonight because I’ve been feeling bad mentally and need a night to myself.”
Those honest statements are much better than not being able to follow through with a prior task or commitment after the fact and left to have to defend yourself against false preconceived notions about why you were unable to finish something.
So I encourage you to be transparent, open and honest. We push things to the side too often. I’m sorry to your boss, but your mental health is always more important than a job. Do not let them ruin your mindset and life. Speak up when it’s getting to be too much and interfering with your life or self image.
Recognize when a break is necessary.
Another thing I’d advise is to take those breaks when you need them. There are times when everyone’s chatter or background noise is driving me insane, and I feel overstimulated. There are times when I’m so upset at a coworker, assignment or situation that I just need to walk away. There are times when I’m dealing with difficult personal stuff and have to come in the office and feel like I can barely make it out of there without stepping away for a few minutes.
In those moments, I will get up and have a moment or few to myself. Being self aware enough to recognize those moments and determining to act on it is key.
If you’re unable to easily walk away from your desk or work, embolden yourself to speak up and advocate for your needs. As I previously mentioned, recognizing is key. Those few minutes can recharge, reset and set you up to be able to come back and finish what you started in a better and more productive mindset.
“Combining strengths and wellbeing at work is potentially the most transformational treatment yet in the urgent pursuit of resiliency, mental health and ultimately, net thriving.”
It’s a strength to be self aware of your needs, and communicating how you are feeling shows vulnerability and trust, which is why I know it’s not an easy feat. But I think you’re stronger and more courageous than you think. I challenge you to tap into that.
Lean on others.
I cannot tell you how many times I’ve vented out of anger or been on the verge of tears in front of my coworkers (that I’m close with! trust is important.) We feel comfortable enough to explore the ups and downs of our everyday work lives. We share similar experiences and frustrations, so it’s only natural we’d dive into that amongst ourselves.
A few of my best friends have come from working together, so I know that it’s possible to have a great relationship with your coworkers. It’s definitely not always the case, but they can be some of your biggest cheerleaders if you get lucky.
But be so careful. Not everyone is your friend, and not everyone is honest and transparent. Not everyone has your best interest in heart. When you do have those coworkers that help you on the tough days and positively impact your mental health, lean on them.
Sometimes it does feel competitive or “high stakes vibes,” but I try to calm myself down and remember that I’m in a race with myself. It’s really me vs me.
Me vs me
There’s a reason “me vs me” has been my phone wallpaper for years. It’s because everything in my life is a competition with myself. I never want to compare, contrast, be jealous or feel like I’m in a competition with other people, especially women.
There’s no need to feel that way, and it’s never productive. Have I felt jealous and compared myself to others? Yes, of course. Am I constantly working on making myself my only competition? Also yes, of course. It’s always a journey.
I feel like healthy competition can be beneficial at work. If there’s someone’s career I admire or if someone’s making more money than I am with the same job, I’m going to feel some type of way and that may come across as feeling inadequate, jealous or like there’s something that’s wrong with me. But that’s not fair to myself.
It’s not realistic or sustainable to get down in my feelings every time someone or something intimidates me. You’ve got this job for a reason. You’re still employed for a reason. Trust the process. Trust yourself.
Create a safe space and a healthy environment.
If you have a personal desk or any space of your own in your office, or even an office setup at home, make it your own!
Add family or friend photos. Decorate it with desk accessories and a theme you like. Make it similar to a little home or somewhere you feel comfortable in. I like to have stress balls and little fidgets around for if I’m feeling anxious or stressed.
Maybe it’s certain self care products you can keep in your desk if you’re able to use them during a couple minutes of free time. Or maybe it’s a couple of handwritten notes/cards you can look back at when you are doubting yourself and need to hear some sweet words.
It could even be a journal to write in when you're overwhelmed and upset (no one has to know it’s not a work notebook!)
Creating a safe space and a healthy environment promotes mental wellness in the workplace and allows for you to set yourself up for success and focus on the work.
Now that we’ve gotten through what we can all do to set ourselves up for success and promote wellness in the workplace, I think it’s important to note that this should not and does not fall all onto us. Yes, there’s things we can do to create a healthy work-life balance, but it’s also your company’s job to do what they can to promote wellness in the workplace for all of their employees.
So here’s what I think companies should do and what we should push for as a society:
offer mental health days (with no question)
provide mental health resources
pamphlets, infographics, posters
therapist recommendations in the area
self-assesment tools
tips for dealing with stressful times
have an easy access to HR and other designated people to report problems in the workplace to
create forms for anonymous feedback
provide quiet spaces in the office to spend time alone or decompress
offer health insurance with options for mental health resources
It’s our job as a society to create healthier workplaces for people and to put a bigger focus on mental wellness. It’s essential to put yourself and your mental health over your career.
Be bold. Be brave. And advocate for yourself.
