The World Health Organization estimates that currently in the world, 300 million people have depression. Especially now with Covid-19; fear, worry, and stress are normal responses. That is why we wanted to share with you this blog entry named “How To Maintain Mental Health At Work”.
Studies show that work is closely related to people’s mental health. An investigation carried out over seven years by the Australian National University concludes that having a stressful or frustrating job is actually worse for your mental health than the pressure of being unemployed. Stress and frustration include (according to the authors): very high demands, no control at making decisions, insecurity in relation to permanence in employment, and lack of balance between effort and reward. However, there are ways to take care of your mental health, regardless if you are happy or not at your job.
Recognize that your thoughts and feelings are just that and not facts.
Achieving to separate facts from emotions is the first step to recognize each other and develop self-control. Being anxious does not mean that you are incapable of a stress-free life. It just means you’re overly-thinking, which is totally natural when it comes to challenging situations. In the same way, knowing how to separate feelings such as frustration, fear, or irritability from the facts to which they are associated, will help you deal with everyday life in a more objective way. This exercise will become easier over time and will allow you to map situations that stress you, as well as think about strategies to better deal with them.
Be realistic.
Evaluate your initial goals and compare them with reality. Were your expectations realistic? What obstacles prevented the development of your plans? Did they already exist or appeared later? What adjustments can you do to your goals so you don’t get frustrated again? Of course, it may be worthwhile to persist in a goal and overcome several obstacles to achieve it, but it is also necessary to be realistic and assess whether to pursue that goal is compromising your mental health. Setting reasonable goals, on the other hand, can be very beneficial for your life as a whole.
Take breaks.
It may seem tempting to skip lunch or eat sitting in front of the computer, but that’s not good either physically or mentally. Take advantage of that time to get out of the office, take a walk outdoors and move around a little. Physical exercise is one of the best treatments to interrupt the cycle of anxiety. Humans were not made to be indoors 12 hours a day, 5 days a week. The same goes for the screens: we were not designed to be in front of a screen for many hours. Also, taking a few minutes to distract yourself from a task can be very good for concentration and creativity. It may seem contradictory, but taking a break from work will help you not waste time later.
Cultivate friendships.
Having a support network is very important for our physical and mental health. Therefore, spend some time and energy cultivating good relationships with people who make you feel good. When things are difficult (it happens to all of us), talk to a friend, a relative, or partner. Connecting with loved ones alone can help improve your mood and remind you of what you value in life. Keeping in mind what matters most can help you feel less stressed at work and perhaps happier and more productive.
