Mental health has become a much talked about subject across the World right now so we have been investigating this delicate field within the workplace and if people felt that mental health had possibly been triggered by certain working situations. With many people working long hours, feeling stressed and struggling to maintain a healthy work life balance it would seem like there could be a link between the two.
The survey asked if people or their friends/colleagues/people they knew had suffered with mental health issues triggered by work related issues. Reassuringly, 70% said no but there were still 30% saying yes, showing us that some working environments may not be right for many. Although the response clearly shows more people stating no, which is great, there is still a large proportion (the 30%) that are suffering, most probably in silence, because of something related to work which could be avoided or addressed. On top of this, we must also account for those who do suffer with mental health issues but do not realise that it is their workplace or job causing it. An interesting statistic according to MIND, the mental health charity found that one in six people suffer from mental health in the workplace.
So, what can we as workers do to try to manage mental health or reduce the potential of it hitting us altogether? Here are some things to think about....
- Take regular breaks and go for a walk to get fresh air
- Create fun social situations with the people you work with, like lunches, drinks, bowling etc
- Listen to music to help you to unwind, de-stress
- Eat healthily and avoid excess alcohol
- Manage the work life balance by avoiding doing too many hours
- Build a to-do list that you can use to make sure you do not become overwhelmed and over-loaded
- Do not leave any problems or uncertainties to brew and always address them with your bosses or colleagues
The MIND website, has some great ideas that we would recommend reading if this is something affecting you. Click here to have a look.
