Supporting mental health in the workplace

Mental Health Awareness Week is fast approaching (15 – 21 May), and this year’s theme is anxiety. In preparation, we’ve teamed up with Birmingham Mind to share top tips for managing common workplace anxieties.

Working in partnership with Mind, the mental health charity, we have developed a series of tips to help you combat workplace anxieties, giving you the confidence to succeed and, most importantly, feel good!

Identify worries and stress

A common problem we all experience is masking stress. Often our bodies produce stress responses that we’re not consciously aware of. The first step is identifying your stress triggers and how you generally respond to them. From there, you can look at practical ways to manage these triggers by creating a Wellness Action Plan.

Make lists

Worries can often feel overwhelming and spiral in your mind. Much like you sort out your to-do list at work, write a list of your concerns on paper and divide those into what you can tackle in the short term and want you can’t.

You could also write down a list of ‘jobs’ you need to do for the day, work or personal, and highlight the most interesting to you. Then, tackle them one by one and alternate dull tasks with interesting ones. Listing your achievements, including tasks like cooking or shopping, can also give you a great boost!

Relaxing and unwinding

It’s essential to give yourself a healthy work-life balance to provide sufficient time to wind down after a long day, so you can properly prepare for the next.  

On your commute from work, take a moment to stop thinking about ‘tasks’ to help you unwind and recalibrate before you arrive home.  Whether listening to an interesting podcast or slow-tempo music, reading a book, or tucking into your favourite snack, take time to do something that makes you feel good.

Don’t worry if relaxing doesn’t come naturally to you. Practice makes perfect, so set aside time daily to relax your mind and body – even just 10 minutes will do wonders. Remember, we’re all different, so what affects your well-being may not be the same as somebody else, and that’s ok.

Here are some ideas to improve your well-being:

• Get creative and try painting, writing, singing, music, or drama to express yourself!
• Learn something new to help improve your confidence and give you a sense of achievement.
• Stay active by taking a break for a short walk or dancing at home.
• Ensure you eat a healthy and well-balanced diet; gut health and drinking plenty of water are vital to a healthy mind!
• Have time off social media by setting app alerts to monitor your use.
• Prioritise relaxation and make sure you are getting sufficient shuteye every night.
• Connecting with others and being in the presence of family and friends is vital to improving your well-being.
• Do things you enjoy and make you happy.
• Don’t be afraid to seek help; charities like Mind have fantastic resources to suit all needs, even if you’re unsure what they are.

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If this blog has resonated with you and you would like to speak to a member of the Birmingham Mind team, please contact the helpline on 0121 262 3555.