As we near #WorldMentalHealthDay on the 10th October, we are all encouraged to think about our own wellbeing and how it impacts every aspect of our life.
Whilst we have designated hours for working, school runs, gym sessions and any other daily activities that we carry out, the reality is that these times often overlap, causing increased levels of stress. Since the World Mental Health Day 2020, we have all continued to experience workplace flexibility and the need to adapt to new routines sometimes at short notice. All of these small occurrences can have a big impact on your mental health and in turn the people around you.
What can you do to help yourself and others within the workplace?
Looking after your mental health when at work now has further complexities due to the fact that a lot of people do not have a separation between home and work. This represents an even higher importance of taking steps to ensure your own mental wellbeing is of paramount importance.
Wherever you are working, some tips that can help are:
• Keep your work and home life separate.
Even if you are working at home, it doesn’t mean you cannot have your own space and time. Try to avoid tasks such as housework on breaks and taking personal phone calls whilst you are working. This stops lines becoming blurred, making it easier for you to switch off at the end of the day. If you have the luxury of putting your home workspace in a separate area to your living space or bedroom it is recommended. But, as not everyone has a spare room, we also have created our compact workspaces, such as our Micro Express Complete Bundle, which can be positioned in small nooks and neatly tidied when not in use.
· Learn to say no and be aware of your boundaries.
Cramming in that extra meeting or taking on an extra piece of work before you are officially on the clock can lead to burnout. Stick to your schedule then when you do need to re-prioritise for urgent work, you are more likely to be able to deal with the request without being overwhelmed.
• Get talking with your team
We don’t just recommend professional quality audio-visual solutions as they make your job easier, they are also essential for ensuring your teams feel connected. Taking the time to call instead of messaging and just checking in with your colleagues on a personal level throughout the day is a great way of ensuring remote does not mean removed. Bupa¹ advise that asking for a wellness action plan and taking the time to ask your colleagues how they are showcase ways to incorporate Mental Health awareness into everyday working life.
What responsibility do companies have?
At Podia, we believe the responsibility that businesses have is not just to incorporate Mental Health Awareness and Wellbeing into their organisation, but to create a culture that encourages discussions.
Mind UK ² go by the motto that “starting a conversation about mental health doesn’t have to be difficult”. They have also reported that 21% of people have called in sick due to workplace stress and that 56% of employees feel that their company needs to improve their wellbeing policies.
Our Rise platform has been built to offer an extension to your company HR teams but connecting employees with supportive content. We created this, with industry experts Trans2Performance, as in order for our workspaces to operate at their maximum levels of efficiency, the user needs to feel valued.
How do Podia solutions support Mental Wellbeing?
For us its simple. Employee Wellbeing is essential for allowing your teams to thrive within work and life.
Our solutions:
• Reduce stress by being user friendly and professional
• Connect teams seamlessly, no matter where they are based
• Are affordable and reduce stress on business managers when trying to source efficient solutions for competitive prices
• Integrate our Rise wellbeing platform for complete support
Mental Wellbeing within the workplace matters and our workspaces-as-a-service can help you integrate the tools you need for a healthy workforce.
Want to find out more about how our workspaces can elevate your teams? Contact us today or view our store now
¹https://www.bupa.co.uk/health-information/your-mental-health-work/look-after-mh-work
² https://www.mind.org.uk/workplace/mental-health-at-work/taking-care-of-your-staff/
