😃World Mental Health Day Monday 10th October 2022 😃
World Mental Health Day reminds us that we need to keep talking and encourage one another to seek support when we need it.
10/10/2022
World Mental Health Day reminds us that we need to keep talking and encourage one another to seek support when we need it.
In the UK alone 12% of all sickness days are attributed to mental health conditions and World Mental Health Day is a reminder that we all need to keep talking and encourage one another to seek support when we need it. This year’s theme set by The World Federation for Mental Health is all about making mental health and wellbeing a global priority.
During the pandemic Bluebird Care launched a range of blog posts, many centred around mental health and well-being. As part of this series, we included our top tips on staying positive in isolation, as well as the types of activities that can keep you busy. We finished off this series with some top tips on getting back out into the community, particularly aimed at those experiencing anxiety for the first time.
In support of World Mental Health Day 2022, Charlotte, our Regional Marketing Manager in the South shares her top 5 tips on how you can manage your own mental health in the workplace and the tools that you can lean upon.
- Take breaks!
If you have a busy and varied role like me, it’s so important to make time for breaks, fresh air and exercise can make such a difference to the rest of your day. On those days when I am not travelling around the Bluebird Care network, I always ensure I take a break at lunch time, this is normally taking the dog out for a walk where I can clear my mind. This short but necessary break gives me a new burst of motivation for the afternoon and allows me to be far more productive for the rest of the day. Make sure you plan in your breaks otherwise before you know it the end of the day will be approaching, and you would have been sat at your desk for over 7 hours! Unless of course, you have a needy dog like mine, who tells me when it’s time for a walk!
- Get Organised!
There are many things in the workplace you may have no control over, and this is the biggest challenge when you live with anxiety. However, there are so many things you can do to help you feel organised and more in control of what needs to be achieved. I must drive my team crazy with my need for planning, super colourful spreadsheets and list making, but these are the things that keep my anxiety at bay daily! Other tools that are super helpful include categorising your emails, planning out your day (for example set aside key times in the day to check your emails), making use of your online calendar and of course, my favourite, a tidy desktop!
- Talk!
I cannot emphasis enough how important talking is, my team will no doubt agree I am ‘the talker’ but I also know how impactful sharing your thoughts and feelings can be. Not everyone is an open book and that’s ok, but it’s also important that your work environment is a safe space so when things do get too much you have an outlet. Talking to just 1 person can really change your mindset, after all, anxiety is fuelled by the thoughts we have, it’s these thoughts that cause us to feel and act in a certain way. Ultimately a good conversation can determine how the rest of your day will go. If you do anything after reading this, please talk! Mental Health is not something that you should hide from, or be ashamed of, and it must be treated as equally important as physical health.
- Employee Benefits!
Does your employer offer any perks? There are many employee schemes out there which are here to support you with mental health. For example, schemes like WPA offer not only financial support with health costs, but you can also access mental health support and doctors’ appointments, sometimes the same day! Another great employee benefit tool which I absolutely love is YuLife, as I get rewarded for spending time on myself, exercising and meditating! Plus, the YuLife leader board creates some healthy competition between me and my team, it encourages me to meditate regularly and become more active, both excellent tools for helping to manage anxiety daily. So, ask your employer if there are any benefit schemes available to you, as there are so many out there to take advantage of and support you on your own mental health journey!
- Love what you do!
My final tip, you must enjoy what you do – if not, this can have a detrimental effect not just on your own mental health, but those around you too. I don’t just mean your career either, it’s important to find some hobbies that you love too. For example, exercise can do wonders for your wellbeing, as it releases lots of endorphins, which equals happiness! Some hobbies you might want to try include gardening, baking, painting or anything that that helps you get creative. If you’re looking for something new to try, I would highly recommend trying out yoga, it’s not as easy as you think but it can do great things for your mind, body, and soul!
Contact us today
There are a number of home care benefits for those that may be suffering with mental health and enable patients to live happier and healthier.
If you are interested in finding more about how our team at Bluebird Care Birmingham West can help with providing specialist care in relation to you or a loved one that may may need support in relation to mental health, then please reach out to us by calling our team on 0121 803 6787 or sending us an email on birminghamwest@bluebirdcare.co.uk.
