Thrive Global: Small Ways to Take Care Of Your Mental Health at Work

Take regular breaks

“I take care of my mental health by setting boundaries with my work and by taking breaks. I set boundaries with my work by making sure that I don’t overwork myself and give myself time to rest."

—Kristin Marquet, business owner, New York, New York

Declutter your workspace

“When I become overwhelmed with tasks, a challenge, or a hurtful comment; I pause, and take a few minutes to clean my space. This practice of clearing your space to clear your mind is known as mise en place in the cooking world and it is immensely useful.”

— K. Sweitzer, project manager, Bellingham, WA

Aim for progress over perfection

“As a recovering perfectionist, I strive for B+ work, and I remind myself that work that is well and done on time is better than striving to do something perfectly and not finishing at all. To help accomplish this, I time block everything. I give myself a certain amount of time to do everything on my to do list."

—Alana Van Der Sluys, certified intuitive eating counselor and English teacher, NJ

Reframe your stress

“One way that I take care of my mental health at work is by not entertaining the word ‘stress.’ Instead, I replace it with challenges or experiences. Our world is filled with all types of chaos and things that are totally out of our control, as well as things that we can control."

—Marcia Sterling-Craig, billing representative, Orlando, FL

Plan something to look forward to after work

“Mental health is important, and the rise of remote work took away a lot of the human connection we once felt at work. I find it helpful to plan a get-together with friends."

—Archana kini, psychotherapist and counselor

Talk to your manager about taking a mental health day

"It takes a lot of courage to share your vulnerabilities at the workplace but it keeps me sane. Whenever I hit a rock bottom, I tell them how I feel and why I need some time to myself. There have been days that I’ve taken leaves, stating my mental health as a reason."

—Pavithra Sekar, community engagement specialist, Chennai, India

Create awareness among teammates

"I created an employee resource group at work called Mental Health Advocates, as a safe space for over 100 staff members. It brings me great joy and pride to know that we are supporting each other in this critical way in a time that is extremely hard on our collective mental health, and it supports my own mental health at work.”

—Macey Cox, HR specialist, Alexandria, VA

Take stretching breaks

“To take care of my well-being while I work, I have become rather disciplined in getting up from my desk every hour and doing a few postural alignment stretches. I find this re-energizes both my body and mind."

—Candice Tomlinson, coach and hypnotherapist, Sydney, Australia.

Pause to take a walk

“Go for a short walk during lunch break. I find it extremely beneficial to have a real break for lunch time; getting out of the room and spending a short time outdoors really helps bring my stress levels down. It allows me to truly disconnect from work for a while, have a rest from the screen, the noise, and sometimes tensions."

—Isabel Galiano, cancer coach, Singapore

Set healthy boundaries

"Set your boundaries and plan time to have some head space in the morning and decompression space in the evening. Don’t be afraid to ask to help at work when you are very overwhelmed. Remember, employers, are nothing without a mentally healthy workforce.”

—Jolene Monaco, certified professional organizer, Dallas, TX

Remind yourself to stay present

"When I’m at work I seek to be fully engaged, and when I’m with my kids I shift to be present and engaged. Mind the resistance and be fully present where you are. The next step is letting go. Whether holding on to the pain of the past or clinging to precious memories of the ‘good ole’ days,’ choose each day to let go."

—Josh Neuer, licensed professional counselor, Greenville, SC

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Reflection;

What are some ways you could take care of yourself at work?

#MentalHealth #Work #SelfCare