Dealing With Mental Health At Work

 

Today, the subject of this post is going to be all about mental health at work. As some of you may already know, I have my struggles when it comes to mental health. I have been diagnosed with OCD, anxiety and that can lead into periods of depression. For the most part, I feel like I deal with it very well and I try hard to hide it from my colleagues and workplace. However, back in July of 2022, I was going through a rough patch. So rough in fact that any attempt that I made to keep it away from my career was in vain. During that time, I realised that hiding from the issue was no longer going to be effective. I needed to tackle things head on and find a new way to cope. That is what I am going to share today.

 

Speak to people.

The main thing that I will always speak about in a post about mental health is communication. Workplaces should absolutely support people that are having a hard time with their mental health. They have an obligation and a duty of care to you. However, that is not to say that your direct manager or supervisor will always understand what you are going though, Speak to anybody. Share your thoughts, feelings and anything else that you need to get off your chest. It is a hard thing to do, but you need to take that leap. It only gets easier as you speak to more people.

 

Take regular breaks.

Any workplace has an expectation on the work that we do. To earn our money, we need to turn up, do a good job and ensure that they are happy with our contribution. However, one thing that I cannot advocate any higher is ensuring that you take regular breaks. Take some time, whether it is just getting outside and having a single moment of fresh air. Chat to a co-worker about non-work-related things. Just ensure that you are giving your mind a moment to catch up, regulate and get on a journey to get to a better place.

 

Realise your patterns.

When I am in a good space mentally. I have certain routines and patterns. Generally speaking, the same occurs when I am in a more negative mental space. When I get into a deeper mode, I try to think about the patterns and the healthier routines that I maintain when I am in a better head space. Once I recognise them, I then work hard to ensure that I am trying to get back on that path. We will all have certain routines that we follow, but it is just recognising the ones that are beneficial to us and sticking with them.

 

Prioritise your mental health.

I have always felt very lucky that my manager at work is very understanding towards my mental health. Understanding in that, they recognise when I am going through a hard time, and they can be fantastic to talk to. But, one thing to remember is that a business is still a business. They are about the bottom line, profit and revenue. I always keep in the forefront of my mind that if I died tomorrow, they would be recruiting my position the following week. No job is worth sacrificing your mental health for.

 

There is no right or wrong way of dealing with mental health disorders. Neither is there a right way of coping with how you are feeling. For each individual, this will be a different experience and the things I’ve listed above may not work. However, if you are struggling with mental health and the workplace, please do seek help. Whether it is from your friends, family, peers or a professional. It was the best thing that I ever did and even though there was a long waiting list, it was worth it. Be open, trust people and trust me, the more you share, the easier it gets. If you have any other things that could help with mental health at work, please do leave me a comment below and let me know.