Your mental health MOT
This topic can be overwhelming, so we’ve broken it down into 3 easy steps – these may sound simple, but sometimes it’s the smallest things that can make the biggest difference:
Mental or physical?
We can often confuse – unintentionally or intentionally – mental heath struggles with physical ones, and can be quick to write off feeling down, anxious or upset as having had a poor night’s sleep, feeling tired or sore from exercise or suffering a headache from staring at a screen.
Once you get to know the differences between the mental and physical aspects of fatigue, you’ll understand your body and your own personal symptoms of low mood or stress and be able to more effectively treat your body and mind to what it needs. A simple test can be to make sure you’re hydrated – if the fog lifts and your head feels a bit clearer it may be physical, if not, our next two tips may help.
Open up
Speaking up about how you’re feeling can be difficult – whether it’s to colleagues or friends – and many of us avoid it in case we turn a social situation awkward by starting a tricky conversation. But this is exactly the reason we should be having more frequent chats about how we’re really feeling, above and beyond “yeah good, you?” If you notice a team-mate is more reserved than usual, or seems distracted or uninterested, rather than asking if they’re okay, which can easily be batted away, ask questions that offer practical help, or the opportunity to open up without them being the instigator.
This helpful checklist from MHFA England gives examples of way to check in with friends, colleagues, and others – as well as yourself.
Take a break
If it all gets a bit overwhelming – take a break. This can look different for everyone, for some people it might mean turning off your phone’s notifications (or turning off your phone altogether!), for others it might be a short meditation, box breathing or going for a walk.
For a lot of people, too much technology can be a trigger to feeling stressed and anxious – look around you, chances are there’s a laptop, a desktop screen, a phone, a television, maybe a radio too? Removing yourself from this environment can be like a reset button for your brain – and your mood – before either getting yourself back in the zone later in the day, or winding down completely and starting again tomorrow.
For others, a lack of movement can lead to feelings of mental and physical fatigue, and as more and more of us move back to working in an office for the majority of the week, the pressures of a to-do list and a more formal atmosphere can make taking a break for a stroll around the nearest park feel more daunting than it did when we were working from home. If you can’t get out during the day, extend your commute by getting on or off the bus, train or tube a stop or two early (where sensible!) to get yourself moving at the beginning or end of the day with a power walk.
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