What’s your Headspace in the Workplace?
Let’s be honest, it’s a sizeable chunk of our waking hours that most of us spend working…
Is it really any wonder that mental health is so strongly linked to how we feel in the workplace? Should we really be surprised by the extent that our job can take a toll on our mood?
If you’re constantly feeling stressed, overwhelmed, or under pressure while at work, then chances are that you might feel those similar emotions when you get home at the end of the day... If you’re irritated and frustrated in the workplace, no wonder you’re grumpy by the time you get home! And if you’re bored, under-challenged and unmotivated, does that also channel through to how you feel about your life in general?
Awareness around Mental Health in the workplace is gaining traction, and so it should! Happy staff make productive staff who are motivated, engaged, and invested in their job. And of course, this funnels through to so many other aspects of life - life satisfaction, relationships, and even physical health.
So pause for a moment and reflect… What’s your headspace in the workplace?
Here are our 5 top tips for a healthy relationship with your work.
1. Connect with your colleagues
Social engagement with your peers in the workplace provides an opportunity for connection, collaboration, knowledge exchange, and fostering a sense of community within the team. Who else could provide better support and understanding about the challenges you face at work than someone who is also facing those same challenges? Your colleagues are in the same working environment, and may either be struggling with the same things, or have strategies to deal with them!
Facilitate better communication and connection between employees to improve collective wellbeing.
Consider...
Could you go over to your colleague for a chat, instead of sending an email?
Why not take a few minutes out of your Monday to ask about their weekend while you’re there?
Is there scope for team building days to be implemented in your workplace?
Could the team contribute to shared morning tea’s to celebrate each other's significant life events?
2. Pace yourself
It’s a marathon, not a sprint! Allowing yourself short breaks throughout the day - to get away from the computer, do some stretches, eat a nourishing snack / lunch, or simply to give your brain a rest - will help you to get to the end of the day feeling your best.
If you work in a sedentary / desk based role, consider taking ‘movement’ breaks - getting away from the computer for a brisk walk, some stretches, or even simply to stand up for a few minutes.
If you work in a physical role, consider taking stretching breaks to combat the physical tasks that you’ve been doing throughout the day.
If your job is cognitively or socially demanding, why not try finding a quiet space to do some mindfulness or meditation?
Pacing yourself by taking proper breaks, ensuring movement throughout the day, and refueling the tank with nourishing foods will help to promote more stable energy levels throughout the day. You’ll get to the end of the day having accomplished more, while feeling better in the process!
3. Work / life balance
Sometimes it can be hard to switch out of ‘work’ mode, and back to ‘life’ mode at the end of the day, but being able to take your mind away from work is hugely important for your mental health. Yes, work is important and can be very meaningful, but so are your family and friends. So are your hobbies. Work forms a big part of your identity, but it is not ALL of who you are!
Setting structured work hours can be helpful to ensure that you maintain a healthy balance between work time and personal time. It can take discipline to switch off, but you’ll probably find that you are more productive during your work hours if you do!
You may wish to try...
Only responding to work related messages within work hours
Turning off email notifications outside of work hours
Having a clear distinction between your work space and your home / personal space
Having other hobbies or social involvement outside of work can also help with this. By forming a full and diverse life outside of work, your personal identity expands to include more than just your occupation! This helps to build resilience and a buffer against any highs or lows that may arise within the workplace.
4. Know the signs of burnout
‘Burnout’ was first described by Herbert Freudenberger in 1974 as a state of reduced motivation or incentive for achieving work related tasks, coupled with a decline in work performance. It typically develops as a result of long term job stress, but may also be impacted by personal stressors or life events, as well as personality traits such as perfectionism and pessimism.
Have you been feeling exhausted or easily overwhelmed lately?
In a negative headspace and lacking the usual drive to do work tasks?
Do you feel like your work performance has started to drop, simply because you’ve just been trying to do too much for too long?
If you are noticing these signs and symptoms (or suspect it in your colleagues) you may need to make some changes to your work environment. Speak to your supervisor or manager, and see what the options are to help prevent symptoms of burnout from developing into a more chronic or severe condition.
5. Ensure your self-care practices are in place.
It’s not all about what happens within the workplace… Set yourself up for success by taking care of your physical health too! The main four pillars to address are diet, sleep, stress management, and of course - exercise! If you need some help to make sure that you’re ticking off those most basic self care practises, check out our Wellness Checklist.
It can also help to know what recharges your batteries, and what drains them. Do you feel best after a walk in nature, a coffee with a friend, a guided meditation or a yoga class?
Use it as part of your self care practise, so that you have a go-to remedy for when times get tough!
A more positive headspace in the workplace can be achieved with just a few simple tweaks to how you go about your day. Why not try one of these 5 tips and see what difference you notice?
Author: Yolanda van Vugt
