5 Vital Tips on How to Improve Mental Health at Work

To enjoy your work, you need to be in a good mental space. Your mental health is extremely important to living a pleasant life, just like how your physical and emotional health are important. The age-old thought that an employee’s mental health is no one else’s business is way behind us. It’s vital to understand both your own mental health needs and your peers, as it impacts everything from productivity to communication. Below we’ve listed out some tips about how to improve mental health at work, so you can leave each day feeling fulfilled and capable.

Reduce the Stigma

This is something that needs to happen each day. It’s a process that will not truly be completed, but it’s vital for people to feel comfortable in the workplace. Even if you’re not a boss, being open about mental health issues and communicating about difficulties can help others recognize that it’s nothing to be ashamed of. If you’re in a leadership role, talking about stress management, self-care, and mental health in meetings and emails can reduce the stigma associated with mental illness.

Make Wellness a Priority

Though it’s always important to get your work done, there needs to also be an emphasis on making overall wellness a priority. Steps need to be taken each day as an employee, and as a leader, to ensure that people understand their wellness is more important than the job. The more this is emphasized in a work place, the less stress there will be around the idea of mental health.

Take a Vacation

Chances are, you’re ignoring the signs pointing you toward taking a much-needed vacation from work. The truth is, these vacations can play a huge role in your overall mental health at work. If you can’t remember the last time you took a break, or if your stress is sky-high, then a trip can do wonders for your passion and motivation. Taking breaks play a big part in your ability to bounce back from bad days.

Emphasize Relationship Building

People tend to cringe when team building is brought up, but it’s important for a reason. The idea of bringing people together to create a stronger work force—especially one that focuses on each individual’s growth and prosperity—can do wonders to make people feel included and important in the office. This inclusion is very important to establish and improve mental health at work. The more relationships built and the more support provided, the better people will feel when they step into work each day.

Be an Active Listener

Being an active listener is one of the most vital tips on this list. If you want people to feel comfortable in the office, you need to constantly show them you’re actively listening. This goes further than just hearing others speak—it means taking action when someone comes to you with an issue and following up with them to make sure it’s resolved. If improving mental health is important to your company, then being a good listener should stay at the top of your list of ways to get there.