WORLD MENTAL HEALTH DAY

Monday, October 10 is World Mental Health Day. As a business (with global reach) committed to transforming lives through health and happiness, Wellness Collective strives to increase awareness and honor the significance of mental well-being, as a primary agent to personal wellness along with physical, spiritual and environmental health.

The World Health Organization considers this day “a day to reconnect … to provide us with an opportunity to rekindle our efforts to protect and improve mental health.” The COVID-19 pandemic challenged many faucets of mental health, and with one in five adults in the U.S. living with a mental health condition yearly (one in eight globally), now is the time to take collective action.

In the workplace, evidence-based mental health strategies, tools and techniques can be incorporated into our workday to cultivate well-being. Here are 10 supportive strategies you can utilize to mitigate distress and foster resiliency at work. 

  • Foster an increased awareness of how you think, feel and behave. Awareness is the first step to determine what is needed to cultivate and/or maintain well-being.

  • Use the HALT method. Determine if you are hungry, angry, lonely or tired to help target specific needs in maintaining balance.

  • Incorporate grounding techniques to remain calm. Grounding techniques use all five senses to support staying centered and in the present moment.

  • Practice self-compassion. According to Kristen Neff, the definition of self-compassion is “being warm and understanding towards ourselves when we suffer, fail, or feel inadequate, rather than ignoring our pain or bombarding ourselves with self-criticism.”

  • Widen your window of tolerance. A term coined by Dan Siegel, M.D., to explain the optimal zone within the central nervous system, your zone is when you feel safe, secure and connected.

  • Alleviate anxiety with the three Rs. Research shows routines, relationships and regulation supports anxiety relief.

  • Change the brain through mindful moments. Practicing mindfulness activates neuroplasticity in which the brain changes due to focused attention.

  • Engage the power of connection. Have conversations with colleagues on a connected level beyond get to know you activities and icebreakers.

  • Focus on the basics. Boost communication and social skills to strengthen relationships.

  • See something, say something. If you notice a change in appearance, behavior or routine of yourself or a colleague, this is an indicator of mental distress.

Seeking support is a sign of strength. If you or someone you know is struggling, or to learn more about what you can do in observance of World Mental Health Day, contact me at lara@wellnesscollective.com.

The nation's mental health crisis line has a phone number that is easier to remember: 9-8-8. All calls to the previous National Suicide Prevention Lifeline (800-273-8255) are being routed to this resource. Mental health experts and advocates rolled out the simplified contact plan and explained that they want it to be as memorable as 9-1-1 or 2-1-1. This free resource is available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, and connects individuals experiencing mental health, substance abuse, emotional distress or suicidal crises with trained crisis counselors.

To Access:

Read answers to Frequently Asked Questions about this service. Download a printable fact sheet.

Employees have spoken, and they are looking to employers to champion mental health and to establish a culture of fairness. Fairness does not mean the same for everyone. Fairness individualizes the needs of their employees and instills an overall sense of compassion and connection. Mental well-being impacts not only the individual, but families, communities and societies at home and abroad. Considering the World Health Organization’s campaign to prioritize mental health and well-being globally, let us shine our light on the topic.

Visit World Health Organization to find out more about the impact of mental health across the globe.

 Author: Lara Uher

Katy Tombaugh