Prioritising your mental health and wellbeing
28 May 2024
Published in: Black Country Chamber of Commerce News
See our top tips to support your wellbeing and find out what our members are doing to support employees in their organisations.
After marking Mental Health Awareness Week earlier this month, in this blog post we have rounded up some effective habits to promote wellbeing and mindfulness and given you an insight into how our members are supporting their employees in this area. Perhaps you have already implemented a few of these tips or could use some inspiration for what to do next – in which case keep reading below…
Get Moving
Studies show that regular physical activity decreases feelings of stress and anxiety. Though, if the idea of hitting the gym sounds beyond horrifying - as little as 10 minutes of walking is enough to increase alertness and kickstart positive mood changes. If you need more motivation - why not search for your nearest net-walking group to network while on the go or join your local running club or fitness class?
Connect with Others
It is important to spend time cultivating meaningful connections with our communities. This can be an informal catch-up with your colleagues, close family and friends or even socialising with new people in a more relaxed environment. For instance, volunteering is a great way to strike up conversations with new faces while contributing to positive change in the local community.
Unplug from Stress
Perhaps the most difficult tip on the list – especially if your work requires large amounts of screentime – but the benefits of limiting screentime are hard to ignore. In addition to disrupting our natural sleep-wake rhythm, ‘infinite scrolling’ contributes to fatigue and irritability. By avoiding screentime during evenings, you can increase your amount of quality sleep and charge up with plenty of energy for the stuff that matters.
Explore Hobbies
Remember that book you started but never got round to finishing? Or the ingredients you bought which have meandered to the back cupboard? Connecting with hobbies is fundamental when comes to improving cognitive function and releasing stress. So, try switching your mobile for a paperback (or a delicious recipe you’re guaranteed to enjoy).
Get Organised
Did someone say spring cleaning? Tidying up your desk area or home-working space is a brilliant way to reduce brain fog. But what about detoxing your digital space? Now might be the perfect time to give your inbox a declutter, clear old downloads and free up some storage to return to work feeling fresh for the new week ahead.
Share Best Practice
We spoke to our members voestalpine Metsec Plc and Paycare about steps they are taking to support employees and promote mental health within their organisations.
voestalpine Metsec Plc
From July 2024, Metsec will have five employees who have undergone St John Ambulance training in Mental Health First Aid.
They also have an Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) in place through a company called Health Assured, where employees can speak to a trained counsellor about any stress, anxiety, or mental health difficulties they are facing.
Paycare
Paycare’s strategic aim is to ensure a happy and healthy team.
They invest time and resources into initiatives including Mental Health First Aid, wellbeing days, onsite massages, crafts activities, bring your dog to work day, and Feel-Good Fridays (with paid breakfasts and early finishes). Plus, each employee is gifted two volunteering days each year to enrich the local community, and their MyGiving initiative provides them with a £250 cash boost towards their fundraising efforts.
They also offer hybrid working, plus of course access to Health Cash Plans, EAP, and Paycare Perks for discounts on gym memberships, cinema tickets, and family outings.
Learn more about managing mental health in the workplace.
On Thursday 6th June, we are running a 'Managing Mental Health in the Workplace' event in partnership with Kerry Tonks, Mental Health Trainer, and Consultant from Simpila Wellbeing.
During the session we will unpack five-step checklists to help managers to support their teams with practical ‘how to approach’ to promote mental health and wellbeing in your organisation can add value towards reducing absenteeism, boosting presenteeism and workplace morale.
Interested in attending the event?
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