David Westgate is a Mental Health Ambassador for Assure Programs, Speaker for the Black Dog Institute, and bipolar 1.

#assure #getbacktowork

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David Westgate is a:

• Mental Health Ambassador for Assure Programs
• Speaker for the Black Dog Institute
• Master Mental Health First Aid trainer
• and bipolar 1.

#newyearresolutions #assureprograms #blackdoginstitute

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On the surface, it makes sense. But every time I try and work faster my mind spins like a top. All of a sudden, I’m bouncing between emails, SMS messages, diary notations and various projects like a pinball.

By the end of the day, my desk looks like Oklahoma farmland following a twister and my anxiety is through the roof.

Perhaps I am more productive, but by the end of the week I am shattered. Meanwhile, Jack with his penny-a-day looks pretty pleased with himself.

So, take my advice. Find a pace that works for you and stick with it. You may not be wealthier, but you will be happier. A philosophy fully endorsed by the twentieth-century economic paper, The Tortoise and the Hare.

David Westgate is a speaker for the Black Dog Institute, Mental Health Ambassador for Assure Programs and bipolar 1.

#productivuty #sheeridiocy #assureprograms

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Now I appreciate not everyone is an old fart with bipolar 1, but a potential anxiety disorder or bout of depression can still be avoided in the same way.

If it’s your first time, you may not know where your health is taking you, but you’ll know it’s taking you somewhere. Perhaps you’re not sleeping well, or feeling constantly irritable, or worried for no apparent reason.

That’s the time to reach out to a GP who knows about mental health. Right then and there. Not two-months later, when you have fully blown depression or an anxiety disorder and a long road to recovery.

I promise you, mental illness is far better stopped than experienced.

David Westgate is a Speaker for the Black Dog Institute and Mental Health Ambassador for Assure Programs. dkwest@tpg.com.au  

 #signsandsymptoms #mentalhealth #assureprograms #blackdoginstitute

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I’ve never been sure whether it’s part of my mental health, my personality, or my love of writing. Whatever, I don’t think it’s all that healthy for you.

One thing I am sure is that taking up residence between your ears is even more tempting when you’re living through a lockdown. Other than immediate family or housemates, human interaction is limited to zoom meetings and emails.

And at a time when you would expect phone calls to be going through the roof, mine have fallen through the floor. I’ve also deleted Facebook and Instagram.

As for Freedom Day, well, I haven’t been doing backflips to get back to the pub or people in general. In many ways, I’ve become a track-suited hermit – and I don’t think I’m the only one.

If any of this resonates with you, please take care. This is not a good way to keep your mental health, healthy. In fact, it’s the opposite.

The longer you live with the shutters pulled down, the more likely it is for anxiety and depression to come knocking. And they’re more than happy to rattle around with you as their only company. In fact, they’ll do anything to keep you in your head and away from the rest of the world.

So, as soon as you get the chance, shut down your computer, grab your mask, and get out and about. It’s a hell of a lot healthier living out there than it is in here. Covid or no Covid.

David Westgate is a speaker for the Black Dog Institute and Mental Health Advocate for Assure Programs.

#mentalhealth #apm #assureprograms #humanresources

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Enough is enough! He may be your closest work colleague but the regular wolf whistles directed at females on site must stop. This ugly problem has only surfaced since your FIFO mining company recently started to appoint women. It’s obvious these young women are shocked and uncomfortable but unsure what to do. Up until now you’ve stayed silent, hoping things will get better. It hasn’t. But how will you go about confronting this behaviour, after all he’s a dear friend?

This article is designed to help employees confront biased expressions in others, but in a way that preserves their positive impression of you. In essence, how to still be likeable when confronting bias expressed by colleagues.

Poorly handled situations like these can have devastating consequences for those willing to call out bias.  Not only might you be thought of negatively, but the situation could also get dangerous as hostility and aggression creeps in. When this happens you can kiss goodbye any hope of achieving what you set out to do – reduce bias expressions in others at work.

Here are four considerations, when calling out bias that can help prevent further expressions of bias from others and help you remain the hero.

1. Who is doing the confronting?

Are you the best person to call out the bias? Take the earlier example. If a female were to complain about the wolf whistling, she would likely be seen as overly sensitive, a whiner, even a troublemaker. That’s because she’s seen ‘as one of them’. In contrast if a male, a member of the non-targeted group, stood up they would be perceived as more genuine with less to gain by taking a stance.

So next time you observe a biased response or comment from a colleague, first decide if you are the best person to call it out. If not, have an ally who is part of the non-targeted group (tip – these are often white men) speak up on your behalf.

2. Your confrontation style matters

How should you deliver what you want to say? Will you ride your emotions and go in hard and strong, or will you be meek and mild (eg rolling one’s eyes*) to get your point across?

Here’s a table contrasting different confrontation styles. It’s true calling out bias may not win you popularity points, however, doing it the wrong way will definitely have negative consequences.

Calm & Assertive Confrontation style e.g. “You really ought to try to think about gay people in a less prejudice way”	Hostile, Aggressive & Threatening Confrontation Style e.g.“Get over yourself, you’re being a homophobic asshole”
Focus on the Behaviour e.g. “That joke isn’t funny, it’s derogatory towards women”	Focus on the Person e.g. “You’re sexist”
Appeal to Principles of Fairness e.g. “I’ve seen you stick up for the underdog before”	Excuse or Explain Away Someone’s Bias Response e.g. “This is a one off, I know deep down you’re not biased”

(*Forget the eye gymnastics as rarely will the person acting in a biased way even notice!)

3. How convincing are you?

When calling out bias, avoid the use of ambiguous or weak arguments to describe what’s wrong with the behaviour. 

For example, using our opening wolf whistling scenario, a weak argument might be, “I know you’re just trying to be friendly, complimenting these young female recruits. But you know it’s not politically correct, however well intentioned.”

Instead, be clear and specific about why this is a biased response and how its impacts are serious.  

For example, and in contrast to the above statement “Not only does a wolf whistle demean a women’s role in society as an object to be judged and commented on, but it also perpetuates a power imbalance. Over time it becomes the default that undermines the value of women in our society. This thinking can lead some men to believe the more serious abuses of women is acceptable. Tolerating even minor sexist incidents won’t help change this, that’s why I’m bringing it to your attention now.”

4. What type of bias are you confronting – not all biases are equal?

Be prepared. You’ll meet greater resistance when calling out a sexist joke or comment than a racial one. It’s argued many people are unconcerned about subtle forms of sexism. Potentially because of the power imbalance between men and women that is so deeply entrenched in our society. There is a general lack of awareness, recognition and understanding of the harmful consequences of sexism. All of which should provide further weight to the need to offer convincing evidence of the existence and consequences of gender bias.

Yvonne is M.A.D About Bias

Yvonne Bowyer founded M.A.D About Bias to help workplaces and employees learn how to look for bias, catch it and shine a light on it. Yvonne offers speaking, training and consultancy services to unleash the human capital in workplaces helping them prosper. With programs directed at all employees, leaders and HR professionals.

She draws from the evidence based, Bias-Habit-Breaking Intervention, because it works. And she’s all about being M.A.D. making a difference. 

If you would like to discuss then please connect via the connection below or email.

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Okay, we have experienced unique scenarios over the last 18 months, and I suspect we will continue to do so over the coming months, but the mental health challenges that both leaders and employees, and our family and friends, are experiencing are not as unique as we think.

There is a justifiably heightened awareness from businesses as to the issues employees face as we manage the ongoing aspects of new ways including juggling lock downs and all associated aspects of working. Specifically what does this mean in respect to performance expectations, productivity, and managing family and personal commitments.

Equally we cannot assume that we survived 2020 and so that means 2021 will be the same. We will need to re-assess quickly to ensure that people leaders and employees understand but very importantly feel supported in either an extended or different way or working.

Part of the integrated solution could be to engage with a specialist such as David Westgate, thus my introduction and seeking his insights in this time that many of us are working from home more than what we would like to …

Leaving work for the day, when you work from home.

Even when we were all working together in offices, it could be tough leaving work for the day – at least, for our minds. For some reason known best to them, they’re not always as keen to down tools as our bodies are.

I would often find mine mulling over work stuff long after the rest of me was slumped on the lounge at home. It was the kind of stuff that would wake me at 3am. Or cause my wife’s eyes to glaze over as I recounted what a dick-head Denise from accounts was.

But now so many of us are working from home, leaving our work behind can seem all but impossible. After all, it’s just a room away. So, if you’re having trouble stopping for the day try this simple exercise:

1. At the start of the day, pick a time that you’d like to stop work and set your alarm. When it goes off, turn off your computer and tidy your desk. Oh, and write a to-do list for the next day as it will stop your mind from trying to put one together in the middle of the night.
2. Head out your front door and walk down the street to a park, a neighbour’s front fence or anywhere else that provides a bit of privacy.
3. Now sit yourself down, plant your feet firmly on the ground, straighten your back, put your hands on your knees and hold your head up nice and straight.
4. Next, spend five minutes breathing slowly and deeply through your nose. Right down into your belly. You’ll find it incredibly calming and still your mind. These 300 seconds are your official ‘work’s finished whistle’ for your overwound mind. Work thoughts begone!
5. Having done that, walk back to your front door and ring the doorbell. When it’s answered yell out, “Honey I’m home!” even if it’s only to your flatmate, goldfish or cat.
6. Step inside, sit on your lounge, enjoy a drink, and ask anyone in sight, “How was your day?”
7. Do not watch too much news if you are prone to sadness.

It couldn’t be easier, and it couldn’t be more important.

Who is…

David Westgate has lived with bipolar 1 all his adulthood. It’s a roller-coaster mental illness known for its depression, anxiety, and manic highs. That said, David has also built a successful career in advertising, enjoys a marriage of 37-years, and has helped raise two wonderful daughters.

Today, he works as a Mental Health trainer, corporate speaker for the Black Dog Institute, and serves on a mental health action group for Australia’s largest life insurer, TAL.

If you would like to discuss a support model for your business, then please connect via the connection below or email.

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