Supporting Mental Health in Our Businesses

Working in the People and Culture space I am often asked as to how to best support clients from a mental health perspective.

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.