"Dream, Dream, Dream! Conduct these dreams into thoughts, and then transform them into action."
- Dr. A. P. J. Abdul Kalam
18 Oct 2024
Your general health and well-being can be greatly impacted by your place of employment. Your work can give your life structure, meaning, and purpose in addition to money gains. Additionally, it can give you a feeling of self, boost your confidence, and serve as a significant social outlet.
Working in a bad atmosphere, however, might have the opposite impact and seriously harm your emotional well-being. Nearly 60% of people on the planet are employed . Every employee is entitled to a safe and healthy workplace. Mental health can be protected by work. Good job promotes mental wellness by offering: a means of subsistence; a feeling of self-assurance, accomplishment, and purpose; a chance for wholesome connections and communal integration; and a foundation for regimented practices, among numerous other advantages. Respectable employment can boost social functioning, confidence, and healing for those with mental health issues.
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Strengthening the ability to identify and address mental health issues at work is essential to protecting and promoting mental health at work, especially for managers and other individuals in charge of overseeing others.
WHO suggests the following to safeguard mental health:
Managers who receive mental health training are better able to identify and respond to employees who are suffering emotional distress, develop interpersonal skills like active listening and open communication, and gain a better awareness of how work-related stressors impact mental health and how to manage them;
providing mental health literacy and awareness training to employees in order to increase their understanding of mental health issues and lessen the stigma associated with mental health disorders in the workplace; and measures, such as psychosocial therapies and chances for recreational physical exercise, to help people develop the skills they need to handle stress and lessen mental health symptoms.
Using personal or sick days, or taking some vacation time, might help you recharge and prevent burnout when you're feeling overburdened by the responsibilities of your job. You will require more than a few days off, though, if you suffer from a chronic mental health condition like anxiety or depression.
Taking care of your mental health at work involves more than just addressing current issues. Additionally, it's about advancing wellbeing.
Taking care of your emotional well-being can help you become more resilient, perform better at work, and give you the skills you need to deal with uncertainties and difficulties in the future. The following advice may be useful ~
01. Turn off ~ Maintaining a healthy work-life balance is crucial, regardless of whether you work remotely or on-site. This entails turning off your screens at the end of the workday and taking frequent breaks throughout the day. Focusing on friends and family and taking the time to unwind, rejuvenate, and have fun is more essential than being available around the clock to answer business calls, emails, or other messages.
02. Use relaxing methods ~ It takes more than just dozing off in front of the TV to unwind and recharge. You must trigger your body's relaxation response in order to lessen the negative impacts of stress and safeguard your mental well-being. This can be achieved by engaging in relaxation exercises like yoga, meditation, deep breathing, or rhythmic activity.
03. Look after yourself ~ Your mental health, both at work and outside of it, can be greatly improved by getting enough good sleep at night, maintaining a balanced diet, and engaging in regular exercise. Additionally, you have more control over these areas of your life than you do over many parts of your job.
04. Find Purpose and Significance in Your Work
Even if your job isn’t your passion, there are still ways to find meaning and purpose in it. Focus on how your work benefits others, whether by providing a valuable product or service or by fostering connections with your coworkers. Additionally, you can enhance your sense of purpose by seeking out opportunities for professional development, such as taking relevant classes or receiving further training in your field.
05. Make an effort to communicate and work together ~ Humans are connection-driven creatures. You may reduce stress and improve your mood at work by building connections with your coworkers that are mutually beneficial, working as a team, and having fun together. Be more social during breaks and outside of work, collaborate more closely, and pool resources on projects if you don't already have a close relationship with your coworkers.
06. Develop resilience ~Your ability to withstand the stress, worry, and hopelessness that can result from issues at work increases with your resilience. Developing resilience can also help you stay optimistic and bounce back from setbacks in your personal or professional life. Resilience is not a rigid trait; rather, it is something that takes time and effort to develop and sustain.
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WHO is dedicated to enhancing workplace mental health. Relevant concepts, goals, and implementation techniques are outlined in the WHO Comprehensive Mental Health Action Plan (2013–2030) and the WHO Global Strategy on Health, Environment, and Climate Change to promote mental health in the workplace. These include improving access to evidence-based care through the development of health services, particularly occupational health services; addressing socioeconomic determinants of mental health, such as living standards and working conditions; and decreasing stigma and discrimination. The workplace is a prime example of a setting where transformative action on mental health is required, according to the WHO's 2022 World Mental Health Report: Transforming Mental Health for All.
The WHO's guidelines on mental health at work include evidence-based suggestions for preventing mental health disorders, promoting mental health, and empowering individuals with mental health issues to engage and succeed in the workplace.