We’re all hearing more & more about mental health in general, but there isn’t much discussion about mental health at the workplace.

Pressure at work can completely change a persons personality. Did you know that being under constant stress can ACTUALLY make you physically sick?

A toxic work environment is harmful for your mind, body & soul. The best option would be to look for another job. But OF COURSE I know that is probably not the best option for you! To be fair, many jobs are extremely demanding and though you may change jobs, you might find yourself in a similar pattern unless you change the way you handle your stressful work day. The most mandatory act you need to commit to during your stressful work day is TAKE BREAKS! I’m serious!

Taking breaks increases your productivity & keeps you from feeling burnt out every single day!

Here are some of the most helpful and stress relieving activities you can do throughout your work day to ease off the pressure. Your mental health is top priority. If your workplace doesn’t see eye to eye, maybe it’s time to pay HR a visit! And if you’re self-employed, be kinder to yourself and look after your mental health.

1. Breathe

When things get too stressful at work, you’re in a pinch and can’ t get away for too long, say you need to go out for a quick mental health break. Go outside for a breath of fresh air and practice deep breathing and clear your mind. Just breathing in fresh air will be a welcomed change of environment. If you’re extremely stressed, it’s very likely you’ve got elevated blood pressure. Breathing in fresh air will help bring your blood pressure down and alter your mood! You’ll feel rejuvenated in just a few minutes.

THESE MENTAL HEALTH BREAKS ARE VITAL FOR YOUR OVERALL HEALTH & WELL-BEING

YOU WILL BE A LOT MORE PRODUCTIVE & HAPPIER AT WORK!

2. Emails

If you’re feeling overwhelmed with work emails and are also being pulled in every direction by your colleagues, come up with a methodology to manage your emails better. Use filtering methods for your emails to lighten the load. You’re probably receiving a lot of emails that you are merely CC’d in and don’t require you to respond. So figure out if you can automatically filter CC’d emails that can go into separate folders or choose to do it manually. Don’t waste your energy on emails that don’t require your immediate attention. Another great option is to view emails as a thread. It helps to minimise clutter in your emails and it can be less stressful overall.

IF THERE ARE EMAILS THAT REQUIRE YOUR FEEDBACK BUT YOU’RE PRESSED FOR TIME, CREATE A ‘REPLY’ FOLDER & MOVE THE EMAILS OVER THERE UNTIL YOU CAN GET TO THEM

3. Call

If you don’t have time to leave your office, do take at least a 5-10 minute break & call a friend or family member to divert your mind. Socialising helps to distract yourself from every day anxieties. Try avoiding work related venting & stick to fun related topics instead. You might think that venting will help relieve your stress, but it can just cause further fatigue during your work day. You can choose to vent about work once you’re out of the office, but during the day look for topics that can distract you in a positive manner & elevate your mood.

YOU CAN EVEN MAKE FUN PLANS FOR THE WEEKEND THAT GIVE YOU SOMETHING TO LOOK FORWARD TO AT THE END OF THE WORK WEEK

4. Music

Listen to mood boosting music. Find playlists on Spotify that will help bring you into a positive mood. If you’re feeling angry, choose calming sounds. If you’re feeling exhausted from all the stress, choose fast tempo songs to rejuvenate & re-energise yourself. If you need to calm down, you can listen to sounds of waves crashing, rain pattering or other relaxing sounds.

JUST RELAX YOUR MIND AND BODY

5. Eyes

Look away from the screen & choose to go analogue for making task lists etc. Take mini breaks every half an hour to rest your eyes from your screen. That blue light coming off of your screen is very harmful for your eyes at long periods. You can also reduce the brightness of your screen to reduce the pressure on your eyes that can cause eye strain and can lead to headaches. If your computer or device has a night mode, put it on to reduce the strain on your eyes. Just because they call it night mode, doesn’t mean we can only use it at night! Remember to take mini breaks and look away from your screen often.

LOOK ACROSS THE ROOM OR CLOSE YOUR EYES FOR A FEW SECONDS AS WELL TO GIVE THEM A MUCH NEEDED BREAK!

6. Eat

If you have enough time during your lunch break, leave your office and have a meal or a cup of coffee outside. Get your favourite lunch meal or your favourite hot drink. Sit down and savour every bite or sip of your meal or hot drink. Take a few minutes and just ‘people watch’. You’ll find yourself feeling a lot calmer. Just don’t attend work messages and emails while you’re out.

ENJOY THE NATURE AROUND YOU ON YOUR WALK BACK TO WORK

7. Office Supplies

This isn’t about taking a break but it can help you improve your overall stressful work day and elevate your overall mood. Get yourself some beautiful office supplies! Your office might not splurge on nice stationery, but you’ll be surprised at how pretty notebooks and pens can change your mood. Maybe go for rose gold or copper office supplies.

JUST MAKE SURE YOU GET COLOURS THAT YOU LOVE AND YOU KNOW WILL MAKE YOU FEEL BETTER

8. Snack

When your pinched for time & might not be able to get off your desk, snack on brain-boosting snacks like blueberries, black currants, leafy greens and/or nuts. They help boost your brain function & give you some delicious sugary goodness for your day. You can also have a delicious, freshly squeezed juice if possible, that will keep you hydrated and energised.

SNACKING ON HEALTHY ITEMS CAN HELP BOOST YOUR IMMUNE SYSTEM AT THE WORKPLACE

9. Water

Another mini break idea! Drink more water to help with your stress & anxiety. Of course this sounds crazy, but dehydration can worsen symptoms of stress & anxiety. When the body is dehydrated, it doesn’t function properly due to poor blood flow, the brain can start to lose focus & it becomes very difficult to think.

Decaf green tea is also a great way to reduce your stress levels as well. An amino acid in green tea offers relaxing & calming effects. Decaf is the best option, as caffeine will keep you wired, and we’re looking for relaxing & soothing properties!

But, I don’t want you falling asleep at work either, so analyse what your body needs. It could very well need caffeine, if you’re feeling lethargic and demotivated, coffee or tea might be the kick you need. Learn to ‘listen’ to your body.

DEHYDRATION ALSO PREVENTS ENDORPHINS THAT IMPROVE MOOD & SENSE OF WELL-BEING FROM BEING RELEASED. WITHOUT THESE, IT CAN CONTRIBUTE TO STRESS & ANXIETY. SO DRINK YOUR WATER!

These are just ideas to help motivate you to take breaks throughout your workday & look after your mental health at work. Needless to say, you can apply these principles in any scenario, whether you work or are a student. I really hope these tips will be useful for you and you’ll do your best to be more mindful at work.

HEALTH IS WEALTH! PHYSICAL & MENTAL. SO DON’T NEGLECT YOURSELF!