Take some time in your work life to look after your mental health

The new spring season is a great reason to do a mental health spring clean. Whether it’s eating right or cleaning out the desk draws, here are some tips for better Mental (and Physical) health.

Make a list
Lists are great ways to stop you from becoming overwhelmed with your tasks at work (and at home). Write down some big things you want to accomplish and some smaller things, too.

Check the list regularly
Don’t forget to check in and see how you’re doing. Just because you don’t achieve the big goals right away doesn’t mean you’re not making progress.

Reward yourself
When you succeed in achieving a goal, be it a big one or a small one, make sure you recognise it and celebrate it

Move

Make sure that you add in time to move! This can be at what ever pace suits you. Remember to take regular breaks from your screen. a minimum of 5 minutes every hour is recommended. Get up to make a tea, go for a walk, look at exercises you can do at work.

The NHS has some great resources:

Get active - Better Health - NHS (www.nhs.uk)

Eat well

We all know we need to eat well, but do we? I know that I don't always eat perfectly, and we don't expect anyone else to. However, small wins are better than none, and food swaps are great way to create small changes.

Eat well - NHS (www.nhs.uk)

Engage and relax

We all know how consuming work can be, so put aside enough time to do the things you love. Even just relaxing in front of the TV or using social media offers valuable time to decompress. However, it's best to avoid this becoming the only relaxing activity you do, as there are times when this becomes less healthy and starts to become detrimental.

Sleep

In terms of mental health, sleep is key. But did you know, sleep deprivation can have serious safety implications. Everyone is different and can operate on different amounts of sleep. but aim for 6-8 hours. Women need more sleep than men, some studies show.......

If you struggle to sleep, the NHS has some good information;

 Sleep problems - Every Mind Matters - NHS (www.nhs.uk)

Looking after your mental health is so important, I've seen stress and burnout affect the most unlikely of people, and suffered burnout myself.

Talk to us about ensuring your staff are Healthy and Safe:

saferenvironmentltd@gmail.com