WORKPLACE SPECIAL....... PUT YOUR MIND TO IT

PUT YOUR MIND TO IT



Is work getting to you? Well, roll up your sleeves and get down to the business of sorting things out in your head

When it comes to mental health, there are many issues that people face today. According to research, one in 10 people have had to leave a job because of a mental health issue. While a similar number of people have taken days off or been unable to work due to the same reason.

Here is how to cope with stress and other health issues at your workplace.

Watch your breathing

“The easiest way to make a change that works anywhere is to think about your breathing,“ said James Jackson, lecturer of psychology at Leeds Trinity University. “When you breathe in, it speeds up the heart. When you breathe out, the heart slows down. Go somewhere quiet for three minutes and concentrate on breathing in (less than a second), a nd t hen ex haling slowly (more than five seconds). It is simple and effective.“

Look out for your colleagues

If you're in charge of other staff members, part of your job is to care for them. Encouraging a good environment at the workplace is better for businesses. It is in the employer's interest to take steps to promote staff wellbeing. The ones who do will find they're rewarded in terms of more productive, happy staff who are less likely to need time off sick.

Think outside the box

Many people are still put off by t he i m a ge of sel f-help. “ T he most important thing is to open your mind up to new ways to keep calm under pressure,“ said M at t hew Green, an expert in post-traumatic stress disorder.

Adapt your behaviour to your surroundings

What helps you relax on the weekend may not be appropriate at the workplace, and may even be counterproductive in some ways. Try and be aware of how and what you're doing and how it affects you, and moderate your behaviour accordingly.

“It is important to remember that helpful behaviours outside of the workplace don't always help while in the workplace,“ said Jackson.

Look at what's really bothering you

Maybe your job isn't really the problem. It is possible that the job is just triggering something else -an old memory, a bad experience, or another area of concern.

“So many of the mental health problems we face as adults, whether it is depression, anxiety or addiction stem from some form of trau ma,“ said Green.

“And all forms of trauma can leave an imprint in our neurophysiology perhaps something as everyday as being bullied as a child, going through a divorce or losing a job.“ If you can explore these triggers, then help can be found.

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