The Importance of Workplace Routine and Connection
You might think time off work is the best solution for someone with a mental health condition — think again.
If I asked you to name someone who hasn’t experienced stress at work, I’d be surprised to hear you list more than one name.
There’s a healthy level of stress that helps us power through to meet a looming deadline. Then there’s the stress that follows us home at night and continues to fill our minds as we try to switch off and rest.
But for those whose stress has morphed into anxiety or depression, it can impact their ability to meet the requirements of their job. When this occurs, it’s usually expected that employees take some time off work. Stress can lead to a mental health issue when it’s preventing us from relying on our usual copy strategies to regulate our mood. Stress might stop you from going to your regular catch-up with friends, attending yoga classes or finding time to get outside for some headspace.
As someone who has felt anxious during sick days, I know that sitting at home in my PJs trying to relax is not always possible when I know things are still going on at work.
Obviously, being at work whilst you are experiencing a mental health condition can be extremely difficult. And, I’m not suggesting everyone should return to work whilst they’re in this situation. What I am saying is that workplaces can play a vital role in offering support and structure to ensure employees feel at ease, empowered and comfortable to be open about their mental health.
Workplaces have a legal obligation to make reasonable changes for employees with a mental health condition. Minimising workload, cutting down to four days a week or changing line managers could help improve our experience at work.
As ‘connection’ and ‘belonging’ have become fond favourites in our wellbeing vocabulary, many of us will be familiar with the idea that staying connected can significantly improve our overall wellbeing — ever since the Five Ways to Wellbeing was released and shared far and wide.
A sense of purpose
Maintaining a sense of purpose has been noted as being able to improve our overall happiness. A job, for a lot of people, offers purpose. Staying at home and being physically and mentally detached from your job can mean that this sense of purpose starts to fade away.
A healthy level of distraction
In some cases, distraction isn’t always the best answer. But for some, maintaining a daily routine and being distracted by the tasks and events in the workplace can offer some time away from overthinking. When we have a lot of spare time on our hands, some of us can start to ruminate. This is the process of repetitively thinking over an incident or problem and coming to no conclusion. Having a conversation in the work kitchen, hosting a presentation or participating in a meeting can all offer us ways to focus on the present, rather than our own thoughts. Just to note, distraction isn’t the best remedy for addressing mental health issues. But in healthy doses, it can offer a holiday from your thoughts.
A feeling of achievement
Getting up on time, showering and arriving at work can feel like a huge sense of achievement for many of us. Especially when we are tired, not feeling too shabby or are dealing with ongoing mental health issues. Finishing the day knowing you went into work, ticked off some tasks, had a nice lunch and read a chapter of a book can be a huge sense of achievement. This can lead to feelings of pleasure and feed into our sense of purpose.
An opportunity to give back
Asking your colleagues about their weekend, how they are doing or chatting about your latest Netflix fad, helps to support others in the workplace too. By checking in regularly with others, you’re not only boosting your own sense of connection but ensuring others feel comfortable and supported.
