Maintaining Mental Health in the Workplace

By: Jason Boone, Client Growth Director at Thnks

May is mental health awareness month, but the topic of mental and emotional well-being is an important one to focus on year-round. The U.S. Department of Labor estimates that 1 in 5 Americans will experience some form of mental illness each year. An emphasis on maintaining mental health is crucial in transitional times, since those often come with difficult emotional experiences. Given the state of the world around us, many more people could be dealing with burnout, anxiety, or depression. The world doesn’t end at our front door either — the issues we bring to work will come home and those we experience at home will impact our workplace performance.

Practicing patience, mindfulness, and gratitude are all ways to combat the slumps that can come with change or difficult times. As we spend more time improving our own well-being, we can be ready to show up as the best version of ourselves when work and personal demands call for it.

In difficult times, these six principles have helped me to stay grounded and focused on the path to a healthier mental state in the workplace.

1. Gratitude. According to Forbes, "While several studies link gratitude to enhanced physical health—reduced stress, a stronger immune system, improved sleep quality and lower blood pressure, to name a few benefits—practicing gratitude can also improve mental health in some pretty meaningful ways."

2. Mindfulness. The more mindful you are, the more you’ll notice the things in life to be grateful for. The more grateful you are, the more mindful you can be of the little moments that you might otherwise miss. 

3. Being Coachable. Being able to take a step back to ask for help and pay attention to feedback isn’t easy, but it’s critical in striving towards that best version of yourself. 

4. Staying Confident. A successful mindfulness practice allows you to mentally weather the storms that would otherwise leave you feeling low. Staying confident in the fact that your practice is improving your mental and emotional strength allows you to find balance when those storms come. 

5. Committing to Consistency. Your mind is just another muscle, and to get to the results you want you’ll need to consistently train the same way you would focus on any other muscle group in the gym. This gets easier as you learn to love the journey itself — not just the destination. 

6. Being Courteous. Practicing courtesy supports a top level of mental wellness - it’s about putting out the energy you want to receive. (It doesn’t hurt being courteous to yourself too!)

Interested in learning more? Sign up for a demo, or click here to learn more about expressing gratitude in business!