From Discourse to Practice: Prioritizing Mental Health and Well-Being

“The concept of how one takes care of themselves is a deeply personal one. Mental health and well-being is a business imperative that requires us to take care of ourselves and our teams so we can all be our best self.”

Some of you may know us simply by our place of work, by our titles, or by our resumes. And while yes we are all of those things, there’s more to us than a black-and-white, 8.5x11” piece of paper.

We are spouses.

We are parents – and yes, felines count.

One of us is nuts about nature. Another is a SoulCycle connoisseur. And the last is a heavy-HITTer.

So it should come as no surprise that taking care of ourselves – our bodies, our minds, and our souls – is a priority that we don’t take for granted.

Championing well-being is not just for ourselves. It’s for working parents, younger practitioners preparing for grad school, for those who sometimes just need to take a walk and breathe. As long time colleagues, the three of us have been united by our common leadership in emphasizing well-being discourse and practice.

Conversations on well-being and mental health and the sharing of these practices should be the norm instead of the exception. By reflecting on some of the lessons we’ve learned – and are still learning –we hope to continue a culture of open dialogue.

1.      Intentionality is Key:

When it comes to your well-being – whether that’s going home and watching the last season of Game of Thrones (and being upset with THAT ending) or going on a run listening your favorite Drake song – you have to be intentional. Carving out time for the things that ground you is important because here’s the truth: work will take as much time as you give it.

Be deliberate and purposeful with your well-being. “No” isn’t always a bad word because we can tell you from experience: Your daughter’s violin concert is a moment you don’t want to miss. Reminiscing with an old college friend over dinner is valuable. Being present as your children sing “Baby Shark” at the dinner table is a memory you’ll cherish.

Put simply, sometimes it’s okay to put yourself (and those in your personal life) first. Work will always be there. For us to show up and be our best self, we have to take time to find the activities that energize us. Whether you’re a seasoned professional or are joining the workforce straight from Boston University (Go Terriers!), it’s all the same: We’re committed to living the principles of work-life balance and well-being and supporting an exceptional talent experience.

2.      Lead By Example:

Our manifestations of well-being are different.

For Brendan, a father of three, this means being home for dinner at least three times a week and helping the kids with homework. Decimals are no joke, you guys.

For Chandan, meditating for 40 minutes provides an opportunity to slow things down and reflect.

For Kwasi, spending time exploring a new city with his wife, Kate, is an outlet to refresh (and try some new food along the way).

Regardless of how we practice well-being, our intention is the same: Promoting an environment in which it is okay for everyone to place their mental health, their well-being, and the things that are valuable to them at the forefront.

Work (and the successful execution of work) is reliant on teams. Successful teams support and count on one another so that when someone has to leave early to help their child make a model of the plant cell (mitochondria included, of course) or attend a late-afternoon graduate class they can do so.

So, whether you work at a non-profit, in health care, or are on the path to Partner, Principal, or Managing Director with us, you recognize that you deserve a long and healthy career that emphasizes your well-being.

3.      Practice Patience:

Well-being has a different denotation for every individual. Each one of us manifests this idea differently – whether that’s reading Michelle Obama’s “Becoming” or grilling on the patio. The point being that there really is no exact science for how to practice well-being.

Prioritizing our own well-being and mental health is more of an art, a process that we are still figuring out as individuals. As our careers have progressed, just like yours will, well-being has sometimes taken a backseat to proposals or impromptu late nights. That’s a byproduct of our environment. But it’s not our environment.

It’s in these challenging moments that we’re offered an opportunity to hit the proverbial reset button. On those late nights, we encourage you to find opportunities to promote your mental health. Some of us take five minutes to walk and breathe. Others cue up their favorite songs (“Truth Hurts” by Lizzo is a current fave). Do whatever works for you because in that tunnel there is an opportunity to grow, reflect, reset, and re-center. 

We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again: We are all in this for the long-haul. Work-life balance isn’t just lip-service but continuously practiced, regardless of level. Let’s find it together. 

These lessons aren’t exhaustive. They can’t be. But know that the sentiment behind them is what’s important for us: Your well-being and your mental health is important. Share your best practices with us and how we can continue to improve together.