How we can improve our mental wellbeing at work

One thing is certain, recent events such as the pandemic and the economic crisis have had a profound impact on our working lives, which have been changed permanently. With this in mind, we’ve decided to look at ways to improve mental health in the workplace. Below are some of the things which have been working for us and hopefully could help you too.

Video call where possible

We’re using instant messaging services to communicate with the?CY team?but whenever possible we try to use video call, it’s much nicer for us to be able to see each other’s faces and it gives us a chance to check in on each other (and beards) offering our support! Our Monday team video call tends to set the week off to a great start by seeing everyone together, but we also use one to one video calls throughout the week just to talk and encourage discussions about the topic.

Get into a good routine

Managing when and how you work can be helpful, keeping a structure to the day has been really beneficial to our team. Trying to keep our sleeping patterns as normal as possible and not getting up too late has meant we have felt ready for work. On the days when we work from home we still get dressed ready for our working day, and we get some exercise first thing to ensure we start the day feeling energised and mentally ready to tackle the challenges that lie ahead. Starting work at our usual time and finishing at the same time just as we would if we were at the office has meant we keep our regular routines too.

Exercise

It’s well known that exercise can boost our mental and physical health, in one form or another all our team get regular exercise to keep our bodies and minds healthy. Some of us enjoy cycling, others do running or Zumba, yoga and HIIT workouts. Even going for a 15-minute walk during the day can help clear your mind, taking breaks at work when you’re stressed can boost your wellbeing and make you more productive.

Keeping Organised

Here at?CY Partners?we set ourselves daily and weekly to do lists so that we feel a sense of achievement at the end of our working day or week. As we still work from home for a portion of the week, we've also made an effort to create a suitable workspace in our homes where we feel we are in a more work friendly environment, setting up makeshift desks and recreating as best we can our desks in the office. This has made it easier to feel like we are at work and get into the right frame of mind to be productive.

Separating work and home

When you have finished work for the day, actually finish work! This means turning off your work phone. Like a laptop, we need to switch ourselves off and recharge. It’s particularly vital not to have your work phone near your bed at night, as it interrupts your sleep. We all love our jobs but it’s important we switch off when our workday or week has finished.?Some of our team have packed away their workspaces when the working week is complete so our homes feels like home again, this separates work time from home time. Other team members have exercised after work, meditated or gone for a walk outside to help us separate our time. This has helped us unwind and relax after working.

There are many ways to look after your mental wellbeing while at work, these are just a few ideas we've adopted and we hope that they are of value to you too.

If you have any more tips you’d like to share with us we’d love to hear them on our?social media channels!

If you’re feeling the job hunt pressure,?get in touch?with us today. We can help you find your dream role.

CY Partners?specialises in sourcing skilled science professionals from graduate to executive level within Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology, Clinical and the Chemicals industry sectors. Established in 2008, our mission is to make recruitment easier for both the job seeker and the hiring manager so whether you are looking to join a global Pharma corporation or an ambitious Biotech start-up throughout the UK and beyond or you need help sourcing skilled scientific professionals then we can serve you. Contact us?here.?