Mental Health Awareness Month

Stress is everywhere in our lives today. The challenges of jobs, the uncertainty of?our?children?in school or aging parents, and?the?pressure of?our?family finances in an inflationary environment are just a few examples. It’s timely that May is Mental Health Awareness Month,?which has been observed in the U.S. since 1949 to raise awareness about the signs of mental health issues, including?stress, depression, anxiety, loneliness, isolation, substance abuse,?and self-harm.

I?would like?to take this opportunity to share my own experiences and outline what we are doing at Freedom Bank to be constructive?in this area.

My?Experiences

I had a front row seat to mental health issues?when?I was a young boy. My older?step-brother?was?killed?in a car accident,?which left my mother devastated and sparked a period of depression in her life. She was ultimately?diagnosed?with a bi-polar disorder,?which we?all?lived with,?and was?eventually?treated?medically.

In time,?I grew to appreciate that the inexplicable behaviors were?attributable to the disease and not the person.?I would like to think that this forced me to?become more?aware of the struggle, more?patient with people?(although that does not come naturally to me!),?and more mindful of my own?self-care.

Things that I try to do to manage my own wellness are:

??Exercise at least?45?minutes?every day,?alternating?between running, biking, lifting, yoga, and fitness class. This?sets me up with more self-confidence and a clear mind.

??Sleep at least 7 hours a day to ensure that my body and mind have time to?rest and?restore?for the challenges ahead.

??Eat wisely and keep an eye on my calorie intake.?I have scales near my bed and check daily to see if the exercising is overcoming the eating?to preserve my target weight.

??Go to church?to?keep?my faith and spiritual life in the forefront and?to reflect?on the actions (or?inactions) in my life?that?are consistent with my values.

??Invest in my relationship with my?wife,?and together,?stay connected?to and support the lives of our children and?parents?to keep love?at?the center.

??Spend time with friends to ensure that these connections remain?active and?help?provide?a support network. Weekends?with college friends bring back the fun and festivities?of those years.

??Make time for hobbies that bring you joy.?In?my case,?that is in the outdoors on my farm hunting, fishing, hiking,?and working.

When these seven factors are in balance, I seem to find more joy than anger, more gratefulness than resentment, and more fulfillment than doubt.?However, I have come to appreciate that?I can?never achieve?full?balance. Through this, I find?the?stress?to be?a?positive?motivator?for?me to?make?progress, not?a?defeating feeling that I cannot be perfect.

Monitoring Wellness

Monitoring mental health is an important step to help you identify any changes or concerns early on. Here are some tips for monitoring your own or a colleague’s mental health:

??Notice if you are feeling more irritable, sad, or anxious than usual and pay attention to any changes in your energy levels or appetite.

??Notice if you are having trouble falling asleep, staying asleep, or if you are sleeping too much.

??Pay attention to any physical symptoms such as headaches, stomachaches, or muscle tension, which can be related to stress or anxiety.

??Be aware of the coping mechanisms you are using to manage stress and notice if they are healthy or if you are relying on unhealthy habits.

??Evaluate the strength of your support system and notice if you are feeling isolated or disconnected from others.

??If you notice any concerning changes or symptoms, seek help from a mental health professional. Don't hesitate to reach out for support when you need it.

By monitoring your mental health regularly and taking proactive steps, you?can?improve your overall health and well-being.

Corporate?Care

At Freedom Bank, we?have worked hard to build our culture of IDEAS.?While that does not explicitly call out a commitment to wellness, we cannot achieve our goals without fostering an environment where every employee flourishes and realizes their full potential.

Here are some steps we?are trying?in order?to?create a healthy and productive workplace environment:

??Educate employees about mental health and encourage them to talk openly about their experiences.?We put up?Expression Wallswhere employees can share sentiments or quotes on the topic (see the photo).

??Ensure employees have access to mental health resources such as counseling and therapy.?We offer?Aetna’s Employee Assistance Program.

??Offer?flexible work arrangements with our hybrid work policy and encourage?employees?to book vacation?time?on Paylocity and?enjoy?it.

??Train managers and supervisors to recognize the signs of mental health issues and to provide support to struggling employees.

??Roll out Innovation Health’s?Burnalong?app to create a wellness program with activities such as exercise classes, stress management workshops, and mindfulness training.

We hope these steps by?Freedom Bank?will?help employees manage their mental health?and flourish at work and at home.

Summary

At times, it?is?really easy?to be disappointed by?life events.?However, we all need to take a step back and reflect on the challenges we or others face and find a way to comprehend the struggle, empathize with the conditions, and offer a helping hand.?It is in this intersection where we can make our lives better and our company stronger.