Mental Health at Work: Your June Monthly Digest

Happy Summer to all my friends north of the equator! And to those of you south of the equator, stay warm and bundled up as you head into your chilly season!

This time of year tends to be extremely busy for many of us. You or your loved ones might be embarking on new chapters in life, from graduations to weddings and everything in between.

When I think about these next few months, I’m taking a dose of my own medicine and some much-needed time off to recharge. What does that mean for me? Doing one of my Mental Wellbeing Non-Negotiables? - travel!

• 2 weeks in Peru
• A few days in Big Sky Montana
• And exploring the southwest corner of my home state - Colorado!?

No matter what you’re doing this summer, I sincerely hope that you create SPACE for yourself to breathe, fill up your tank, and have some dang fun too.?And that you have your Mental Wellbeing Non-Negotiables? set to do this.

With all that being said, and as we go into summer, I want to give you a couple of things to ponder in the coming weeks. And, not one, but three brand-spankin’ new announcements from my corner of the world!

1. Even after May, I’m still on a mission to change the landscape of mental health conversations at work.

It's my mission and daily harangue to encourage organizations to sustain these conversations year-round.

We shouldn’t treat mental health conversations at work like a check-the-box exercise; they should be ingrained in the fabric of organizational culture year-round.

Curious about how to do that? Take a gander at my blog post Sustaining Mental Health Conversations at Work: Why It Matters and How to Do It Right to find 5 practical solutions you can implement this year to put your company ahead of the curve.

After all, Awareness is Great - Action is Better?.

2. Everyone, no matter their role or industry, can (and should) take 5 minutes in their workday to TAKE A BREAK FROM SCREENS!?

Look away folks, please, even if just for a little bit! From the computer, cell phone, tablet, etc.. I promise you, it’s OK to close your eyes, breathe, and not look at a machine that over-stimulates our brains far more than we’re wired to handle. It's not lost on me that you're reading this newsletter on a screen (can we say irony?!) - but here are some tips I gave to Fast Company on how to REALISTICALLY reduce screen time at work!?

Here-ye Here-ye, I’ve got Announcements For Thee!

New Program, Just Launched!

I’ve partnered with employment attorney and Partner at Baird Holm LLP , Kelli Lieurance , to bring you The Right Stuff? Program - Conversational and Legal Approaches to Mental Health at Work!

Kelli is AHmazing and is hands down the funniest and clearest attorney I’ve ever met, who can translate complex ideas into easy-to-take actions. Together in a 90-minute onsite or virtual session, we will provide you with concrete approaches to have realistic conversations about mental health at work, and how to be legally compliant while you do it. We’ll tackle real-life scenarios and address your leaders’ and team members’ concerns when it comes to navigating this process.

Ready to book or want to learn more? Check out the flier below. Don’t be shy, let’s chat!

New Team Members - Huzzah!

When it comes to making big decisions, you expel so much energy. Mental and sometimes physical–while weighing pros and cons, seeking expert guidance, and sitting with the excitement, or the heaviness, of anticipation.?

Think back to your last important or difficult decision. Do you recall that feeling that hit you after you gave the green (or red) light?

It could have been relief. Maybe it was dread. Or, if you’re like me, you might have experienced a full-body “HELL YES!”

Building a business from nothing takes everything you’ve got. It turns into your proverbial baby, one that you could never imagine that other people could care for as much as you do. And yet, those people do exist, and I’ve FOUND THEM! Over the past several weeks, I made two big and long-awaited decisions to expand my team. I’m SO thrilled to introduce them to you!?

• Aurelia Hack , my 1st-ever freelance Instructional Design Associate (who was also Melissa Doman LLC’s first intern and smashed her internship out of the park!)
• Melissa Dorsky , my new freelance Content & Marketing Coordinator (also known as my marketing & design massive gift from the universe. And - who helped design my new sparkly LinkedIn Newsletter banner you're seeing today!)

And, because my mind’s been running in 182 different directions, I haven’t paused until now to announce here in my newsletter this next team member who’s been with me for 10 months. Constantly helping me scale my business in ways I couldn’t do without her:?

• Ilana Morris , my Virtual Assistant & Online Business Manager (also known as the ‘Mel Handler’)

To learn more about these incredible humans supporting my mission and daily harangues, stay tuned for a fancy schmancy new Team Page coming to my business website soon!

New Conversations Need New Storytelling

And you can now hear and see the story of how I advocate for Mental Health at Work in my shiny new speaker reel , created by the super-talented Jacob Rauscher ! Seriously, y’all, the effort that small businesses take to support one another is other-worldly. It's one thing when you know why you do what you do. It's another when someone helps you tell that story clearly to others. Jacob - you did that for me - and then some! ??

Need Help with Mental Health At Work In Your Business?

I've got you!

If you’re struggling with how to approach mental health or stress management conversations in your company, I’m here for you. Whether it’s a team-building session, a company-wide keynote, or a workshop for an entire department - please reach out to me so we can discuss tailored services for your business - that will stick.

Cheers,

Mel

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Need Resources?

Get Upskilled With My LinkedIn Learning Courses:

Leaders:

• Navigating the Mental Toll and Stress of Leadership
• Talking About Mental Health As a Leader

Individual Contributors:

• Realistic Strategies to Talk About Mental Health at Work

Get My How-To Guide:

• Yes, You Can Talk About Mental Health At Work (Here’s Why and How To Do It Really Well) (Available in paperback, kindle, & audiobook)

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