It is OK to be Not OK.

How much ever is stressed upon this, is less. All the more important in today's strange times where we are all hit by the current pandemic.

People are at the core of everything that we do - at home, at work and beyond. It is important that we understand what constitutes mental health and why / how it is necessary to protect ours as well as that of people who we surround ourselves with. 

We may not even know that some of these actions or aspects might be affecting your own mental health or that of a colleague. I'm listing down a few items that can / do affect mental health - however, this isn't an exhaustive list by any means. It is important to recognize factors that can affect mental health, and find ways to address them.

• Finances: Money is important for survival. Lack of it and the mounting pressure, as you have a family to take care of, can really mess one up. If you're the owner / founder of a company, ensure that you are taking care of your employees adequately. Even if you have to let go of them, give them that breathing space of a few weeks or months, wherein they can sort themselves out. Likewise, at home, if you have a househelp or a driver, in all likelihood they are migrant workers having a far bigger family that they have left behind at their village to come here and earn for. 
• Shaming: Constant shaming about the way one speaks (accent), the way one dresses, ones food habits, appearance and much more - it all goes in the space between the ears and damages the fuse that lies there. Do not tolerate shaming of any kind within the organization and have measures to address these. Gender Equity (not equality) is also a major part of this, and to ensure no gender related discrimination, make efforts to have redressal forums. People can be driven up the wall to take adverse steps.
• Failure: Failure is acceptable. It is a product or business that fails; not the person/people behind it. We need to value and protect human capital or the brains trust, which is the most important capital that an economy can ever have. As a founder, if you fail, it is OK. However, do not hold yourself responsible to an extent that your mental health and ability to think right gets affected. There's always a next time, to try out again. Likewise with your teams. Learn to accept failure and keep moving forward.
• Rejection: This happens directly and indirectly. Sometimes knowingly, and sometimes unknowingly. If you are rejecting an idea or an application or a proposal, please take time to address the 'why' behind it. Continued rejection can take a toll of one's mental health, without really knowing how or what is wrong and where. The one facing rejection will be able to 'take it' better, and find ways to improve or make the desired change.
• Behaviour: Continuing on the above, sometimes poor behaviour involves rejection of people, for a variety of reasons. Peer groups are validation for many of us. Poor behavior towards someone in your immediate working group (as a Founder, as a co-worker) can suck everything out of a person. It can create self-doubt, low self esteem and other evils that can truly demonize the individual at the receiving end, and not only affect his / her productivity but, also their general mental wellbeing. 
• Workload: Multitasking is a term that is often over-used and over-abused. However it does not mean overburdening someone with work. People working for you also have a family and their life. No one is enslaved to their work. Effective workload management is crucial to individual and organizational growth and success. Burnouts are very normal if workload isn't managed - and it can take a toll physically, mentally and emotionally.
• Not knowing where to stop / quit: Sometimes it is OK to quit, it is OK to move on. If you don't, it creeps into quality of life and general well-being. Sometimes it could be an aggressive boss, sometimes a demanding customer or partner, sometimes an investor etc. If things are stretching too far and it is causing stress, anxiety and sleepless nights - just quit. Nothing is more precious than peace of mind and a good night's sleep. You can always bounce back when you are able to think right.

In all of the above instances, if you are at the receiving end, what's helpful is, if you can talk about it to someone. The more you keep it to yourself, the more harm it is going to cause to you.

Also, as a Founder / Employer, it is important to care for people that work for you. You can have formal and informal ways of addressing things. Sometimes have that elusive offsite break. Sometimes take the team out for casual outings. Have regular 1-on-1 sessions or an open-door policy that allows people to talk of their insecurities or troubles, without the fear of being judged or held against. If it is a small team, treat everyone as a part of the extended family. All of it matters to someone or the other. During times such as the ones we are in now, it is important to:

• Help people pivot so that they don't hit a wall
• Help people learn and upskill themselves, on an ongoing basis
• Help create work-life balance, and that has only thinned with WFH
• Make them do things that keep them relevant when we emerge out of COVID-19

Globally, all economies are struggling due to the pandemic. However, a silver-lining is that organizations have a tremendous opportunity to take a step back, and emerge from the pandemic even stronger than before. The pandemic have given us an opportunity to reflect, by going back to the foundational needs that should form the basis of an employer-employee relationship — physical safety, psychological security, job stability, and flexibility. This will only help cultivate newfound trust and empathy.

#Empathy #MentalHealth #WorldMentalHealthDay