Taking care of your mental health: both personally and professionally

As we approach the end of Mental Health Awareness Week, we spoke with our Fitness Expert and Life Coach, Tarik Elmetaal, on his top tips for how to take care of your mental health.

This year, the official theme is ‘Anxiety’. With stress proven to be one of the main causes of this debilitating condition, it’s vital that we all remain wary of unnecessary stressors in our lives and do what we can to manage this difficult emotion.

When looking at the statistics, anxiety stands as one of the most common mental health conditions around the world – with 1 in 20 people experiencing problems with anxiety in their lifetime. Despite this, the World Health Organization reports that within the last decade, the global median of government health expenditure going towards mental health support is less than 2%.

Fighting to increase this percentage, are numerous charities working tirelessly to end the stigma and encourage us all to speak more openly and honestly about mental health – both in our personal and professional lives.

That being said, there are a number of seemingly small habits we could all do well with adopting into our lives to promote mental well-being and a positive mindset. To speak on this subject, we asked Tarik, Monex Europe’s Fitness Expert and Life Coach, to tell us more.

1. Organise and pay attention to what you are in control of

? Keep your environment tidy and clean to alleviate the feelings of chaos when external stressors?increase in your life. The feeling of accomplishing a task, such as tidying and cleaning your environment, increases feelings of self-efficacy - which deteriorates when people are experiencing burnout.

? Create boundaries in all relationships by understanding what you can and cannot cope with. This requires consistent effective communication and having the strength and courage to say no when you are feeling under excessive pressure.

2. Practice conscious breathing often, even when you’re not stressed! This will make it easier to engage as a tool when you really need it

? Box breathing is a simple technique that can be practised often with great anxiety-relieving effects. Simply breathe in for a count of 4, hold for a count of 4, breathe out for a count of 4 and hold for a count of 4. As you follow this breathing rhythm, it helps to mentally visualise a box being drawn out to the pattern of breathing. Repeat until you feel more relaxed.

? The physiological sigh – double inhale, then a long exhale. This technique, according to contemporary science, is an effective way to reduce heightened states of stress and alertness. This can be repeated as necessary until you feel more relaxed.

3. Spend quality time with friends and family, and be honest about your feelings

? Having a strong support system is essential when you or those around you are feeling overwhelmed. Backed by longstanding research, strong relationships are a cornerstone to happiness and health. Taking care of our bodies is essential, but tending to our relationships is also paramount for our longevity and mental health.

4. Work-out or work-in

? My philosophy is that when my physical and emotional energy is strong – I work-out. When my energy is low – I work-in. This might be in the form of breath-work, mobility or gentle yoga, light resistance training, walking in nature, meditating, playing up-lifting music, or talking with close friends and family.

? The rationale? If my body and mind are under stress then high impact training can increase my cortisol levels (stress hormone), therefore elevating my feeling of exhaustion and depleting my energy further. Working-in increases or maintains my energy until I recover sufficiently to re-engage in normal activities.

5. Master your sleep routine

? Sleep cannot be compromised. There is nothing better than a great night’s sleep to help you see the world a little bit brighter. Develop great sleep hygiene habits to optimise this great mental health tool.

? With Stage 5 (REM) sleep becoming a scientifically recognised method of ‘overnight therapy’ in processing difficult emotions and stress, journalling before bed can reduce those restless nights by placing stressful thoughts inside a book that can be closed for the night.?

Of course, it’s not only what we do ourselves that supports our mental health, but also what is going on around us. With a staggering 76% of employees reporting moderate to high stress levels in the workplace, voices are becoming rightfully louder on the ongoing discussion of mental health awareness in the workplace.

Speaking on this topic, Tarik shared 5 key actions employers can take to support their employees and promote a positive working environment for all.

1. Conduct regular assessments of employee workloads and look for mismatches in tasks and individuals assigned to them.
2. Create a safe space where employees can express their worries and anxieties without negative judgement, thus providing crucial validation.
3. Encourage and support wellness strategies to help prevent and identify signs of progressive stress and anxiety.
4. Change the conditions that are causing the feelings of chronic stress. Giving the employee time off or reducing their hours may not change the fundamental cause of the problem. Is it the person or the job? They both need to be addressed.
5. Encouragement, reward and community – give praise when someone has achieved something under difficult circumstances, either publicly or privately, and provide appropriate rewards to create a strong sense of community. This helps people to feel connected and supported, which in turn creates a less stressful environment.

By everyone collectively acknowledging and discussing mental health in an open and honest manner, we will drive a change that allows us all to live mentally healthier lives.?