What does your ‘Better Balance’ toolkit include?

During the month of October we observe World Mental Health Day, serving as a powerful reminder of the profound importance of mental wellbeing in our lives. While it has been heartening to tune into several events, campaigns and conversations that marked the day, I believe we should think of mental wellbeing as an ongoing journey. One that requires us to pause every day to do some self-reflection and pay deliberate attention to caring for ourselves and our loved ones. Very similar to how we take care of our physical wellbeing.

However, as one balances multiple priorities, focusing on our mental wellbeing often tends to slip to the end of the list! And before you realize it, it starts to take a toll on you, perhaps translating into decreased productivity, innovation and creativity at one end, and wanting to escape or even burnout at the other.

It is imperative that the narrative shifts from awareness to personal action - what can we each do to strike a better balance that allows us to thrive professionally and personally while taking care of our mental wellbeing? And therefore, what should our personal toolkit for better balance comprise of?

Here are a few things that I maintain as part of my ‘better balance toolkit’:

1.???? Embedding mindfulness in everything

Taking a few minutes at the beginning of my day to set a positive intention for the day, practicing box-breathing before getting into a critical task, giving my full attention to the person speaking during a meeting, setting mindful reminders and proactively expressing gratitude are some of the things that anchor me to the present moment. I find these also help me experience a true sense of fulfilment on most days.

Having said that, there are days I tend to operate from the basement of “Responsibility” (which is among my top five CliftonStrengths ) and find it hard to say no or end up powering through the day on autopilot. Being aware of your strengths and weaknesses, recognizing your thought and behavior patterns, your feelings, and then creating practices that help you reset and recharge helps you become more and more mindful over time. Here are some innovative tools and resources that we offer at Accenture that are rooted in the fundamentals of how the brain functions and strategies for fostering sustainable positive behavioral change. ?

2.???? Embracing the power of pauses

Steve Jobs swore by the 10-minute rule - if you haven’t solved a tough mental problem after 10 minutes of trying, stand up and?go for a walk. Neuroscience is discovering he was right! Taking short, intentional breaks throughout the day can do wonders. I like to take a quick walk around this beautiful banyan tree that we have at the entrance to our office, or catch-up with a colleague over coffee or listen to a mini-podcast – I call them the big, small things. They take little to no effort but end up having a huge impact on refreshing and resetting focus and beating the brain-fog!

Mental wellbeing doesn’t imply the absence of stress; it means knowing when to step back, draw a boundary and pause. We have enabled our people leaders at Accenture to embed intentional pauses in meetings through curated toolkits that foster focus, purpose and connection during meetings.

3.???? Having a squad and asking for help

In today’s rapidly evolving environment, I am sure, like me, you have had moments when you feel overwhelmed and find it difficult to make decisions. It is in these moments that I make it a point to reach out to my squad – at work and at home - people who are invested in my wellbeing and success (I’m tagging some of them here!). These trusted relationships can serve as a sounding board for you and handhold you during tough times. The key, however, is to be the same sounding board when needed and show up with empathy.

Having said that, recognizing when structured and scientifically grounded professional help is needed is equally important. It helps with accurate diagnosis, timely evidence-based treatment and prevents worsening of symptoms. Speaking to a professional counselor helped me lead my team through some of the hardest moments during the pandemic. In my view, seeking help is a demonstration of self-awareness and I am a strong advocate of the same.

As leaders, we need to champion empathy and cultivate an environment where everyone feels seen, heard, understood and valued. At Accenture, our network of over 22K Mental Health Allies exemplifies this commitment, providing compassionate support to colleagues in need. Leveraging technology as another powerful ally can enable immediate support during an overwhelming moment. ?

Let’s talk about it till the talk gets normalized.

Unfortunately, despite growing awareness and continued efforts by several organizations to offer support and resources, mental health issues continue to carry a stigma. 80% of Indians with mental health issues do not seek treatment , citing lack of awareness, neglect and stigma as primary reasons. Meaningful conversations play a big role in overcoming this stigma.

Let’s commit to supporting one another on this journey and continue to shine the spotlight on fostering understanding, having open, honest conversations, but more importantly – taking ownership for action.