WHERE'S YOU HEAD AT?

This week has seen world mental health day come and go again, along with people posting quotes, experiences etc about mental health. These are great to read and give possible information we may have never known.

However, when was the last time you actually asked a colleague or a friend where's your head at? or even someone asking you that question.

Have you even been asked what do you do, when your stressed and not too happy with work?

Lots of us deal with these situations in different ways and sometimes the way we deal with them is not the best of ideas. Just keeping it to ourselves and not saying anything for instance.

From the picture above you may have realised i take my head to this place Val Thorens whilst having a walk in the fresh air, thinking about all the great times I've had there over the years and the positive mind that is looking forward to returning there soon whilst strapping two planks of composites to my feet and throwing myself down a mountain, everyday for a week or two.

The point being it only takes 5 - 10 minutes to change a mindset from a negative to a positive.

Lots of my friends and colleagues in renewables work away from home and that adds extra pressures mentally. I know they all talk to each other, but be sure to ask the question if someone is having an off day.

Taking notice of your colleagues mental health in renewables and other working situations is all about safety for all, as one persons off day could lead to something, incident, accident etc etc

You get the picture and know thats not a great situation to be faced with.

Some tool box talks or safety meetings at the start of the days work are asking that question are we all good, feeling ok and in a good head space.

Make the most of these opportunities too speak up if you're not ok. Don't be embarrassed to say so. There is absolutely no shame in saying I'm not okay today.

Personally, I've had 2 people who lost a loved one, only to return to work obviously too soon not concentrating on the job in hand with thier heads elsewhere and I had to have a quiet talk with them about the mental stress on them. Next, ensuring that we got them home ok away from the workplace.

I've witnessed people working away loosing thier reason over stupid decisions made by someone in the office hundreds of miles away that didnt have a clue. Consequently having to say, take 10 mins to cool down walk it off. Afterwards, wheres your head at know calm, ready to go again? Sometimes they are sometimes they're not.

So look out for each other every week and ask the question.

Where's your head at?