Social-distancing and working remotely can take a toll on
people’s mental health. After all, we are inherently social creatures. Here are
lists of mental health care tips for everyone and employers
For everyone
Create a plan
Plan and prioritize your most important responsibilities.
Get moving
Exercise helps to work off your stress and release
stress-fighting endorphins
Limit caffeine
This stimulant can worsen stress.
Blast some tunes
Listening to music can be relaxing and can release
mood-boosting endorphins.
Meditation
This activity can help you calm your mind and remain focused.
There are apps and videos on YouTube to help you get started.
Practice self-care
“You can’t pour from an empty cup” make time in your day to do
an activity that’s meaningful to you like reading or singing or whatever you
enjoy!
For employers
Offer flexible scheduling
Work-life balance, or a lack thereof, can affect an employee’s
mental health. To help employees achieve better balance, employers across the
country are embracing work hours flexibility.
Evaluate benefits offerings
Review the offerings that your organization provides to ensure
coverage for mental health services. This is essential to creating a culture
that supports employee mental health.
Make getting help possible as a team
It’s important to not only properly train management on
recognizing the signs of mental illness, excessive workplace stress, workplace
bullying and fatigue but also provide resources and ways to help employees.
Consider standardizing a procedure for managers to follow when mental health
situations present themselves.
Create a supportive foundation
An organization that is dedicated to preserving employee
mental health and fostering a stigma-free environment is one that will succeed
in its efforts to support employee mental health. Make sure that any mental
health initiatives are aligned with core values, goals and ethics.
Focus on reducing stigma
An organization that focuses its mental health initiatives and
efforts on normalizing mental health discussions will see improvements in
employee mental health. Consistently communicate to employees that getting help
is a sign of strength, not weakness, and you’re there to support them.
Promote your support
An organization that promotes its support for employees’
mental health will see a change in its workforce. Employees who know employers
are there to support them will be more likely to be transparent when they
experience mental health struggles, which will help them get back on their feet
as quickly as possible.