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It is widely recognized that having a healthy mind and body is necessary to have a healthy, productive work life. But as life continues to move at an increasingly fast pace, this is much easier said than done. Life and work are intertwined in a way that cannot be separated. It might seem simple to put aside whatever you are dealing with at home to focus on work for the day, but it is not realistic. Similarly, problems at work come home with you. Both our personal lives and our work lives affect our moods, energy levels and ability to focus.
By promoting mental and physical health, you can create a better working environment and encourage your teammates to succeed, creating a more sustainable workplace in the long run. Happy, healthy team members will be more productive and create better results within your organization. Strong mental health is reliant on several factors, but here are a few necessary things, which you can apply in various ways for you and your team.
Fuel your mind with good food and hydration
Staying hydrated and eating well is necessary to keep your body and mind running. And brain functions like energy, focus and creativity are some of the first to suffer when you don't get these things. If you forget to drink enough water, it might be beneficial to use a large water bottle with measurements on it to keep track of exactly how much you are drinking. This is an easy tool you can provide for your team as well. It is a good idea to keep healthy snacks around the office, both for yourself and your employees. Some foods will give you a burst of energy, while others, especially fat- and carb-heavy foods, will slow you down or make you sleepy. Having healthy options easily available will help you make good choices.
Prioritize sleep
Sleep is even more important than food and exercise, but unfortunately, it is overlooked by many people. A phenomenon in many offices is a sort of competition to see who slept the least. If you notice this kind of attitude toward sleep, it may be worth addressing. Often lack of sleep is due to bad habits, but it can also be a result of busy schedules that do not allow enough time to sleep. To ensure you and your employees have enough time to sleep, consider offering flexible working hours, which will allow them to adjust their schedules if needed.
Exercise stimulates the mind
Did you know that sitting is literally killing you? Excessive sitting lowers your life expectancy, and it can lead to injuries from repetitive motions and weakened muscles. And as we all know, exercise is excellent for both the body and the brain. Have you ever noticed that some of your best ideas form when you are exercising? Or have you ever taken an exercise break and come back to your work feeling energized and highly productive? Take regular breaks to go for walks and encourage your team to do the same. Even if those breaks take 10-15 minutes out of the workday, they will increase your team's overall productivity. You can also provide exercise equipment and standing desks in your office or provide wellness benefits such as gym memberships to encourage your team to exercise outside working hours as well. Sharing links or apps for breathing exercises or mindfulness practices can help employees to better manage their stress levels.
Keeping mental health in mind
One of the words that's most used when someone is struggling with their mental health is "stress." Mental health is innately tied to physical health, and just like treating your body right can help your brain, negative emotions can seriously affect your body. Reducing stress, burnout, depression and other mental health challenges is complex, but there are a few things you can do.
First, ensure you're getting enough sunlight. Not only does vitamin D improve your mood, but the light itself plays a major role. Working in an office without much sunlight can be draining, but if you can't manage to arrange your office so everyone has access to sunlight, consider allowing at least part-time remote work.
Burnout is another factor that affects many people's mental health, and there has been an epidemic of it lately. Watch carefully for burnout in yourself and your teams, and when you identify it, take steps to improve the situation that's causing it. Have managers include this discussion during their regular one-on-one meetings. Create a culture of support around burnout and other challenges people might be facing, such as family matters and health challenges, which can contribute to burnout significantly. There are many resources to help address burnout, as it's a complex issue.
At Capstone, we take the mental wellness of our team very seriously. We have resources in place such as our comprehensive employee assistance program that includes counseling, work-life solutions, total wellbeing assessments and more which is available to our staff. We’ve also implemented policies such as compassionate care leave, employment equity, flex work, guidelines for supporting transgender and gender variant in the workplace, plus many more to ensure the mental wellbeing of our entire team.
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