Did you know:
1 in 5 employees are currently experiencing a mental health concern
A depressed/anxious/stressed employee can cost your organization 8.5 hours of engaged, productivity time per week
1 struggling employee can negatively impact the performance of up to 11 of his/her co-workers
Unmanaged Stress is a higher risk for heart disease & cancer, than ether smoking or high cholesterol
Mental health is one of your greatest assets. It helps you focus at work, overcome obstacles, get along with the people around you—and get well and stay well. Curious on how you can improve your Mental Health? Here are some proven tools that can help you strengthen resiliency, increase positive mood and propel you on your path towards healthier well-being.
Connect With Others: Humans are social animals: We crave feeling supported, valued and connected. Do you have a few friends or family members who make you feel valued, help you solve problems, take your concerns seriously? If not, put yourself in situations where you can connect with new friends: take a class, join a special-interest group, volunteer.
Stay Positive: With practice, you can resist worrisome thoughts and even transform your internal critic into a more positive mood. Catch yourself thinking negatively! At the end of the day, think back to what events/situations/interactions throughout the day led you to feel negative. What was your internal, often automatic and often negative, assumption about that event/situation/interaction? Come up with a more positive, rational, reality-based thought that could replace the negative. With enough repetitions, you’ll soon establish a habit of positive thinking that results in positive mood.
Get Physically Active, Eat Well and Create Better Sleep: Getting physically active every day is great for our bodies and minds. It can improve mental well being and lower rates of depression and anxiety. Discover a physical activity you enjoy and one that suits your level of mobility and fitness – engage in it at least 3 times a week. Fill your diet with vegetables, fruits, whole grains and fat-free or low-fat dairy products; include lean meats, poultry, fish, beans, eggs, nuts; and avoid foods high in saturated & trans fats, cholesterol, and added salt/sugars. Set aside 7-9 hours for sleep each night.
Create Joy and Satisfaction: Happy moments can boost your ability to bounce back from stress, solve problems, think flexibly and even fight disease. Carve out time on a regular basis (monthly, weekly and, yes, even daily) to have some fun: re-connection with your inner-child by giving yourself permission to engage in an activity that you loved as a kid but haven’t done in decades, push yourself to do something you’ve always secretly wanted to do, pursue a creative interest, share your joyful moments with others.
Because most people spend at least 1/3rd of their life at work, workplace organizations, in particular, are uniquely poised to be instrumental in helping employees improve their mental health. New Avenues offers a variety of organizational solutions proven to maximize employee well-being. Connect with us to find out how you can best support and foster positive mental health among your employees during Mental Health Month in May and throughout the entire year: 574-232-2131; www.NewAvenuesOnline.com