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Mental Wellness for a Successful Career

If you still believe that success at work has everything to do with skills, grit, ambition, shrewdness, and discipline, then you should read what the World Health Organisation (WHO) says. According to the organization, “More than half the world’s population are currently in work and 15% of working-age adults live with a mental disorder. 

So what does this have to do with success?

The health organization further states that while work can be a protective factor for mental health, it can also contribute to worsening mental health. 

Without effective support, mental disorders and other mental health conditions can affect a person’s confidence and identity at work, capacity to work productively, absences, and the ease with which to retain or gain work. 

Studies reveal that approximately 12 billion working days are wasted due to people suffering from depression and anxiety and this has cost the world 1 trillion US $ each year from decreased productivity. Unfortunately, people who deal with severe mental issues are usually excluded from the workforce. Moreover, mental health conditions if not addressed can not only affect careers but families, communities, and society as a whole.

The Risk Factors at Work That Can Lead to Mental Health Issues

The risks may be due to multiple factors. They include:

1. Being undervalued at work or under or overqualified for a specific job role. 
2. Excessive workload with fewer breaks.
3. Lack of flexibility of schedules.
4. No control over the nature and volume of work.
5. Unpleasant work environment with poor physical conditions and lack of safety.
6. A toxic work culture that leads to negativity.
7. Minimal support from colleagues and management.
8. Sexual harassment or bullying at the workplace.
9. Gender and racial discrimination.
10. Unclear job role and expectations.
11. Job insecurity, insufficient pay, and lack of career growth.
12. Disrupted work-life balance.
13. Distance of the workplace from home and the amount of travel time.

How to Improve Mental Wellness for Succeeding at Work

If we have your attention, this is what you need to know.

Work-related mental health conditions can be avoided and steps can be taken to promote mental health and support workers with mental health issues to enable them to improve their productivity. 

While organizations like WHO have established guidelines for mental health soundness at work and developed policies in association with the international labor organization, you as an individual can keep a few things in mind to help you be happier and healthier at work.

Here are some tips to help you be positive and deal with workplace stress effectively.

1. Good relationships are the backbone of mental wellness. So set some time aside each day after work to spend quality time with family and friends. This could be connecting during meal times, avoiding TV and playing games instead, or visiting family or relatives personally.
2. Pursue a hobby or do anything during the week that you genuinely love to do. The activity will relax you and put you in a positive frame of mind.
3. Exercise and be physically active. It not only improves your physical health but enhances your self-esteem and brings about hormonal changes in your body that help improve your mood. Breathing exercises have proved to be effective stress busters and are easy and quick to do when you feel anxious.
4. Build your skills. This helps you improve your performance at work and consequently builds your self-confidence to make you feel happier.
5. Help others. This may sound a bit offbeat but small acts of kindness like helping a colleague in need, volunteering for community work, taking additional responsibility sometimes, etc enable you to connect with others, build your sense of self-worth, and significantly improve your mental wellness.
6. Eat well. Your diet plays a vital role in keeping you productive and cheerful at work. Avoid foods that make you sleepy or lead to disturbances in your gut and choose a healthy balanced diet to keep you active and going.
7. Be more mindful and pay attention to the present moment. This helps increase your mental well-being by helping you enjoy and appreciate life better and cope with challenges.
8. Keep communication honest and open. Learn to communicate openly with your manager and colleagues about any challenges you face at work and work toward a solution that benefits you and the organization. This keeps unnecessary complications and misunderstandings away and lets you focus better at work while enjoying more peace of mind. 
9. Learn to overlook minor disturbances like the unruly behavior of certain drivers on the road while commuting to work or minor annoyances at the workplace that don’t affect you directly. Learn to ignore and focus on the brighter side unless it is unacceptable to experience better mental wellness.

Sukino understands the importance of overall health and mental well-being and to help people deal with workplace stress effectively, we have launched ‘Nirvaana’

Nirvaana is a center that was conceptualized and launched after realizing the need to stay emotionally and mentally healthy to be more productive and happier at work. And reiterates our commitment to helping people enjoy better mental health, recognize and cope with stress, and enjoy better work-life practices.