May is Mental Health Month. What does workplace mental health look like? Can there be such a thing as good mental health at work? Let’s see. Take this little quiz:
• Do you dare to be happy at work?
• Can you let go of some things?
• Can you stop the drama?
• Do you fret over deadlines?
• Do you make the most of your meetings?
• Can you stop practicing being tired?
• Do you do what is best for business?
• Do you thank others?
• Do you control only what you can?
• Can you lighten up at work?
• Do you know your priorities?
• Can you change some of your bad habits?
• Do you gossip and backstab?
• Do you make good use of voicemail, email, text, and answering machines?
• Do your own thoughts stress you out?
• Can you back off when necessary?
• Can you complete one important task today?
• Can you take a 10 minute break?
• Can you say “no” sometimes?
• Do you speak to others with respect?
Are you practicing good mental health in the workplace? Are there some areas that might need improvement? One author gives the following suggestions for de-stressing at work.
• Dress in “business casual” on Fridays.
• Have shorter hours on one day a week.
• Practice good health care at work.
• Make healthy personal choices.
• Work from home when possible.
• Have a “work-out” room at work.
• Have a guest speaker come in over the lunch hour.
Remember, everyone can do at least one thing to improve his/her mental health at work. Make a plan for next week. See what you can do to be more supportive and mentally healthy in your workplace.
