Recently a research study has been published by World Health Organization which reveals that 300 million people suffer from depression only because of the negative working environment and this lead to certain physical as well as mental problems that can potentially lead the victims to adopt the usage of harmful substances like alcohol & drugs, prone to absenteeism and lead to low productivity.
Here are a few useful tips for keeping away from the commonest mental health problems in the workplace for both the employers as well as the employees.
- Identifying the initial phase of a mental problem – When a person starts suffering from depression, there will be certain changes that can be noticed in the daily behavior of the person. If you are noticing that you’re taking too long to complete your tasks, having a lot of difficulties in interacting with the colleagues, or feeling that urge to take leaves very often, then you must understand that you are depressed from the workplace that you are operating from.
- Preparing a To-do list – In case you are a freelancer and are somehow overwhelmed with the large heap of work, this can considerably contribute to the anxiety and tensions. Under such circumstances, you can prepare a to-do list well in advance and this will help you in prioritizing your work. If you’re the one who is working all alone and this seems to be making a mess, then you should start interacting with the like-minded individuals. The ideal solution is to move to a specific coworking space which can help you in getting rid of the loneliness with the chance of receiving certain excellent opportunities.
- Setting manageable goals – You should not put excessive pressure on the higher goals which seem to be unachievable. This would probably make you feel helpless that can substantially contribute to the stress level. Instead of setting small goals that can help in breaking the bigger tasks into smaller ones so that the work does not seem daunting and scary.
- Do not work for long stretches – Rather than taking too much stress by working for long hours, you can ideally take short walks during the lunch hours, break with the colleagues for relaxation, and also peace of mind. You can apply these and then realize how this affects and maintain the freshness of your mind considerably.
- Consuming lots of water and a balanced diet – This is normal for you to forget the self-care routines like drinking enough water & having balanced meals when you are under tremendous stress. So, staying hydrated & healthy at work is very crucial as these would help you in concentrating and staying centered. This would considerably reduce the overall effects of the bouts of anxiety in the workplace and stress-free.
- Adding personal items to your workspace – You can opt to add certain personal items at your workstation in order to help you feel relaxed and better if you’re experiencing bouts of anxiety. When you look at reminders of your loved ones and also the memorable moments, this can help you in feeling centered and draw a lot of attention towards certain things which makes you feel happy.
- Identifying the existing problems – Each of us does have different triggers for in the office and this gives a presentation in writing reports for maintaining the record files. This is absolutely crucial to track the situations which tend to make you uncomfortable. After identifying the situations, you should make special efforts to relax before such triggers. You should ideally take a quick walk or practice a deep breathing exercise to deal with the situation.
- Getting help – People who have problems should not suffer in silence. The mental health professionals should be consulted who would guide you in coping with stressful experiences in the workplace. They would also prescribe appropriate medication as per the requirements of the victims.
If you are a solopreneur, then you are most vulnerable to depression and anxiety as you work alone most of the time. Following the above tips and considering operating from a coworking space may help you in keeping away from mental health problems in the long run.