Mental Work Health: Summer update
Greetings!
I hope you are well and healthy, in mind and body. This is a trying time, and I encourage you (and me!) to exercise extra compassion for yourself and those around you. Earlier this week, I had the chance to present to a group at work on mental health, and I was reminded of how real this all is. Many of us are struggling with so much right now, and it can be overwhelming.
In some ways, this current global pandemic is validating to those of us who are prone to catastrophizing. Everything has gone to shit, just like we all knew it would! We can find comfort in knowing that the rest of the world now has a taste of what daily life is like when living with anxiety or any mental health condition.
I wanted to share a couple things that I’ve posted recently. I took a small break from continuing to write about my story discovering mental health, and focused on writing more on my personal blog, bennorris.org. There are a couple pieces that felt highly relevant to a site devoted to mental health and the workplace, so I have linked to them. Hopefully you can get something positive out of them.
Servant leadership
One of the most impactful roles in the workplace is the direct manager. This person has a huge effect on our mental and emotional well-being at work. However, this is not the only person who can be a leader. All of us can rise us to be leaders, regardless of positional authority. It is important to consider what kind of leader we are and want to be.
Working remotely
Many of us have been thrust into coping with a global crisis by working from home, if we are lucky. For some, this is a welcome reprieve from the stresses of office life; for all, there are additional challenges. This leads to the question: should we support or pursue remote work when we have a choice?
Again, I encourage us all to be kind. Find ways to connect with yourself, loved ones, and something bigger than yourself, like nature or a higher power or God. Be intentional about caring for your mental health, and help others do the same. Hit reply if you have any thoughts after reading these articles, or just have something to share.
Warm wishes,
Ben