By now, most of the population has returned to the office following the outbreak of Covid-19. The day to day hustle and bustle has also come back with a vengeance, so it’s not surprising that so many of us are staring to feel overwhelmed and that our mental health is starting to take it’s toll.

Thankfully, one of the positive outcomes from the pandemic is that there is now a greater emphasis on the importance of mental health, both in your personal life as well as your professional one. Having good mental health positively impacts your performance at work, with heightened focus and concentration, achieving good results in work is that bit easier!  

It’s important to remember that if you feel like you need to talk to someone you can do so by contacting your local GP, who can refer you to trained professionals to help you navigate your way to a more positive mental headspace. Services such as Jigsaw is a fantastic resource providing online, or in-person help as well as a wealth of information and e-learning materials on mental health. Other organisations such as Pieta House and Mental Health Ireland are also there for you!

If you wish to speak to someone in the workplace, contact a member of human resources or directly contact your employer.

There are ways to take care of your mental health in the workplace so we have listed a few tips and tricks that we find useful.

Your Lunch Break Matters

Taking time away from your desk is important to help you reset. Go out for a walk for some fresh air, or meet your friends for a bite to eat. Some Japanese companies encourage its employees to even nap on their lunch break! Whatever you do, don’t sit at your desk. Trust us, you’ll come back energized and ready to attack the rest of the day.

If you are unsure as to what your lunch break entitlements are, refer to your contract or have a look on Citizens Information for your basic entitlements

Teamwork makes the Dreamwork

No man is an island, especially in the workplace! Getting involved in projects with colleagues, meeting them out-of-hours or for during the day for lunch can help create a sense of community and achievement. Your colleagues know better than anyone the daily stresses of the workplace so having a friend to talk to is always a bonus!

Leave Work at the Door

Having clear boundaries that separate your work life to your personal life is important for your mental health. If you had a bad day, talk about it, but don’t let it consume you when you’re at home! It will take a toll on your focus and concentration the next day and so creates a vicious cycle!

Creative Spark is proud to be the home of Inspire Wellbeing, a fantastic organisation with the aim to help people in a variety of areas, one of them being your mental health! To find out more about them, click here