Reflections on National Mental Awareness Week

As part of last week’s National Mental Health Awareness Week, last Friday I attended a brilliant (and free!) St John Ambulance Webinar entitled ‘Mental Health & Wellbeing’.

In it, the great trainer, set the scene by drawing attention to how important our mental health is when it comes to work - our stress levels, decision-making, and the quality of our interactions with others.  The crux of it is that poor mental health has a severe impact on our everyday functioning.  After all, stress and anxiety can lead to depression and other mental illnesses.

SJA aims is to reduce the stigma around mental health and increase awareness; in so creating a more open environment for it all.

What’s key is that we all start to recognise our own triggers to stress, and also other peoples’, so that we can support them too.

The funny thing about being under pressure, is there is a certain sweet spot, where it’s positive and motivating.  But then it can tip over into the negative, stress area.  The trainer highlighted the ‘Pressure Performance Curve’ (Robert Yerkes & John Dodson, 1908) depiction attached.  If it’s too little, this can lead to disinterest, being unmotivated.  Then there’s the optimum point, where your interest and focus increases. Tipping over into stretching and strain where you end up with fatigue and a potential breakdown.

What’s so important is recognising where we are on this curve and knowing how to take action before reaching a strain.

We need to identify our own ‘stress signature’.  It’s all about mindfulness really, and self-reflection.  Looking out for changes in things like our habits, our eating and sleeping patterns, etc.  And this self-awareness doesn’t just help us help ourselves, it makes us more equip to support others.

The trainer described a stress container, be that a bucket or whatever.  How much can we take before it overflows?  I.e., before we experience an emotional snapping and anxiety, depression, etc.

The following kind of things can fill your ‘stress bucket’:

·      Late nights

·      Poor diet (particularly with remote working and being too close to your fridge!)

·      Lack of routine (also affected by remote working)

·      Workload (whether that’s too much or too little)

·      Health (whether that’s us or those we love)

·      Deadlines

·      Conflicting priorities (work vs home life)

·      Environment (do we have an appropriate working one at home?)

·      Family issues

·      Financial (the safety of our job as is the case for many just now, and the media’s coverage)

But there is a ‘parachute’ that can be deployed to guard against an overflowing stress bucket.  And this can be achieved using the following kind of techniques:

1.     Emergency unplug - check in with your senses: what you can smell, hear, connect with nature, etc.

2.     30 sec reboot - deep breathing, sitting still

3.     3 min recharge - listen to some soothing music, have a walk about, say do a lap of your garden/office car park/building/etc.

4.     30 min maintenance - try and build into your daily routine a walk, jog, meditation, relax, etc.

In fact, overall stress relief can come from:

·      Practicing mindfulness

·      Doing things we enjoy

·      Deep breathing

·      Learning to say ‘no’

·      Exercise, or just movement of any kind – gardening, walking the dog, etc.

·      Avoiding procrastination

·      Spending time with loved ones

·      Writing things down, like journaling

·      Listening to music

·      Having a laugh

It is after all OK to say me first.  Self-care isn’t selfish.  We need to recognise our limits and look after ourselves, so that we can in turn look after others.  We can’t pour from an empty cup.

We can support colleagues who are remote working and may be suffering from:

·      Loneliness

·      Missing collaboration

·      Unable to set healthy boundaries between work and home

·      Finding it harder to unplug

Workplaces need to ensure that employees are aware of what support is available for them.  Whether that’s access to a 24/7 helpline, counselling, whatever.  And this should be regularly communicated and reiterated.  The Mental Health Foundation has some great guidance specific to the Covid Pandemic - https://www.mentalhealth.org.uk/coronavirus/looking-after-your-mental-health-while-working-during-coronavirus

Managers should consider:

·      Do employees have appropriate IT support?

·      Do they have what they need to fulfil their role?

·      Where should they go with any questions?

·      Regular check-ins

·      Role-modelling good working practices

·      Celebrating successes

·      Encouraging appropriate rest breaks

·      Healthy goals, e.g., step challenges

·      Being more active listeners

It’s important to locate a safe space to have a conversation in.  Think about the time and place.  Understand the person’s feelings and experiences and communicate that understanding.  Even if we have had similar experiences, we need to keep in mind that we are all individuals who experience things differently.  Maintain appropriate boundaries and professionalism.  Reassure that the conversation will be confidential, unless you are concerned they are a danger to themselves or others. 

The trainer described an iceberg, when it comes to what might be visible at the tip to colleagues.  Especially the case when remote working.  And we should consider our own iceberg and try and be more open about what is going on under the surface.

SJA use the following acronym - Dr EFG:

Danger

Recognise

Empathy (non-judgemental)

Find out

Give support (signpost, self-help, etc.)

Demonstrate talking and listening skills, which can be helped with another acronym ‘ALOHA’:

Ask

Listen

Offer

Help

Ask again

Here are some helpful phrases:

·      Would you like me to come with you? E.g., an HR meeting, etc.

·      Do you have someone you trust you can go to?

·      Have you talked to anyone else?

·      Would you like to get some help?

And here are 3 quick tips:

1.     Acknowledge the uncertainty of these times

2.     Be compassionate to yourself and those around you (compassion after all boosts your immune system no less!)

3.     Reconnect to the purpose of your work.

Support can come in lots of different forms, depending on what the individual prefers:

·      Self-help strategies

·      Internal workplace support

·      Charities

·      Family/friends

·      GP

·      Sources of info, like The Hub of Hope, which is the UK’s leading mental health support database - https://hubofhope.co.uk  

The trainer pointed us to Mind’s free Guides to Wellness Action Plans - https://www.mind.org.uk/workplace/mental-health-at-work/taking-care-of-your-staff/employer-resources/wellness-action-plan-download/.  SJA recommends that office places have Wellness Action Plans, so that Managers and Team Leaders can support Team Members.  

In closing the trainer presented five ways to wellbeing:

1.     Connect

2.     Be active

3.     Learn

4.     Give

5.     Be present

St John Ambulance have heaps a good further info, like here, where you can find a bunch a great resources: https://www.sja.org.uk/course-information/guidance-and-help/mental-health-resources/.  And from there you can also click the donate button to help them with their work!