Balancing with Breaks and Breath

In continuing with Mental Health Awareness Month, this week’s tip is about prioritizing work-life balance. Whether you have a 9-5 job, run your own business, or whether you are a student, you can have a lot of demands put upon you. Likewise, you may be caring for someone like a small child, an elderly parent, or animals, or maybe you have social demands. These demands can put a lot of strain on our mental health, so it is important to stay balanced.

Prioritizing mental health is crucial for our well-being and productivity. Without good mental health, the stressors of life can create so many problems including the break down of our physical health, our inability to be productive, and it can affect our ability to be happy and peaceful.

Since mental health is a critical aspect of overall well-being, it’s important to create a work-life balance for ourselves and check in with how we are feeling and then take care of our needs. We can create healthy boundaries between work and personal life, such as setting reasonable work hours and taking breaks when we need it.

In the workplace, employers can offer support and resources for employees. It creates an added benefit of improved productivity, reduced absenteeism, and the promotion of a positive work culture. In addition to promoting work-life balance, employers can also provide resources and support for mental health. This can include offering an employee assistance program (EAP) that provides counseling services and referrals to mental health professionals. Employers can also provide training and education on mental health awareness and resources, as well as creating a culture of openness and support around mental health issues. By prioritizing employee mental health, employers can create a healthier and more productive workplace for everyone. It can help prevent burnout and improve overall job satisfaction, leading to a more positive and productive work environment.

Tip: Good mental health is for everyone. No matter what you spend your time doing, it is important to balance. Take some time during the day - even if it is just one minute - to stop and take a breath to ask yourself how you are feeling. If you are noticing some tension, see if you can take a little break with some deep breaths to recenter.