How to take care of yourself on World Mental Health Day
World Mental Health Day is a chance to raise awareness of mental health and remind everyone of the support available to help you prioritise your wellbeing. This year's theme is ‘workplace mental health’ and the Royal Borough of Greenwich will be sharing ways you take care of yourself at work.
1 in 4 people experience a mental health problem of some kind every year, and in 2022/23, 875,000 workers suffered from work-related stress, depression and anxiety.
A council spokesperson said:
Finding the right tools to help you deal with your mental health will allow you to live your best life. It might not always feel easy to take time for yourself at work but with the five ways of wellbeing listed out below, hopefully you can relate to something that could help.
Your journey is unique and we’re going to ensure no one gets left behind by sharing a variety of free ways you can feel empowered and equipped on the harder days.”
Work can have a huge impact on our mental health. It can be good for our mental health, giving us a sense of purpose, boosting our self-worth, and providing opportunities to connect with others. But it can also be a source of stress and anxiety and contribute to developing or worsening mental health problems.
There are also some small positive steps which you can take to improve your mental health. Doing one small thing every day can help you feel a lot better:
Connect with others
Whether it's a coffee with a colleague or a cinema date with a loved one, connecting with others can allow you to create positive experiences and help you build a sense of belonging.
Be physically active
Being active is great is for raising your self-esteem, setting goals and achieving them and releases chemicals in your brain to positively change your mood.
Royal Greenwich is home to a fantastic selection of open spaces and leisure centres, and you can get some great discounts on swimming, exercise classes and sports facilities with your Greenwich One Card. Greenwich Get Active has some great advice and suggestions on how to become more active.
Learn a skill
Cook a new meal, start a DIY project or sign up for a local club. This allows you to enjoy yourself while boosting your self-confidence.
Find out about local courses on Greenwich Learns.
Give to others
Research suggests that acts of kindness can help improve your mental wellbeing. Offer to help someone with something or smile at a stranger.
Learn about volunteering opportunities
Be present
A lot of the time we stress about the future or the past - paying more attention to the present moment can improve your mental wellbeing.
Read more about mindfulness, including steps you can take to be more mindful in your everyday life.
Free resources for you
- Visit Every Mind Matters for a range of free resources including articles on self-help CBT techniques, how to get more active for your mental health, and support on how to help others who are struggling. You can sign up for anxiety-easing emails which deliver expert advice and practical tips to your inbox.
- Take the NHS Your Mind Plan quiz, which will provide you with personalised tips to help you deal with stress and anxiety, improve your sleep, boost your mood and feel more in control.
- Good Thinking provides a range of resources to help Londoners improve their mental wellbeing, including free NHS-approved apps, blogs and personal stories, podcasts, webinars and clinically validated self-assessments.
- The NHS’s Greenwich Time to Talk offers Royal Greenwich residents short-term, focused counselling in eight sessions.
- Mental Health for Employers Toolkit - Business in the Community has partnered with Public Health England to produce a toolkit to help every organisation support the mental health and wellbeing of its employees. It will help employers take positive actions to build a culture that champions good mental health and provides a greater understanding of how to help those who need more support.
Find out more about looking after your mental health and wellbeing at Live Well Greenwich.