Happy World Mental Health Day! Each year, on 10th October, the World Health Organisation holds World Mental Health Day with the aim of raising awareness of mental health issues. This year’s theme is Mental Health in the Workplace.
 
A starting point for improving mental wellbeing at work is to think about your work-life balance. If it feels like work is taking over your life and impacting on your overall happiness, here are some top tips for improving your work-life balance.
 
Set a work-life balance goal
 
Think about your current work-life balance and what you’d like it to be. Do they match? If not, it’s time to make some changes. Remember, everybody has their own idea of what the perfect balance is, so there’s no set percentage to aim for. Your goal might also need to be flexible through the year depending on what’s going on in your work/personal life.
 
Don’t confuse work and home spaces
 
If you work from home try to find a separate space that’s just for work. It’s easier to mentally step away from work if you can shut the door on it and walk away. Working from home in bed might seem like a great alternative to the office, but if you start associating your relaxation space with work it can be harder to switch off.
 
Leave work at work
 
Replying to messages before bed? Finishing off a project on your laptop at 11pm? Have a clear cut off time for stopping work. And when you get to it, shut down your computer, turn off your work phone and focus on you. And on that point…
 
Stop checking emails
 
Smartphones have made work accessible to us 24/7. But do you really need to read your boss’s latest thoughts on a project over the weekend? Probably not. The simplest solution is to delete your work email account off your phone, either permanently or outside of work hours. If your job means you have to regularly access your emails, try setting designated times for checking and turn down the volume on your notifications instead.
 
Work smarter, not longer
 
Could you reduce the number of hours you work by being more productive while you’re actually at work? As a starting point, try turning off email notifications on your computer so you’re not tempted to interrupt what you’re doing to check your inbox. Doing this breaks concentration and increases the chances of being distracted into another task.
 
Start a to-do list
 
At the end of each day write down your main priorities for the next day. It can be helpful to have a master to-do list and take selected tasks off it each day. Think about what’s realistically achievable in the time you’ve got. And if your workload is unpredictable, make allowances for the possibility of being given more urgent, unforeseen tasks to complete when planning out your time.
 
Think good enough rather than perfect
 
Are you putting extra pressure on yourself when you don’t need to? The quest for perfectionism can fuel stress levels and increase the feeling of being overworked. Go easier on yourself. Don’t think about whether a piece of work is perfect, but whether it’s good enough. Good enough is OK.
 
Take breaks
 
Plan regular time through your day to have a break. If you feel like you don’t have time for a break, remember you’ll almost certainly be more productive after 10 minutes of fresh air. As well as daily breaks and lunchtimes, plan time off work in regular intervals throughout the year. You don’t need to be jetting off somewhere exotic each time (although obviously that would be lovely), just taking time out of work can be restful.
 
Say no and ask for help
 
Do you find yourself saying yes to everything people ask you to do and taking on more work than you can cope with? If this sounds familiar, it’s time to start saying no and asking for help. Think about whether or not you can do what’s being asked of you before saying yes. If you can’t do it, be clear about saying no. And if the demands being placed on you are too high, look at your workload to see whether you can delegate. Or speak to your manager about getting additional support, extending deadlines or passing selected tasks over to someone else.
 
Take time for you
 
Exercise, leisure activities and friendships are all things that provide the balance with your working life. But when work gets busy they’re often the first things that get sacrificed. Taking time for self-care is hugely important for good mental health. It reduces stress levels, clears your mind and gives you chance to relax. Combine this with eating well and getting a good night’s sleep, and you’ll be well on the way to achieving a positive work-life balance.
 
Read more about How Self-Care Can Improve Your Mental Health.

Happiness can often feel like the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow – you think you know what will make you happy, but once you get there it’s replaced by something else you need to buy, or do, or achieve. So how can we start to feel happier and gain more pleasure and enjoyment from our day-to-day lives? Here are 12 things you can do to boost your mood and feel more content.
 
1) Stop comparing yourself to others
 
Ever been quite happy with your life but then seen someone’s social media post and suddenly felt inadequate? Comparing yourself to others can create feelings of jealousy and dissatisfaction, and a sense of not being good enough. Limit the amount of time you spend scrolling through social media posts and remind yourself that for every “perfect” image there’s hundreds of unfiltered ones that people haven’t made public.
 
2) Keep a gratitude journal
 
Write down three things you are grateful for each day. By focusing on the things you’re lucky to have in your life, instead of the things you don’t have, you can boost mood, optimism and overall satisfaction with your life.
 
3) Focus on the present
 
Focusing on the present improves mood by decreasing the amount of time you spend ruminating on the past or feeling anxious about the future. Apps such as Calm and HeadSpace can help you with mindfulness practice, where you pay attention to your thoughts, feelings and the world around you in the present moment.
 
4) Spend time outdoors
 
Studies have found that being in nature can help to boost your mood by lowering cortisol (the stress hormone), and reducing hypertension (high blood pressure) and levels of anxiety. Those with a stronger connection to nature experience higher life satisfaction and levels of happiness.[i]
 
5) Set realistic goals
 
Setting unachievable goals creates a sense of dissatisfaction and feelings of failure. By setting realistic goals, you increase positivity. And the reward and satisfaction that comes from achieving these goals results in greater personal happiness.
 
6) Care for others
 
Volunteering, and spending time and/or money on others has been shown to boost happiness. And acts of kindness have the added bonus of bringing joy to both you and the recipient.
 
7) Spend time with family and friends
 
Strong social connections can have an influential impact on your mood. Spending time with people you care about, and who care about you, creates a sense of security and acceptance, and boosts levels of happiness.
 
8) Forgive
 
Focusing on grudges and resentments generates negative emotions and leaves less time and space for happiness. By forgiving, you can free yourself and concentrate on more positive emotions.
 
9) Laugh
 
Unsurprisingly, smiling and laughing boosts your mood. So put on a funny film, watch some comedy YouTube clips, or get someone to tell you silly jokes.
 
10) Do some exercise
 
Exercise has been proven to reduce stress and improve feelings of depression and anxiety. In fact, a study by the University of Vermont[ii] has shown that twenty minutes of exercise can boost your mood for up to 12 hours. It gives you a ‘feel good’ buzz and improves self-esteem and happiness levels.
 
11) Allow yourself to feel unhappy
 
It’s not possible to be happy all the time. But feeling sad isn’t necessarily negative[iii] - and it’s certainly not a sign of weakness or failure. After all, we wouldn’t know what happiness was unless we had an opposite emotion to compare it to. Instead of ignoring or avoiding negative emotions, try writing down how you’re feeling. This can help you to understand and accept them, and work out how to move forward in a way that will make you happy.
 
12) Ask for help
 
Sometimes, no matter what you do, life is overwhelming and it can feel difficult to cope. If you’re experiencing depression, anxiety or stress, the thought of feeling happy can seem too distant to ever be a reality. If this sounds familiar, the first step to improving this is to talk to someone and get support. This could be a friend or family member, a work colleague, your GP, a therapist or a support group. Talking about how you’re feeling and asking for help can give a sense of relief and is an important step towards improving your mental and emotional wellbeing.


[i] PLOS One (2016), 30 Days Wild: Development and Evaluation of a Large-Scale Nature Engagement Campaign to Improve Well-Being, Available: http://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0149777

[ii] University of Vermont Scholar Works (2013), The Effects of Mindful Movement and Exercise on Depression, Available: http://scholarworks.uvm.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1004&context=studentgen

[iii] BBC News (2017), Anger and hatred can make us feel happy, Available: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-40900811