When we think about mental health in the workplace, there are some startling statistics we cannot ignore.
- According to the WHO, by 2020, depression will be the second most frequent cause of disability in the world
- €136 billion was spent in lost productivity from sick leave due to mental health problems.
As people who need to work for a living, these figures plainly tell us that we need to ensure that the ways we go about earning our living and the effort we put into it is balanced by sufficient care for our wellbeing.
Responsible employers need to recognise their human capital is as important and vital to their economic success as their other assets. Investing in staff well-being is not an optional luxury but a sustainable way of ensuring the good health of any business, or institution.
What puts our wellbeing at work at risk?
1. Pushing ourselves too hard
As human beings we need to find a balance between doing and being. Of course, we all have things we need to accomplish, and that is important – but the danger is that we get into a habit of looking at everything we do as a project to be completed, a goal to be achieved. The more we need to do, the harder we push ourselves and the less time we leave for real rest and relaxation both during and at the end of a long day.
2. Stress
Many of us feel that there is too much in our working lives that is beyond our control, and this causes us stress. This is intensified if the job is a high-demand occupation. Our bosses or coworkers may cause us stress if the relationship isn’t strong, or if we are not ‘performing’ in a way that we are being put under pressure to.
3. Our wandering mind
Do you ever notice how busy your mind gets during the day at work? And how so often, you are thinking about something else other than the task in front of you? In 2010, research from Harvard University discovered that for almost 50% of our waking hours, we are thinking of something different from what we are doing. It also found that this pattern does not make us happy. All this thinking, projecting and mind-wandering tends to lead to anxiety, and undermines our overall wellbeing.
What can we do to increase our wellbeing at work?
1. Take some practical steps at work right now
- Take time during the day to move and stretch
- Take regular deep, relaxing breaths
- Make sure you have a few moments alone from time to time
- Look up at the sky
- Make your work station personal to you, with a family photo, or plant
- Drink plenty of water
2. Remember the bigger picture
Remind yourself why you wanted to do this job in the first place. Connect with your original intention and motivation—let it inspire and nourish you.
3. Take control where we can
Although we may feel all kinds of things happen at work which we have no say in and no way to control, it’s important to recognize what we CAN control and focus in on doing that to the best of our ability. Consider this quote:
“People may see little variation in how to do their tasks, but they still have other kinds of choices in terms of their attitudes, how they react with their co-workers, whether they utilise certain inner qualities or spiritual strengths to change their attitudes at work.”
(The Art of Happiness at Work by HH Dalai Lama & Howard Cutler).
So there are three fundamental ways we can take control at work and make a big contribution to our well-being:
- We can work on the attitudes we have at work and see which ones are helpful for us, and which are not,
- We can pay attention to how we treat the people that we work with,
- We can choose to look into our own inner strengths in order to find a deeper meaning to the control we are looking for.
4. Do something about our wandering mind
Perhaps the most important way we can change our well-being at work is to make meditation part of our lives. Meditation is the best way to come home to ourselves and to be able to make friends with ourselves as we are. We have seen that our mind wanders and takes our attention away from the present moment. If we can learn to bring our mind back and to simply be present with where we are and what we are doing, everything else can settle around that.
A simple way to start is to set aside just 5 minutes each day, and here’s a basic technique you can try yourself at home.
- Find a quiet place and sit down—either on a straight-backed chair, or on a cushion on the floor.
- Take a few moments to settle and allow yourself to be present.
- Notice your breathing—feel the rhythm notice where you feel it the most strongly in your body.
- Rest your attention on your breath.
- Try to keep it there but gently, don’t force it.
- After a while your attention will wander – and that is fine.
- Just notice your attention has wandered into thoughts and feelings.
- Drop the thoughts and feelings if you can.
- Come back to the breath.
- Do this over and over again – no pressure to be any way, just to keep returning your attention to the breath.
Slowly over time you can build up to 10 minutes, and so on. Give yourself lots of space – and don’t judge how you are getting on. Just let yourself enjoy the feeling of taking a vital step to increase your wellbeing at work and in your life.
Maureen will be giving a weekend retreat at Dzogchen Beara later in the year on 10 Ways to Wellbeing at Work: Practical wisdom for busy times
Friday 12, 8pm to Sunday 14 October, 4pm
dzogchenbeara.org/ten-ways-to-wellbeing-at-work-2018