You would be hard-pressed to find anyone who says January is their favourite month! The days are cold and dark, while the holidays have been and gone. So, while ‘Blue Monday’ may be a gimmick, it’s no surprise that for many, January to March can be challenging for their mental health.
At WELL Health, we’re committed to making WELL a healthy place to work and improving access to mental health services for Canadians.
And with one in five Canadians experiencing a mental health problem or illness in any given year, it’s important that as one of the leading healthcare companies in Canada, WELL Health continues adding our voice to conversations about mental health.
In that spirit, we’ve created a summary of the support and resources WELL provides team members. We’ve also included our top 10 tips for 2023, helping you prevent the winter blues and improve your mental health in the workplace.
What WELL Is Doing to Support Employee Mental Health
As a company, WELL Health is committed to supporting mental health. WELL‘s investment in Focus Mental Wellness, Canada’s pioneer in accessible and affordable online therapy providers, shows our commitment to providing accessible mental health virtual care for Canadians.
And for our team members, WELL is supporting mental health in the workplace through the following partnerships and services.
So, if you want to:
Talk to a mental health professional:
WELL’s program with Focus Mental Wellness gives WELL team members at least one free session each year and an ongoing affordable online therapy option.
Take a break, get some exercise, or learn about mindfulness and nutrition:
Bright Breaks offers over 300 live weekly ‘micro wellness breaks’ spanning yoga, fitness, mindfulness, nutrition, and personal development.
Relax, recharge or refresh:
WELL Health encourages team members to take full advantage of their time off. WELL has even introduced Volunteer Days, where employees and contractors can take up to 1% of their work time each year and dedicate that to a cause they care about.
Learn new skills or develop yourself at work:
WELL Health is currently piloting our ‘WELL University’ project with Udemy Business, allowing access to over 19, 000 courses in everything from programming languages and mastering leadership skills to learning how to cook or play guitar. To find out if you are eligible, reach out to the People & Culture team or keep an eye on your email for updates.
Connect with colleagues in a positive workplace culture:
Keep an eye out for workplace culture and social events (including the annual summer BBQs!) that the EPIC team arranges in British Columbia and Ontario. You can even volunteer to join the EPIC team! Or attend any of the social and volunteering events organized by our different WELL businesses.
Top 10 tips to maintain your mental health in 2023
Prioritize your sleep
Everyone has heard this before, but sleep is crucial for maintaining good mental health. Adequate sleep helps to regulate mood, reduce stress and anxiety, and boost overall well-being.
Lack of sleep can increase the risk of developing mental health conditions such as depression and anxiety. It can also impact decision-making and memory. So, if you’re looking to beat the winter blues, aiming for a consistent sleep schedule can help your mental health!
Set goals for your year
New Year’s resolutions have a mixed reputation but setting attainable goals and tracking progress can be a valuable way to promote positive mental health. Setting goals can also help your mental wellness by providing direction, control, and motivation. Tracking progress towards those goals can help build self-esteem and accomplishment.
At this time of year, many people choose personal goals like staying active or reading more. But reflecting on accomplishments at work and setting new goals for the year ahead can also be worthwhile.
Take regular breaks
So far, our tips have been mainly personal. But this one is professional!
Taking breaks is a great way to manage mental health in the workplace. Regular breaks can increase productivity, reduce the risk of burnout at work, improve decision-making, and alleviate stress and anxiety at work. It isn’t always easy but prioritizing short breaks can make a huge difference, and WELL Health promotes this through our partnership with Bright Breaks.
Connect with friends and colleagues
Building and maintaining positive relationships are vital to managing mental health.
Spending time with loved ones is a great way to improve your mental health. And at work, supportive relationships with colleagues help to improve job satisfaction, collaboration, and teamwork.
Prioritize work-life balance
Taking appropriate time off is a huge factor in maintaining a work-life balance as it allows employees to rest and recharge, returning to work refreshed and helping to prevent burnout and stress.
Family and sick leave are other ways to help employees avoid spreading themselves too thin, allowing time to get better or offering flexibility to care for a family.
Work-life balance is more than just paid time off, however. It can simply be about finding the right mix between work and personal life, with enough time for personal, family, and leisure activities. And there are no shortage of other work-life balance tips to try!
Let your physical health boost your mental health
Staying physically active and eating a healthy diet are crucial to positive mental health. Regular physical activity helps reduce stress and anxiety, improves mood, and is a preventative measure for many physical and mental health conditions. A healthy diet also provides the necessary nutrients for the brain and body to function and can help to improve your mood.
Ali Diebold, Clinical Consultant at Focus Mental Wellness, explains, “engaging in practices to better your physical health can serve as one way to nurture yourself, stay focused in the present, and connect with yourself on a deeper cognitive and emotional level.”
By incorporating regular physical activity and a healthy diet into your daily routine, you can promote good mental and physical health. And it could be as simple as starting with drinking plenty of water and aiming for 10, 000 steps a day.
Learn new skills, whether personal or professional
Learning new skills can improve mental health by boosting self-confidence, reducing stress, and providing a sense of accomplishment. It also can keep the mind active, foster creativity, and provides a sense of purpose.
It doesn’t necessarily have to be a work-related skill, although online learning platforms are making that easy. Sometimes committing to adding or improving your skills can help with hobbies and daily life. If you are a WELL team member interested in learning new skills, you can access Skillsoft’s Percipio platform as part of our ‘WELL University’ intiative.
Start some spring cleaning
Spring cleaning and decluttering physical (and even digital) spaces often have a surprising impact on mental health. A cluttered environment can be distracting and stressful, leaving people feeling the impact.
Commit to positive and open communication
Communication is obviously important in both personal and professional contexts. At work, things can get busy, and tasks get missed or miscommunicated. Avoiding conflicts and practicing empathy when communicating in the workplace is vital. Ultimately, communication that is based on respect builds trust and collaboration and is key to a healthy workplace.
Practice relaxation
Yoga, meditation, and breathing exercises are popular ways to practice relaxation and reduce stress. Others enjoy painting, listening to music or simply playing with pets. The trick is being intentional about taking time to unwind.
Discover which mental health tips work for you!
Ultimately, this list isn’t an exhaustive or one-size fits all list of tips and strategies.
With so many ways to manage mental health, everyone can find tips and resources that fit their preferences and needs. As Ali Diebold of Focus Mental Wellness explains, “each person has unique needs, and it is critical to explore, discover, and learn how to implement strategies and skills they need to thrive in this world.”
If you enjoyed this blog, share these tips with your friends and colleagues!
Or, if you want to learn more about WELL’s culture and approach to employee mental health, visit our People & Culture page for more information.
