World Mental Health Day – October 10, 2024
World Mental Health Day is upon us, and the theme for this year is ‘prioritising mental health in the workplace’. In the post-COVID era, work-life balance has become a priority for workers globally – and more specifically, in Australia. According to the OECD Better Life Index, striking a balance between work and life is a challenge – and overworking can cause significant strain on your mental wellbeing resulting in burnout.
For example, 13% of Aussie employees work long hours compared to the OECD average of 10%. Echoed in Mental Health First Aid Australia’s data, due to work pressures, a lack of work-life balance, and more, 61% of Australian workers feel burnt out. Now, we’re not saying you need to quit your job, but there are some simple strategies you could insert into your routine to reduce your chance of feeling burnout. Keep reading to learn more…
How To Reduce Your Chances Of Burnout
Staying on theme, we’re here to help you find the perfect balance and prioritise your mental health this World Mental Health Day and beyond. But how do you reduce burnout and exhaustion? Our Converge experts have some simple steps that can help with burnout and stress:
- Take some time to breathe: When you feel stressed and overwhelmed, breathe deeply and fully. This can help change the pH in your blood – in a good way.
- Saying NO is okay: Adding new tasks to your workload when you don’t need to will exacerbate your mental load. So, say no sometimes; get what you can under control before you take on new responsibilities. You could even delegate tasks at work and ask for help at home!
- Take note of what causes you stress: Write down instances where you feel stressed and brainstorm ways you could have reduced that stress. This may seem obvious, but you’ll remember the next time something similar occurs.
- Take some “you” time: Unplug, be mindful and practice self-care. Consider being more analogue and placing your technology aside for a moment. Meditation and other mindfulness exercises can help reduce stress and burnout.
- Have a good routine: We can’t stress this enough: having a good sleep routine, a healthy diet, and getting enough exercise is crucial. Consider going for a jog around the block or meal planning for the week.
Our biggest piece of advice is to try to find a good work-life balance. Your job is important, but if you’re not at your best, you and your organisation will suffer. Peak performance and productivity come from a mentally and physically healthy you.
Work-Life Balance: Is Australia’s Workplace Landscape Changing?
Unsurprisingly, since the COVID-19 pandemic, there has been a shift in what makes a workplace desirable to a prospective employee. These trends have resulted in many employees deciding that work isn’t their only priority anymore. As evidenced in LinkedIn’s Talent Market Drivers survey, the number 1 priority stated by respondents is a “good work-life balance”.
Encouragingly, OECD’s findings report that more full-time Aussie workers spend approximately 14.4 hours – or 60% of their day – participating in activities they enjoy. As such, the Aussie work environment appears to be moving in the right direction. Nonetheless, reflecting the theme of World Mental Health Day, more needs to be done to address burnout and prioritise mental health in the workplace.
Looking for Support?
If you need support, there are always avenues you can take to get the help you need. Firstly, you could consult your GP who can also refer you to other services like a psychologist. Also, check who your workplace wellbeing support provider is. If it’s Converge, we have a number of services available to help you get back to your best. If we are your workplace EAP, browse our website to see which support service is right for you. Then, using our website or the Converge App, book an appointment with one of our expert consultants!