Being in a toxic workplace environment can turn your work/life balance upside down, negatively impacting your mental health, morale and self-esteem.
According to benefit providers, 76% of employees report burnout.
So, how do we finish well, maintaining a work-life balance after clearly knowing that the environment we are in is toxic?
Take the next week to implement one tip at a time. The goal is consistency, gradually changing to positive working habits.
Here are four ways employees can create positive change while they wait:
1. Tips for Physical Health
Keep Active.
– Get out for a walk or do regular exercise. Regular exercise can boost self-esteem and concentration, help you sleep better and can keep you looking and feeling good.
Eat Well.
– Eating the right foods can affect your mood, short term or long term. Try getting away from your desk to eat with others. If you find public eating stressful due to past experiences, don’t place pressure on yourself. Just move to another location, other than your desk.
– While working remotely, try changing rooms while you eat.
Be Mindful of Drinking Habits.
– Drinking can impact our overall mood. Be mindful of the reasons behind why you drink. Is it to mask feelings of loneliness or reduce stress? Understanding why you drink can bring insight to your overall mood.
Take Breaks Throughout the Day (Did you know just five minutes can recharge you?).
– Schedule a lunch.
– Take your two 15-minute breaks.
– Get up and take a body break.
– Fill your break with something you love or something different.
– Build yourself a healthy routine (going to bed at a regular time, eating, movement, etc.)
2. Tips for Staying Connected
Relationships are so important to mental health. If you notice that you are too busy to spend time with friends and loved ones, it may be time do just that. Talk about your feelings, find an ally (partner, co-worker, friends, family, therapist, etc.) within or outside of the workspace that you feel comfortable with and can be your sounding board.
Did you know that loneliness can be as bad for our health as smoking and obesity?
– Schedule a FaceTime.
– Plan a fun activity.
– Send a text when someone comes to mind.
– Care for others (helping others can help us feel valued and needed).
Ask for help.
– We are not superheroes, but we are stronger together. Your employer may have an employment assistance program that is confidential and free.
– Did you know that your General Practitioner is a part of your mental health team? GPs have access to many mental health specialists (Counsellors, Social Workers, Psychiatrist, Psychologist, Doctors, etc.)
– Ask for help from a trusted leader (HR, mental health professional, supervisor, etc.). These leaders can help you identify, reframe, express and document each toxic behaviour. Speak up when you see something that is not OK, rather than simply pushing through.
– Avoid work drama.
3. Tips to accepting Who You Are
At times, we may feel the pressure to be something that we are not. Rather, take time to get to know you. What do you like to do? What do you do to get energy? What are your short-term or long-term goals?
Do something you are good at. When was the last time you played your favourite game, read a book, took up a new hobby or learned something outside of your comfort zone?
Be self-reflective, try keeping a gratitude journal or log the things that you are thankful for.
Be open to asking someone you care about to help you discover your hidden you.
4. Tips to Keep an Eye on Your Future
Taking control of your own mental health and career path can be empowering. During this time, focus on you but keep an eye out for upcoming opportunities within or outside of your industry.
– Begin your new job; don’t wait until you are burnt out at the old one.
– Be careful — fear can be sneaky. It may come in by just being busy, avoiding looking for jobs or feeling overwhelmed or not wanting to start over. Ask yourself: Am I avoiding something that I need to do to make this toxic environment work?
– Don’t be afraid to ask for help (resume, social media or interview prep).
– Consider job steppingstones.
How can STRiVE Mental Health, Wellness & Empowerment help?
The well-being of your employees is paramount to us.
STRiVE equips organizations with strategies by providing tools to help recover from burnout and boost productivity. The goal is to provide top-quality evidence-based program development and workshops, both in person and virtually, while building long-term resilient employees.
We want to help your organization – make a referral here or contact us at vdavidsonstrive@gmail.com to learn more.
