Hosted by the Mental Health Foundation, Mental Health Awareness Week will take place from 10-16th May 2021. The theme is ‘Nature’.
We have known for a long time that being outside has so many benefits for both our physical health and mental health. Personally, when I reflect on the past 15 months, being outside, has, at times, kept me going. Kept me going, when the days felt long and equally like they were disappearing at the speed of light. On many occasions my stress container was overflowing, but I felt that ‘nature’ was my ever-available resource. This resource protected not just my health but also many of the the peoples’ around me.
Often, my motivation to go out walking is not to feel the benefits of exercise, but to engage with my surroundings. I LOVE birds. Sitting or walking, listening to different bird calls is my mindfulness activity. I try to engage in this most days, whether it’s in my garden or out in my local park.
During Mental Health Awareness week, I will be following the guidance from the Mental Health Foundation to raise awareness of the benefits nature has on our health. Nature can give an abundance of gifts in alleviating stress.
During Mental Health Awareness Week, the Mental Health Foundation are asking us to do three things, find out more on their website :-
Experience nature: take time to recognise and grow your connection with nature during the week. Take a moment to notice and celebrate nature in your daily life. You might be surprised by what you notice!
Share nature: Take a photo, video or sound recording and share the connections you’ve made during the week, to inspire others. Join the discussion on how you’re connecting with nature by using the hashtags #ConnectWithNature #MentalHealthAwarenessWeek
Talk about nature: use our tips, school packs, research and policy guides to discuss in your family, school, workplace and community how you can help encourage people to find new ways to connect with nature in your local environment.
I’d like to say I’m a pretty optimistic person, I like to look at the positives in a situation, I find gratitude is exceptionally powerful in my ability to remain resilient in challenging times. However, I have to apply caution to my optimism. I do not ever want to invalidate another persons experience by offering them an optimistic alternative view.
Often, we don’t know what other people are experiencing and an empathic alliance is what people need, rather than forcing someone to look for unicorns and rainbows. However, optimism isn’t always sickening positivity and I wanted to have a look at what we know about it and how to cultivate it to your advantage.
What is optimism?
Optimism is defined as a mental attitude reflecting hopefulness and confidence about the future or the success of something (Oxford Dictionary), i.e. Is the glass half full or half empty? This question epitomises the definition of optimism, those who view the glass as half full would be viewed as optimistic.
Optimism doesn’t have to mean engaging in wishful thinking, it can be a way of looking at the world and viewing yourself as responsible for areas of your life that are going well. This optimistic view on life gives more personal agency to yourself for positive events, creating a healthier outlook.
Benefits of optimism
Optimists have been found to live longer than those perceived as pessimistic, they also tend to be less susceptible to the negative effects of illness, fatigue and depression (Andersson, 1996).Optimists are likely to cope better with stressful situations and tend to take more direct action to solve these problems, by viewing the situation as temporary where things are likely to get better. (Fox, 2012).
Tips to cultivate optimism
The ‘best possible self’ exercise – This exercise involves taking 15 minutes every day to write an ideal future 1-10 years from now with everything going as well as possible, being specific and optimistic. This has been found to increase positive emotions, help identify goals and feel more control in our lives.
Trying on a ‘positive lens’ – making a conscious effort to challenge yourself to try and think of something positive in every situation, this small effort has been found to train our brains to alter our responses to negative experiences to cope better (Davidson, 2003).
Keep a gratitude diary – At the end of each day writing down and focusing on all the things that had gone right and have made you happy that day can be a good way to feel more grateful for the small things. This can be something as little as the car starting or someone making you smile.
Cultivate positivity to others – Making other people feel positive has found to have lasting effects on your own life, making you feel more positive and optimistic (Lambert et al, 2012). Share positive feedback with someone, compliment a person at work or tell someone close to you how much you appreciate them! Whilst doing this don’t forget to bestow positivity on yourself – praise yourself and think of all the good things from your day.
Being optimistic but remaining realistic
Although optimism can have various benefits for both physical and mental health, individuals with an unrealistic belief that the future will only contain positive events can lead them to take unnecessary risks with both their health and finance.
Being optimistic is not always easy and research suggests it may not always be the best strategy. It suggests that by coupling optimism with a small dose of realism individuals can build resilience and encourage individuals to achieve their goals (Schneider, 2001).
Individuals who try to always be optimistic can sometimes dismiss their real emotions, failing to take time out to understand these emotions (Whitbourne, 2010). By adjusting coping methods that take into account the reality of situations, individuals can be both optimistic and realistic.
Realistic optimism is a way to remain optimistic whilst also being realistic. Realistic optimism involves hoping for positive outcomes by setting achievable goals and working towards the desired outcome (Schneider, 2001). These people tend to hold a positive outlook on life but within the restraints of what they know to be realistic in their world (Action for Happiness). Understanding that the road ahead may be rocky but still will lead to success is an important outlook for a realistic optimist and means that they tend to better deal with problems before they arise and persist longer in the face of difficulty (Halvorson, 2011).
It’s National work-life week from 12th-16th October and we wanted to share why it’s important to have a healthy work life balance. We’ve also shared a few hints and tips for employers and employees.
Why is it important?
When individuals have a poor work-life balance, it can lead to their health suffering and can ultimately affect their wellbeing. Research suggests that individuals who are overworked are at a 60% higher risk of heart-related problems than those with a healthier work-life balance (Virtanen, 2010). Whilst mental health is also affected by a lack of a healthy work life balance with 27% of individuals feeling depressed if they are working long hours and 40% neglecting other aspects of their life (Mental Health Foundation).
Maintaining a healthy work-life balance is not only important for health and relationships but it has also been found to improve employee’s performance and productivity. By individuals being able to leave work at work they can become more engaged and go the extra mile during their work hours (Perrin, 2006).
Studies into what a good work-life balance looks like
Byrne (2005) – This study suggests that the work-life balance is beginning to change with the generation of workers, with millennials wanting more control over when, where and how they work. They suggest that the work-life balance is achieved when the individual’s life inside and outside work is accepted, respected and is benefiting that individual. Within the workplace work-life balance might include flexi-hours, compressed working hours, self-rostering, working from home and flexible benefits. These types of work differences allow individuals to spend more time with their friends and families whilst be productive in their job role.
Spring (2002) – This study found that although work-life balance can mean different things for different employers and employees there are some basic wants for a good work-life balance. Employees tended to indicate a better work-life balance with incentives of flexi-time, a higher entitlement to holidays and less travelling to meet clients. It was indicated that these benefits allowed employees to spend more time at home with their families, allowing them to be more productive in their work environments.
What businesses can do to create a good work-life balance
Breaks – Encouraging small breaks throughout the day can help individual’s health and mental wellbeing. To help encourage this, workplaces could consider installing a ‘break out space’ such as a games room or a room with sofas to help individuals socialise and take their minds off work. All of these techniques have found to positively impact on your team’s performance, productivity and workplace happiness.
Healthy food options – ‘Fruit Fridays’ has been an initiative used to help the healthy work-life balance. Businesses work with local fruit grocers to provide fresh fruit and vegetables for employees encouraging them to eat healthily and have healthy snacks whilst at work. The benefits of eating fruit can also work against those of over working with helping to lower the risk of heart disease and strokes. Whilst also promoting mental wellness and improving moral and motivation.
Break out space – With individuals becoming more glued to their screens the use of a breakout space has found to be really important in order to encourage a better work-life balance, encourage employee retention and attracting individuals to the workforce. An efficient break-out area allows individuals to take their minds off the job promoting productivity, creativity and has found to improve wellness and reduce stress levels.
Employee Assistance Programme- Invest in an EAP to help support your employees. Make sure the provider is registered via the EAP Association.
Mental Health First Aid – Having a trained mental health first aider is another way to keep a balanced work life. Mental health first aiders are trained to understand the benefits of a healthy work-life balance and it encourages employees to gain support on how to effectively achieve this balance.
Ask workers what they need – A work-life balance can look different to every employee and therefore it’s important to listen to your employees and how to achieve this. 41% of employees do not feel listened to regarding work-life balance, therefore encourage your employees to take part in a survey and give them balance-related options allowing the company to implement achievable work-life solutions.
Boundaries people can set to preserve their own mental health at work
Leave work on time – Are you often the last to leave work? Long hours mean you may be working harder but not necessarily working better, these long hours can take a toll on your productiveness, concentration and health. Try to leave work on time to help separate your time at work and time at home.
Ask for help – If you feel as though you are struggling to manage your work load, take the opportunity to discuss this with your manager or supervisor. It’s important to ask for help if you are struggling to maintain a healthy work-life balance.
Take your breaks- we know that breaks are essential for us to be productive. People often work through their breaks because they want to achieve more. However, when people don’t take timely breaks they are less productive.
Take time off – A break from work provides a chance to switch off and enjoy yourself, use this opportunity to recuperate and recharge. This is essential to improve your productivity and remain focussed whilst at work.
If you are working from home. Take a look at our working from home tips.
Self-care is described as an activity that we do deliberately in order to take care of our mental, emotional and physical health (Raphailia, 2018). Examples can range from not checking your emails at night when you know it affects your sleep (guilty!) and extends to more important decisions like going for a holiday (yes please) or booking a massage if you need one (always).
Self-care is hugely important as it helps us maintain a healthy relationship with ourselves that can be transmitted to others; you cannot give to others what you don’t have yourself (Tartakovsky, 2019). Biali Haas (2016) emphasises this stating you cannot pour from an empty cup, if you’re running on empty, then break that habit before it breaks you. This emphasises the importance that self-care can have on individuals lives and why looking after yourself also impacts those around you. Plus, we know that supporting and giving to others is important for our own health.
Self-care has found to have multiple benefits; improved immunity, increased positive thinking, less susceptible to stress, depression anxiety and other emotional health issues (Living Self Care). It has been further found that individuals who fail to take care of themselves are more prone to unhappiness, low self-esteem and feelings of resentment (Living Self Care). These benefits have increased the use of self-care within millennials as they spend twice as much on self-care essentials than baby boomers which has found to create millennials as more upbeat and positive (Pew research, 2008).
Self-care tips
Rest and Reflection – Sleep can have a huge influence on both your emotional and physical health. Sleep can be made part of a self-care routine by ensuring that you are sleeping for 6-8 hours a day, as well as listening to your body and taking naps when it is felt necessary. Whilst research also suggests that giving yourself time to reflect and ask yourself questions such as ‘what makes me feel happy?’ can create self-clarity an important aspect of self-care.
Eating Well – Eating a healthy, balanced diet is one of the core elements of self-care. Research has found that daily food choices can affect overall health and wellbeing both in the long term and the short term (Stranges et al, 2014). By eating healthily as part of your self-care routine you may experience benefits such as better mood, better ability to cope with stress and overall better wellbeing (O’Neil et al, 2018)
Meditation – Meditation is another form of self-care which can be introduced as part of a self-care routine with benefits including reduced stress, reduced feelings of depression and anxiety, promotion of self-discovery and an increased self-awareness (Schreiner and Malcom, 2008). These important benefits can be experienced by taking 5 minutes as part of your self-care routine promoting your wellbeing in a short period of time (May et al, 2019).
Self-awareness – Self-awareness and self-care have often been linked as when an individual is taking time to listen to their mind and body, they tend to practice some form of self-care (Brenda and Vachon, 2011). Research has found that by taking this time to practice self-awareness as a form of self-care it can increase productivity, reduce stressful experiences and decrease the likelihood of burnout (Brenda and Vachon, 2011).
Exercise – Adding daily exercise to your routine has also found to boost your mood and reduce stress and anxiety (ADAA, 2010). Although going to the gym everyday may be difficult to achieve, short activities such as walking on your lunch break or practicing yoga may better fit into a busy schedule with research suggesting that only five minutes of these activities can still increase your wellbeing. (ADAA, 2010).
Hygge – Hygge is a danish word for wellbeing, it describes a feeling or mood that is created from making every day experiences more meaningful. Miek Wiking, CEO of the happiness research institute and author of the little book of hygge, describes hygge as “the pursuit of everyday happiness and it’s basically like a hug without the physical touch”. Hygge involves focusing on the small things that really matter like quality time with friends and family as well as learning to appreciate simple day to day pleasures. Hygge is also encouraged within the workplace by creating a relaxing environment, Wiking suggests including things like plants, leaving chocolate for a co-worker or potlucks to increase socialisation and connection.
Giving is the act of freely parting with something and offering it to someone or something else who needs it, this could be a stranger, friend, family member, charity or the local and wider community. This can involve material giving such as money or gifts, or immaterial things like using our time, skills, knowledge and kindness to help others (Mind, 2016).
Research has found that by giving to others through acts of voluntary work has significantly predictive of better mental and physical health, life satisfaction, self-esteem, happiness, lower depressive symptoms and lower psychological distress (Yeung, Zhang and Kim, 2018).
Volunteering in the community has found to give people a sense of purpose and belonging and therefore increasing their life satisfaction and improving their mental health. The research found that these benefits were most significant for people who were older or who had lost their life-defining role such as being a ‘worker’ or ‘parent’ (Bradley, 1999).
‘It is one of the most beautiful compensations of this life that no man can sincerely try to help another without helping himself’ – Ralph Waldo Emerson
“For it is in giving that we receive” – St. Francis of Assisi
A study found that MRI scans showed that altruistic behaviours activates the same brain system as when we receive a reward (Moll et al, 2006) suggesting that prosocial and helping behaviours may give humans a positive physical sensation which has been termed a ‘helpers high’ (Luks, 1988). Further research has found that altruism can significantly emotional wellbeing and reduce stress in the long term (Luks and Payne, 2001).
A 2012 YouGov poll found that 80% of participants agreed that being kind has had a positive influence in their own health, whilst 87% said that they felt good after they had done something for someone else.
Research has stated that human beings have a natural potential for altruism when they are functioning at a healthy capacity which promotes integrated states of physical, mental, social and spiritual well-being (Cloninger and Zohar, 2010).
Fredrickson (2011) found that the act of giving to others is contagious, it suggested that when an individual gives they experience good feelings as well as making the person who is given to more likely to act kindly and give to others which as a result promotes happiness and wellbeing.
Acts of giving can take up various forms, the NHS has suggested some ways to give in day to day life;
Say thank you to someone for something they’ve done for you
Phone a relative or friend who needs support or company
Ask someone how they are and really listen to the answer
Offer to lend a hand to a stranger if you see them struggling
Some bigger ways to give back can include;
Volunteer in the local community – this can be done by looking for opportunities on volunteering websites e.g. https://volunteeringmatters.org.uk/
Arrange a day out with a friend or relative if they need your support
Action for happiness also outline 3 ways to start giving back to others and being kind to increase our wellbeing:
Plan for kindness – do some thinking about what you might do to spread some kindness, write a small list of actions you could take in your daily life that could promote happiness.
Have a kindness day – choose a particular day where you perform 5 acts of kindness that give back to different people and think about how you felt after each act
Do it together – Try to do kind acts with others around you, this can help build connections which also increase happiness
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Meditation – Meditation is another form of self-care which can be introduced as part of a self-care routine with benefits including reduced stress, reduced feelings of depression and anxiety, promotion of self-discovery and an increased self-awareness (Schreiner and Malcom, 2008). These important benefits can be experienced by taking 5 minutes as part of your self-care routine promoting your wellbeing in a short period of time (May et al, 2019).
