5 Tips to Help Manage Your Mental Health at Work

Even if you love your job, work can take a toll on your mental health. Commuter traffic, deadlines and technical glitches — even irksome colleagues — are a part of most people’s daily lives and can cause stress, anxiety and depression.

And mental health issues can also impact work performance. For example, unresolved depression has been linked to a 35 percent reduction in productivity and contributes higher rates of absenteeism – adding to work-related stress.

Of course, if you dislike your job or work in a toxic environment, there’s a higher risk of it affecting your mental health. In fact, disliking your job is actually worse for your mental health than not having a job at all, according to a study published in the International Journal of Epidemiology. 

You can take steps to ease the mental strain of a job – even in a stressful work environment -- such as these recommended by the American Psychological Association. 

• Set boundaries. If your job hours tend to extend beyond a standard 9 to 5 workday, set limits as to how early or late you’ll answer emails, texts and calls. 
• Talk to your supervisor. If you notice your job has become more stressful and need help controlling and/or responding to stressors, have a conversation with your boss.
• Track stressors. Can’t figure out what’s triggering your stress? Write down situations that leave your feeling anxious, stressed or depressed. Include details such as thoughts, feelings, environmental and physical setting and people involved.  
• Learn to relax. Deep breathing exercises are an effective way to calm down while in the throes of a stressful situation. But to reduce your overall stress level, get into the habit of going for walks, meditating or even watching a funny movie after work. 
• Take time off from work. Use your PTO time. Take occasional long weekends and vacations to allow yourself to get some rest and remove yourself from stressful situations.

“You need to take time off from work; however, I tell my patients to use their time wisely,” says Bernard Kaminetsky, MD, medical director, MDVIP. “Vacations are important, as are days off because you’re sick, need to care for a sick family member or handle a personal issue. But you need to make sure you have time saved for an occasional ‘mental health’ day.”

Mental health days are days off from work (or even school) that are designated to lowering stress. In other words, don’t get your car fixed or catch up on errands. Use the day to focus on self-care to help you take your mind off your problems and stressors. Here’s how: 

• Rest - sleeping late or take a nap during the day. 
• Relax - practicing mindfulness exercises such as meditation, deep breathing or gentle yoga. 
• Disconnect from the world - taking a break from social media and unplugging from devices.
• Enjoy your time - spending time with loved ones or doing favorite activities.

Mental health days have increasingly become more important to our society. In fact, many students are advocating to their schools to add mental health days to academic calendars. Experts at McLean Hospital attribute some of the problem to advancements in technology that have enabled emails, texts and social media to blur the boundaries between work and personal life. Many people feel as though they can never truly get away from work. 

“If you have a mental health issue, these tactics can help improve your coping skills, but they do not replace medical care, therapy, treatments and prescriptions,” says Kaminetsky. “Continue working closely with your doctor to manage your mental health.”

Don’t have a physician? Consider working with MDVIP. MDVIP-affiliated physicians have the time and resources to help you focus on your health. Find a physician near you and begin your partnership in health »