Mental Health Awareness Month 2022: 4 Tips For Teams To Foster Mental Health
Many people were struggling with mental health challenges related to managing a work/life balance long before the pandemic. The pandemic only exacerbated this struggle. I distinctly remember a headline in one of our national newspapers in March 2020 predicting a “Mental Health Tsunami'' as a result of the uncertainty and trauma that was unfolding at the time. In the first year of the pandemic alone, the World Health Organization found that the global prevalence of anxiety and depression increased by 25% (WHO, 2022). In December of 2021, this had increased again by an additional 11% (Nature, 2021). Sadly, medical teams and clinical psychologists do not see these rates decreasing anytime soon, and have noted specific disproportionate risks involved with young adults. This “work/life balance” mindset is also no longer restricted to adults in the workplace. A laser focus on good grades as a gateway to success later in life has introduced teens to this frame as a means to balance their school work with personal activities and interests. No wonder there is greater anxiety in youth and adults at every stage of life, with depression around the corner when the results of exceeding demands are not (and cannot) be adequately met. We are seeing this all play out in real time in our own homes, especially for those of us with children and young adults. We have also been observing this reality unfold with our clients who work in direct service with teens, young adults and young families.
Global awareness days that focus on key campaigns such as mental health awareness month, boost knowledge (knowledge is power) to advance an important cause. However, it is year-round actions in the form of advocacy, education, philanthropy and policy that result in sustainable change. At CORIPHERY, we are always looking for small wins with big impact. This mental health awareness month, we committed to hold ourselves accountable to not only talk the talk, but also to walk the walk. This means that we have introduced internal and client-facing policies and norms that prioritize mental health and organizational wellness.
CORIPHERY has been fortunate to grow and unlock new opportunities over the past few years thanks to the widespread use of Zoom and the normalization of remote work. By introducing these four low-barrier tweaks to remote, online and in person teamwork, we have actively experimented with strategies to reduce anxiety around getting work done while improving our team’s energy levels and our presence in meetings.
Embrace a 45-minute hour. Internally, we introduced a 45-minute hour for all meetings. The 15-minutes of non-face or voice time ensures that everyone has time for follow-up notes/work, a bio break, a quick cuddle with their pet or whatever, regardless of whether the day’s agenda is cloud-based or in person. At first, it felt risky to “waste” 15 minutes of precious time. It even seemed counter-productive, but it forced us to be more focused and efficient in our time together. The best part is that now, everyone shows up fully present and invested, and not multitasking on a separate screen.
Ditch the small talk. Being the relational mavens we are, we dedicate the first 10 minutes of any meeting or gathering to checking in with each other. Genuinely checking in. We are constantly in service of building trust and familiarity with each other to create an honest space for us to bring our whole and true selves. This includes creating space to be vulnerable and supportive when it feels right. The result is a high performing collaborative team of consultants, and a community of clients who feel that they truly know the real people powering the work they’ve contracted. Today we work to ensure that we are honest, and that we offer context behind what is fuelling or draining us in that moment because this always has an impact on our presence and our performance. This has allowed us to be more authentic, agile, resilient and actively collaborative.
Create work blocks and instantly feel more in control. There is a big difference between having a to-do list, and knowing when you will be doing the task itself. Creating consistent work blocks in your schedule gives you peace of mind that you will have time to be productive and successful. These work blocks will also ensure that your schedule does not get overrun with back-to-back meetings. When we were tethered to our desks for two+ years, it was easy to squeeze in another Zoom meeting or take advantage of the non-existent commutes to “get more done”. Back-to-back Zoom calls are mentally and physically draining, and yet, they are strangely tempting in the spirit of productivity. I know so many colleagues who, like me, inadvertently miss meals, bio breaks or opportunities to get fresh air in the warped spirit of getting things done. Too many meetings in a row means little to no time for the necessary follow up work that results from most meetings. Work blocks solve this problem, and personally, I have seriously reduced my doing that work after hours - long into the nights and well into what I consider personal/family time. I even feel less anxious about a never-ending list of deadlines. Also, every consultant knows that the behind the scenes work time that is necessary to prepare and accomplish the work is being valued as much as their face time in meetings.
Give permission to say no. The constant demands for immediacy and urgency are an illusion that we perpetuate ourselves. Sure, there are always priorities that require immediate and scheduled attention (see the work block tip above as a reminder). However, when you choose to be consciously selective with your time and attention, you reclaim control and power over your schedule, relieving unnecessary pressure to constantly juggle demands. Furthermore, when you give this permission to yourself, and then afford this courtesy to team members, you contribute to a culture of calm efficiency. Doesn’t that sound nice? A culture of calm efficiency. This is not idealistic jargon. This is a practice in play at CORIPHERY. “Do you have the bandwidth for X?” is the opening of every conversation related to a new task, project or assignment. We assume an abundance mindset in that there is plenty of work, and plenty of consultants who want to do this work. Saying no due to bandwidth is celebrated as a sign of strength, and it has ensured that each member of our team feels empowered to protect themselves in the spirit of mental health and organizational wellness. Also, I know that they are bringing the best version of themselves to each project.
These are examples of how we are making an active effort - and failing forward - to intentionally prioritize mental health in our own workplace culture. I am trying to model this at home as well. The 45-minute hour with 15-minutes to do whatever can apply to studying for a test or working on a book report. The genuine check-ins allow us to have real insight into what’s happening and why each of us in the family is acting the way we are at that moment. We try to schedule work blocks (we don’t use that name) for tasks we enjoy and don’t enjoy, such as household chores. And, we give permission to say no sometimes and defer or decline the work or task if necessary.
For this year’s MHAM, the Blue Dove Foundation has chosen the theme “Together for Mental Health.” This theme reflects a shared vision of support for all those who suffer from mental illness, and the commitment to ensuring that everyone who needs it has access to the appropriate support and resources they need to live healthy and fulfilling lives. We have been enthusiastically following and supporting the Blue Dove Foundation’s work, and stand with them in advancing this critical cause. Like the Blue Dove Foundation, we believe that will successfully advance mental health and wellness together when we do it holistically. This is why we at CORIPHERY often use the term work/life blend rather than work/life balance. The order of our world has changed dramatically. The frame of making conscious choices of what and how to blend our multiple priorities, including mental wellness along with work, family, friends and other interests into a manageable routine enables us to present and live a more authentic version of ourselves. However, we also create and honour space for teammates who prefer to intentionally balance work with personal time through clear hours of availability and being offline.
Join us in this conversation and experimental work. Let us know how the four tips help advance your efforts! We are confident that you will enjoy the same elevated level of mental health and organizational wellness that we are experiencing as we continue to respectfully disrupt the status quo in pursuit of excellence!
Starting in June, our team of consultants will be joining this blog to share their insights and creative solutions and strategies to some of the most prevalent problems we are seeing in the field. Read more and join the conversation here!