Maintaining Mental Health At Work In Another Year of Uncertainty

Photo by Katerina Jerabkova on Unsplash

Two weeks ago we were working on a post about how great it was to be almost back to normal times in the office, but now the schools, restaurants and gyms are closed again and we’re back to working from home. What is there to say?

Of course, we feel gutted. Our routine has been upended once again, and the anxiety of contracting COVID-19 that we felt for the majority of last year has started to creep back, only now it’s the fear of catching a new variant. The idea of reuniting with friends and loved ones abroad seems far away once again.

This is often promptly followed by a sweeping feeling of guilt, because we are lucky to be living in a country that has a government committed to protecting its people from the virus. 

With all of these emotions flying around, it’s apt timing to take a moment and think about our mental wellbeing in light of #mentalhealthawarenessmonth. As we follow the regulations and reconfigure our routines to keep ourselves safe, we need to be kind to ourselves and others. What can we do to look out for our team, our friends and family, our neighbours?

Feeling Connected

Sure, your day might be full of Zoom meetings and company chats, with business seemingly ticking along like usual, but are your team members ok? Perhaps they live alone and are craving social interaction, or on the other side of the spectrum, are in a home with many family members all trying to work and they’re craving some silence. Maybe they are worried about someone who is sick or at risk, or who has lost their income stream. It’s likely everyone feels some degree of anxiety.

At Accela, we make an effort to chat about things that are not necessarily work-related, in the same way we would if we were in the office. Like a brisk walk, water cooler conversations are important to give the brain a rest, spark creativity and re-energise for the next task.

Over circuit breaker and the rest of 2020, Accela instigated Drink, Talk, Learn, and it’s something we’ll be doing again now we’re all back working from home. Unlike our Lunch + Learns (which are also a nice break from routine, but are work-related), teams are randomly assigned and have to share no more than three slides on something that is completely unrelated to COVID and to work - the sessions are a real balm for the brain!

Work/Life Structure

As the parents at Accela highlighted in this post, compartmentalising work and home life is a real sanity saver. But when you shuffle from your bed to your laptop, to the kitchen and maybe drag your laptop into bed… or when you’re helping your kids complete their schoolwork while you’re typing a memo for your client, lines blur and sometimes chaos ensues.

This month Accela is asking everyone to take time to do something for their mental health that they would like to work into a habit and rolling out a resource guide for the team. We weren’t yet in Phase 2 (Heightened Alert) when we initially came up with the challenge, so now it will have to be a habit that can be maintained regardless of tighter restrictions. In tough times, a simple, home-based habit can create valuable change.

Make An Impact

It is a privilege to be able to social distance and work from home, and we recognise that not everyone is as lucky as we are. It can feel overwhelming to watch what’s happening in neighbouring countries that are facing crises, and not knowing how you can help.

Doing something is better than doing nothing, and there are countless charities that would be very grateful for any monetary support. To make a difference and connect with a community at the same time, you can look for smaller organisations that work directly with a community. This Phase Two is going to hit Singapore’s lower income families, who were already struggling to recover from last year’s circuit breaker. SG United offers a list of charities working with specific groups, and how you can help from home: https://www.sgunited.gov.sg/donate/

Accela also supports the Nepal Initiative, and the organisation has been sharing the ways in which they’ve been keeping children in their region safe from COVID-19 and helping them continue their education.

Coping Strategies

Most people are very good at hiding their mental health challenges, so it’s important to truly listen to our colleagues, and to make sure coping strategies are readily available, and encouraged to be used.

So many of our regular stress relievers – the ability to go out for a meal with friends, have a beach day with our family over the weekend, go to the gym before or after work and do a yoga class, or even send their kids to school so you can head to work knowing your children are being educated and cared for, are on hold for now.

Meditation podcasts, websites dedicated to mental health like Waking Up and a walk outside can also help move through a moment, but when the dark thoughts don’t move on, it’s best to pick up the phone and seek help.

Singapore has a toll-free mental health helpline at 1800 283 7019. While fees are by donation only, you can access the counselling services at no charge if your finances are tight.