Workplace stress is one of the main contributors to mental illness. According to the World Health Organization, depression and anxiety cost more than $1 trillion in lost productivity in the workplace. Taking time offline and away from calendar invites and meetings might sound like a pause in professional progress, but it might just be the key to, not only mental wellness, but to catapulting your career forward. Despite the stigma associated with taking time off to prioritize mental health, taking a mental health day can reinvigorate your career and bolster your creativity.
In honor of World Mental Health Day, here are tips on how to utilize a wellness break to lead to the career growth you’ve been working toward.
Unplug From Technology
We live in an overly connected world. The 24/7 news cycle is at your fingertips. It is essential during your wellness break to take time away from your screens. Taking a break from screens means no emails, no social media, and even no TV. There’s an entire world outside of your phone. Go explore it!
Unplugging from your screen can not only lead to increased productivity and learning, but a more focused mind. Putting away your phone or other digital devices cuts down on the distractions caused by “task switching.” When you return to the workplace after your mental wellness break, you’ll notice an increased intellectual acuity and concentration that will bolster your workplace productivity.
Practice Mindfulness
If you are looking to further your career, mindfulness is a tool leaders use to handle stressful situations with calmness and focus. Mindfulness is all about opening up your awareness and being present. On your mental wellness break, take time to journal, practice breathwork, or simply take time for silence. If you are not completely offline, there are a number of apps that encourage users to practice mindfulness.
Mindfulness can improve concentration and focus, which ultimately, improves awareness and understanding of our thoughts, feelings, and physical sensations. The more present and self-aware you are in the workplace, the better a leader you will become and the more you will be able to empower the people around you.
Practice Self-Care
Get outside in nature, make a healthy, home-cooked meal, read a book, or spend quality time with the people you love. Invest in activities that are meaningful to you and fill up your cup. That is truly the highest form of self-care. This is essential as self-care can impact your behavior toward colleagues and the crossover of stress to the people you work with. When you are taking care of yourself, you become a better team member and increase your opportunities for growth.
Prioritize Physical Health
Another tool to have in your arsenal for mental wellness is exercise. Breaking a sweat can improve your mental health, and when your mental health is thriving, you see more success in the workplace. Regular exercise can indirectly improve your career trajectory by reducing anxiety, depression, and negative moods, as well as improve self-esteem and cognitive function.