World Mental Health Day

At Hartford Care, we place a great deal of importance on the mental well-being of our residents. As an organisation in the care sector, we care for our employees’ well-being too, promoting a considerate and compassionate company culture where our team are encouraged to ask for support and offer support.

Our CEO, Kevin Shaw, is a great advocate for encouraging open, honest conversation in the workplace, creating an environment where it is understood and accepted that it’s OK not to be OK.

On World Mental Health Day 2022, we’d like to share Kevin’s top 5 tips for improving mental well-being.

It’s good to talk…

It’s good to talk as they say, and this really is the case when it comes to mental well-being. Whether professional counselling is required or simply a chat with a colleague to offload, talking about your worries and concerns helps. I appreciate the importance of face-to-face communication and often identify things during meetings that wouldn’t have become apparent over email. So, keep those lines of communication open – it really can help.

Treat your mental health like your physical health

We all have ‘mental health’. Whether yours is currently fighting fit, floundering slightly or suffering with an all-time low, we all experience changes in our own mental well-being. When struggling with mental health worries, it’s important to acknowledge that it’s not a weakness. Asking for help is the right thing to do – never feel ashamed. If you sprained your ankle, you wouldn’t be embarrassed to ask for medical help – we must approach the health of our minds in the same way.

It’s OK, not to be OK

We live in a world filled with facades… From airbrushed images, photo filters and social media spin, what you see isn’t always the true picture. Therefore, if you’re scrolling through your newsfeed wondering why everyone else’s life looks perfect, take it with a pinch of salt and know that this isn’t always the case. It’s OK not to be OK – everyone goes through times in their lives when things are hard, whether they choose to share it online or not… Don’t fall into the comparison trap!

What’s your body trying to tell you?

Our minds and bodies are intrinsically linked and often our physical well-being can provide warning signs to issues with our mental well-being. Pay attention to your body too. How is your sleep, appetite, diet, energy levels? Is your body trying to alert you to something? Don’t underestimate the power of exercise – boosting your physical well-being releases chemicals that boost your mental well-being too. If needs be, seek professional medical advice to ensure you’re correctly taking care of your physical health as well as your mental health.

Seek support

Don’t suffer in silence – take action and seek support. Sometimes something as simple as a walk in the fresh air with a friend or a trip to gym can help boost your mood. There are lots of ways to improve how we feel – from improvements in how we fuel our bodies with better nutrition, to committing to regular exercise. If you feel the need for professional help, then there’s plenty of support available. Start with your GP and take it one day at a time.

There are small actions you can take to improve your well-being, starting today. If you’re looking for additional support, The NHS provides free online tools through their Every Mind Matters campaign. I encourage you to take a short break, have a few minutes for yourself, and complete Your Mind Plan survey. It’s simple to complete and could make a big difference to your daily well-being.