Mental Health Awareness Week

This year’s theme is loneliness with it affecting so many of us due to the pandemic, loneliness was almost 3x that of pre-pandemic levels and 77% of people agreed that feeling isolated could contribute to burnout.

At TJ Books we think it is important to work from the office, to keep connections with our colleagues. Statistics show that nearly half (46%) of people feel that working from home could contribute to burnout, due to work and life balance blurring. However, where possible we provide the opportunity for our staff to work from home and continue to look at ways for our employees to have a greater work/life balance.

At TJ Books we pride ourselves on also providing a safe and welcoming space to talk and provide support if you wish to speak up about mental health. This space is a place where you can speak privately about your concerns. For those that do not feel comfortable speaking to managers, during Mental Health Awareness week, we will be kick-starting our Employee Mental Wellbeing Programme. We have previously asked for volunteers to take a Mental Health First Aid course and this week we will outline how they can champion mental wellbeing in the business.

Progression and development are incredibly important to us. We are lucky that our employees have so much passion and put so much effort into their work that we want to ensure that their success is rewarded. We are working through Personal Development Plans with all our members of staff and where individuals want to progress their careers, we will continue to invest in training opportunities, promotions and pay reviews all of which can benefit mental wellbeing.

We believe it is important to have a work-life balance which is why we have implemented for our factory workers a 3-day workweek to have more time with friends and family. Managing stress is a big issue for Britain today with 74% of people saying that stress has made them feel overwhelmed. There are many ways in which to try and manage stress, these include being mindful, being proactive and being kind to yourself. Taking a 5-minute break away from your screen each hour can improve your well-being and improve your concentration.

Many things which affect your physical health can also affect your mental health. 79% of people felt that poor physical health could contribute to burnout. This can be positively addressed by eating healthy foods and having a balanced diet, keeping active, drinking enough water, avoiding/ reducing alcohol consumption and avoiding or cutting down on smoking.

It is recommended that adults up to the age of 64, need 7-9 hours of sleep per night. The latest research has shown that almost 1 in 5 people in the UK aren’t getting enough sleep. Sleep also can affect your mental health, 83% of people felt that poor sleep could contribute to burnout. Ways in which you can improve your sleep are creating a routine, implementing relaxing techniques and tracking your sleep pattern.

For more information go to www.mentalhealth-uk.org or www.mind.org.uk. There are many websites and numbers if you require help and remember you can always talk to our HR Manager Sarah, it is important to speak out. We have a phone service available 24hrs a day 365 days a year – 0800 107 6585 ask a mental health champion for our scheme number and then choose the service you require.  

Referencing:
Mental Health Awareness Week 2022 – Mental Health UK (mentalhealth-uk.org)