Simple Actions You Can Take on World Mental Health Day 2024

Published
Mental Health

World Mental Health Day is recognized on October 10 each year, and the official theme for 2024 is ‘It is Time to Prioritize Mental Health in the Workplace.’ This theme highlights various aspects of mental health at work, from workplace conditions and stress management to the importance of social inclusion and empowerment. 

Every leader and employee can play a role in promoting workplace mental health. Here a few simple actions you can take on this day and other workdays to support mental health and well-being for yourself and your colleagues. 

How You Can Support Workplace Mental Health:

  • Express Gratitude. A simple expression of gratitude to those around you can foster high-quality relationships and a more positive and collaborative workplace. The action will not only benefit the recipients, but also those expressing it.
  • Practice Email Etiquette. When writing emails, make sure to include an accurate subject line, a concise summary of your ask, and a clear timeline or deadline. Feel free to put “no reply necessary” or “not time sensitive” at the top of an email to help recipients prioritize their time. If you want specific people to respond to your email, put them in the recipient line, not the CC line, and use “reply all” only when necessary.
  • Prioritize No Meeting & Meeting-Less Days. Designate two or three no-meeting workdays a month and ask staff to refrain from scheduling meetings on those days. You can also establish meeting-less days, encouraging people to be judicious with scheduling only meetings that are deemed essential.
  • Participate Mindfulness Activities. Take a few moments throughout the day to pause and focus on the present. You can spend a few minutes for deep breathing practices or meditation to clear your mind, boost your mood, and improve your overall well-being during the workday. Resources like the Calm app are great ways to access mindfulness activities.
  • Practice Job Crafting. Try to practice job crafting throughout the day for a change. You can try to alter the type, scope, sequence, and number of tasks that make up your work today, connect people that you never interact with but can be related to your work, or view some of your tasks from a different perspective. 
  • Be a Source of Social Support. Try to engage in active listening with some colleagues and provide emotional support. If you are in a supervisory role, it is important for you to proactively build a psychologically safe environment, be a role model for mental health practices, and be a source of social support for those within your team. 

These practices are just a few examples to consider on World Mental Health Day and beyond to enhance workplace mental health. Remember, prioritizing mental health in the workplace is not just a one-day event; it is an ongoing commitment that benefits everyone.