FriendsOffice Mantras Series
Especially at the onset of a new year, everyone at FriendsOffice is working towards a “Stay Strong” mentality. Physically, we promote healthy eating habits and daily exercise. We’ll be kicking off a steps-challenge this spring, as an example! However, we all work-through daily challenges of staying mentally strong and simple things like even the weather can throw road-blocks our way.
Common Weaknesses in Mental Strength
There are many ways to over-work something. Whether it’s overworking the mind or a project, this can lead to a strain or weakness in mental health. Overworking a project can be solved by simply taking a break from it and working on something else or sending it to a colleague for input. Stepping aside and refocusing energy on something else allows a fresh start when returning to the original, troublesome project.
According to The New York Times online, “over half of employees in the United States feel burned out at least some of the time. It doesn’t just hurt our productivity — it can harm our mental and physical health, too. There’s evidence linking burnout to weakened immune systems and even cardiovascular disease.”
Edit: This year, more than ever, weakened immune systems are not o.k. Therefore, burn-out needs to be examined in the office!
And, we have to say, one of the worst symptoms of overworking is losing your love for your work. You’ve been there, right? When you’re working with someone who’s lost the fire to do their best while on the job, it’s like being on a sailboat who’s lost the wind.
Tips and Tricks to Stay Strong
- Get Enough Rest: Getting enough sleep at night is so important when it comes to the ability to stay mentally strong. Lack of sleep can cause a lack of focus. Letting in the feeling of weakness and exhaustion. No one does their best work when they’re tired.
- Take A Minute: Just like with exercise, it is important to take breaks and breathe. Take some time to recenter and refocus. The time spent away from projects allows the brain to recuperate, whether it’s a few deep breaths behind a desk or a short walk to the restroom.
- Think Positively: A positive mindset can really make all the difference in having a healthy mind. Being able to see things differently lends a unique perspective and strength at work that others lack.
- Separate Problems: Practice separating life problems from work problems. This tip is truly the hardest one to follow, but being about to focus on work while at work in invaluable. Start by making a list of issues outside of work. Once it’s all on paper, put it to the side and focus on work. This way, there is no forgetting and a clear hierarchy of priorities.
- Make Lists and Utilize Time Management Software: We recommend hard-copy and virtual calendars as well as list-management software. Basically, keep your daily and weekly to-do lists fast at hand and set goals for yourself and for your teams that are collaborative and visible. We love our glass dry erase accessories! We love Blue Sky Planners! And we rely heavily on virtual tools like shared calendars, Trello boards, and Google Sheets.
Extras!
Being mentally strong isn’t just good for your overall well-being but also instills confidence and can be key when troubleshooting burn-out. For more information like this, click the link to visit How to Work Hard When You Feel Burnt Out.
This post was strongly inspired by the LinkedIn article, “Staying ‘Mentally Strong’ at Work.”