Dr. Madhukar Trivedi
Depression and anxiety can lead to dysfunction at work, but these symptoms subside quickly when an individual recovers. Employees with mental health problems have the same capacity as mentally healthy individuals for good attendance, punctuality, motivation, and productivity — that’s why it’s crucial for employers to understand that an employee who is struggling with their mental health is not simply evading responsibilities. Instead, they may need to establish a new working plan with their supervisor.
If you feel you are slipping up at work, speak up to your bosses or an HR administrator if you can and are comfortable doing so. Sometimes, just opening up about it and making your supervisor aware of the problem can help lift the mental load of navigating it alone.
If an employer is facing this situation, they should make time to have a real, human conversation with their employee. It should not feel rushed, so allot a certain amount of time and listen actively. Provide the employee with a list of available company resources and schedule another meeting to discuss an action plan once you’ve both had time to think it through.
The burden is on the employers to establish a boundary against stigmas and assumptions. Do not blame all performance on an admission of a mental health problem. Depression is really like any other medical disease — the misperception that it is some kind of weakness is not at all the case, and employers need to give their employees permission to talk about it, and give them grace when they do, just as they would if they were sick with another illness.
Here are a few ways employees and employers can better manage mental health issues in the workplace.
Engage with coworkers and colleagues in ways that go beyond work. Share who you are and connect on deeper levels about your personal lives and personal experiences. Forming bonds and connections around your “real” personality rather than the “work you” protects you from feeling isolated. Plus, it provides a support network when you are struggling. It is a likely guarantee that you are not the only person in your office who may struggle with mental health — especially after the year we’ve had.
Celebrate wins and acknowledge challenges. Suggest your team or small group send end-of-week updates with challenges you are facing or things you’ve accomplished, in or out of work. Open the door to nurture each other through hard times and celebrate each other’s wins. If you’re not comfortable sharing publicly, set 30 minutes at the end of the workweek to make a personal list of your accomplishments that week, big or small, personal or at work. As the list grows, so too will your confidence.
Be conscious of your coworkers’ needs. Maybe you’re comfortable sharing, but they aren’t. Don’t pressure personal conversations in a group setting or try to have them standing outside of busy cubicles. Instead, let them know that you are available to talk to if and when they’d like to.
Actively engage with kindness. Assisting others, giving positive feedback, and doing small acts of kindness to others actually can improve your own mental health. People who help others report less loneliness. Making others feel valued is a great boost on both ends.
Have someone to talk to. You also need to have someone outside of work who can listen to you vent or with whom you can openly and honestly discuss your experiences at your job. If you feel like you dump your concerns on your partner or friends too much, seek out a therapist. Having an unbiased, third-party professional to sort out your feelings with is a great resource.
Self-monitor your mental health. There are signals when our mental health is slipping, but we aren’t apt at noticing them with our day-to-day busy schedules. Take time each week to record your mood, functioning at work, and any other signs that point to your mental health. This allows you to tackle a potential problem as soon as you notice a change in your feelings or behavior. Create a login at centerfordepression.org for the Evexia Self-Monitoring App to help you track this.
Ask about employee benefits. Ask if there are any employee assistance programs at your company that offer counseling services or other things. These benefits are already paid for and are meant to be used. If this isn’t available at your company, ask if you can create a mental wellness program for employees once a month.
Prevent stress.
Learn to listen to your stress levels.
Delegate tasks if you cannot handle them. Are you always saying “yes” to assignments that you realistically don’t have time for? Be honest and find another solution upfront rather than at the last minute when the deadline is near.
Schedule time to organize. Set 30 minutes on Wednesday morning and Friday afternoon to organize your workspace. Is your desk cluttered or your computer’s home screen overwhelmed with files? It’s important to regularly take the time to clean this up because it can become a cyclical situation where the clutter stresses you, and because you are stressed, you become discouraged to keep it organized. Be intentional and schedule this time — it will help you later on. Clean workspaces provide a sense of calm rather than pressure.
Peel your eyes away from the computer. Set a meeting on your calendar each afternoon and treat it as any other appointment that you cannot miss. Establish a routine where you step away from your desk and stick to it. Having time to clear your head with a change of scenery will help prevent burnout.
Establish work/life balance.
- Exercise. Take time before or after work to go for a walk. Or, better yet, use half of your lunch break to walk around your neighborhood or campus. Exercise is a legitimate antidote for depression.
- Eat lunch. If you get so focused on work that you forget to eat, you need to be proactive. Set an alarm and step away when it goes off. You are allotted time to eat, and you need to do so. Treat it like a bathroom break and don’t avoid it.
- Sleep. If you are not getting enough sleep — or are sleeping too much — this can be a sign of depression. Look out for obvious changes in your sleep cycle, and seek help if needed. However, if you have the ability to sleep normally but consistently go to bed too late, quit that now. Sleep is essential to overall well-being, mood, and function. You’re more likely to wake up unhappy if you are running on less than six hours of sleep.
- Establish business/personal boundaries with criticism. Try not to internalize criticism from your boss and bring it home with you. Your performance on a task is not a reflection on your value as a person. Remember that you are human and remind yourself of the many ways that you succeed.
Finally, if distress or other mental health issues persist, seek help.
Dr. Madhukar H. Trivedi is a professor of psychiatry and center director of the Center for Depression Research and Clinical Care, a division of UT Southwestern Medical Center.