It’s Monday morning… again.

Your weekend wasn’t great. Family arguing. Bills that won’t pay themselves. Stress from work. No motivation. Unfortunately, you’re feeling pretty rubbish at the moment... You head to the kitchen at work to grab your morning coffee.

“Morning! How are you?” Says a friendly and familiar voice. It’s your colleague who you’ve worked with for 3 years now.

“Yeah, fine thanks.” you reply with a slight smile. But let’s be real - that couldn’t be further from the truth. You’re not feeling fine at all.

When we’re at work, we don’t always feel comfortable talking about our feelings. Some people put on a brave face and soldier on. But it’s ok not to be ok… Even at work!

The Mental Health Foundation report that 1 in 7 people experience mental health problems in the workplace. So if you are struggling, remember, you’re not alone.

Don’t suffer in silence

The first step to managing mental health is recognising you’re not ok and that you need help to overcome it. If you’re suffering at work and a colleague asks how you are, just be honest. Don’t say “fine thanks” if you’re not. Don’t hide the pain. Don’t suffer in silence. This applies to outside of work too. The moment you decide to voice your feelings to someone is the moment your journey to recovery begins.

Our Head of Creative and Marketing, Craig, knows all too well how speaking to someone can really make a difference.

“I'd always considered myself a strong person mentally, so never really spoke about mental health, but after three successive bereavements a few years ago, I really struggled. I reached out to friends who recommended seeing someone professionally, and I found it absolutely invaluable. Even just speaking about what I was struggling with and accepting that I needed help felt like a weight being lifted. If you feel yourself struggling in any way, please just speak to someone, even if it's family or friends, as I found just talking about it can help immensely.”

But don’t worry if you’re not ready to talk. There are other ways you can manage your mental health.

Get out and about

Physical activity can positively enhance our wellbeing. Even a short 10 minute walk round the block can increase our mental alertness, energy and positive mood. It can also contribute toward sharper memory and thinking, higher self-esteem, better sleep and stronger resilience.

One of our Client Success Managers, Kieran, finds that stepping out of his comfort zone and challenging himself is the best way to continue his journey to mental wellness.

“For someone like myself who battles combat related mental health issues, adventure expeditions help me grow my confidence whilst sharing experiences with other veterans. I realised a number of years ago that there is no magic pill for good mental health. Instead you need to undertake a journey that with be full of highs, lows and everything in between.”

Read more about Kieran’s adventure here.

You can also check out our blog on how to deal with work-related stress here.

You’ve got this.

In addition to speaking to colleagues and doing exercise, there are plenty of other ways you can manage your mental health whilst at work. Here are some great resources on Mental Health at Work’s website.

Your mental health is more important than anything. The journey may be long, but it will be worth it. You’ve got this!