Are you used to spending your days trying to stay on top of everything at work despite having packed schedules? Meetings, messages, and the quiet pressure to keep up can mess with your mental health in ways you may not even realise. But learning how to make your workday work for you, can help you keep your mind calm.
How to improve mental health in the workplace?
According to mental health counsellor Aanandita Vaghani, protecting your mental health is about working in ways that don’t quietly drain you. The founder of UnFix Your Feelings shares a few stress management strategies she suggests to her clients to improve mental health at workplace:
1. Build strong habits around deep work
When you build a steady habit around when and how you focus, your brain learns what to expect. It’s not about discipline, it’s about rhythm. “I often tell my clients: try to do your deep work around the same time every day. Over time, it becomes automatic, almost like muscle memory. This is especially helpful if you deal with anxiety, rumination, or depressive dips,” Vaghani tells Health Shots.
2. Create routines for the small things with no deadline
We underestimate how much mental space certain small things take up: those calls you haven’t made, forms you haven’t filled, emails you keep snoozing. These aren’t trivial. They are micro-stressors, says Vaghani. “I encourage clients to block 30-45 minutes a few times a week for these tasks. Clearing even one or two small things can shift how in control you feel. Think of it as emotional tidying,” she adds.
3. Use an unfocused mind
Our mind is trained to glorify focus, but an unfocused mind can be a powerful tool. That’s when the brain makes connections, digests emotion, and processes the day. Vaghani says she often tells her clients to build “mental white space” into their day. “Step outside. Water a plant. Fold clothes. Let your brain wander. The goal isn’t to stay idle. It is recovery. It’s what helps your mind return sharper and steadier,” she explains.
4. Start your morning without your phone
The phone is often the first thing we catch hold of every morning. But it can make your nervous system go in overdrive. Vaghani suggests ten minutes of stillness before use of any screens. “Whether that’s breathing, journaling, or just sipping your coffee slowly – you’re teaching your body safety before urgency,” she says.
5. Guard your boundaries
Think of boundaries as guardrails that keep you from draining yourself out. Make little changes like taking longer to respond to non-urgent messages, blocking out one no-meeting hour a day, and don’t apologize for focus time.
6. End your day with closure
Your brain craves a signal that the day is over. For this, Vaghani recommends a short “wrap-up” ritual. How to do it? “Jot down what’s done, what can wait, and one small thing that went right. This helps your mind shift from doing to being. Without that pause, work thoughts spill into rest time, and you never really switch off,” she says.
(Note to readers: This article is for informational purposes only and not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always seek the advice of your doctor with any questions about a medical condition.)
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