Let’s normalise saying no – for the sake of our mental health

This year’s theme for the annual campaign, which takes place on October 10, is workplace mental health.

Dr Inga Stewart, who has worked at the complex mental health charity St Andrew’s Healthcare for more than 20 years, is supporting the initiative reminding people to be “mindful of our mental health” at work.

“When in the right job, working can be hugely beneficial to a person’s mental health. It is not just a way of making a living, but work can provide a sense of purpose, confidence and achievement,” Inga says.

“Working can provide opportunities to build positive relationships and a sense of belonging, and can form the basis for healthy routines. But, according to the World Health Organisation, poor working environments pose a risk to our mental health.

“Life is busy for everyone,” she says. “Particularly for those who work. Whatever you do for a living, a lot of people will experience some form of stress at work. But, it’s important to realise when that small amount of stress is causing emotional distress. It can feel like it has taken over and this can start to become part of a bigger problem.”

According to Mental Health UK, 20 per cent of employees took leave last year because of stress. Burn-out rates are on the rise and in 2022, poor mental health was the fifth most common reason given for sickness absence, accounting for 7.9 per cent of occurrences.

“There’s no doubt about it, mental ill health numbers are on the up,” Inga says. “More needs to be done to support people in the work place to prevent work-related mental health conditions, but I also think it’s ok for us to normalise saying no.

“’No, I cannot take on any extra work, no I cannot meet another deadline, no I cannot work longer hours’. We need to protect and promote mental health at work. We should be empowering our staff and colleagues to put their mental health first, before anything else. Organisations need to be ready to recognise and respond to emotional distress. We need to have access to the right training, support and adaptations so we can look out for ourselves and those around us.”

According to Mind, there are two million people currently on waiting lists for NHS mental health services. Additionally, there is still a lot of stigma that surrounds poor mental health.

“It’s up to all of us to help create psychologically safe workplaces,” Inga says. “I certainly want to live in a world where companies, senior management, staff and colleagues are not afraid to prioritise their mental health, because when you have happy, content and reassured employees, you have naturally created a thriving and productive workforce who enjoy their work and want to stay.”

To support World Mental Health Day, Inga has suggested some top tips to help people to prioritise their mental health in the workplace.

· Do not be afraid to talk about your feelings. If you don’t feel comfortable sharing with your boss, perhaps choose a friendly colleague who you have a good relationship with.

· Be mindful of your activity levels, set firm boundaries and manage your own and other people’s expectations. So, if it feels like you have been asked to do too much or it is likely a deadline is going to be missed, let people know.

· Try to eat healthily at work and to move away from your task so you can concentrate on your food, rather than your work, this may help reduce snacking at the 3pm slump.

· Keep hydrated throughout the day and if you are prone to feelings of stress and anxiety, think about the impact of any caffeine you might be consuming from your tea or coffee drinks.

· If you feel like you are drowning in work and beginning to feel overwhelmed, do not be afraid to ask for help.

· Many busy people feel they can’t spare the time to take a break, but sometimes that approach can be very counterintuitive, so try and prioritise breaks during the day and if that break is outside that can be even more beneficial.