Time to Talk Day takes place next Thursday, February 4th. It’s aimed at encouraging us to spend some time talking about mental health and therefore making a contribution towards changing people’s lives. In particular, talking about mental health can help break down the stigma which often persists around the topic. This year’s theme is ‘The Power of Small’ and is based on the idea that a small conversation with a trusted person can have a big impact on our mental health.
The impact of Coronavirus on mental heath
Life continues to be impacted hugely by the Coronavirus pandemic and has meant a huge shift in our lives. From office work to home working, coping with children being home-schooled and the ongoing overwhelming restrictions placed on us has resulted in a chronic disconnect from people, especially loved ones. This has affected many of us in different ways and research suggests it is having a greater impact on our mental health.
A longitudinal study by the Mental Health Foundation commenced at the beginning of the pandemic, is showing that feelings of loneliness, hopeless, anxiety and fear are escalating, and as such, Time to Talk is ever more important.
How individuals can help
Although the ongoing restrictions may make starting a conversation about mental health less spontaneous, checking in on others over social media or via text can be a helpful way of initiating contact. A simple ‘How are you?’ can be an incredibly powerful sentence. Following that up with a video or telephone call will keep the conversation going and allow for more honest discussions.
How our organisations can help
Awareness of mental health in the workplace has come a long way in recent years, but people may still be reluctant to open up when it affects them personally. Widespread anxiety about performance levels while remote working and the looming possibility of redundancy have made many work even longer hours while keeping their mental health issues to themselves – including our leaders. Recent research from Bupa showed that 42% of board level executives felt their reputation could be harmed if they revealed that they were struggling. This isn’t going to help employees come forward.
Leaders and line managers need to communicate that, especially with the current crisis, it’s understandable to feel affected by what is happening – and they should also recognise that what is often happening at home may also affect performance at work. By being more open, and supporting initiatives like Time to Talk Day, they can help further lift the stigma that exists around mental health and start to build more resilient people and organisations.
In conclusion
You may well be met with reluctance to open up but it never hurts to keep asking – take your lead from the relationship you have with that individual. Don’t forget to ‘walk the talk’ and start your own conversations about your feelings. If you are also a leader or senior manager, you can help by leading by example and encouraging others to do the same. Together we can make the difference.
Useful links:
Mind | Mind, the mental health charity – help for mental health problems
Time to Talk Day 2021 | Time To Change (time-to-change.org.uk)
https://www.rethink.org/get-involved/awareness-days-and-events/time-to-talk-day/
