Balancing mental wellbeing and work?

Former Member

Hey all

I've had my fair share of mental illnesses but I can proudly say that I'm all good now! I'm ready to start challenging myself in terms of taking on bigger roles / responsibilities by working with vulnerable people.

so my question is how can I maintain my mental wellbeing whilst dedicating myself to these roles?And how best can I overcome the self doubt that often follows?

Salix  

Former Member

@Salix_alba_2019 hi 😊 I'm not a professional so I am not entirely sure but I think making sure you apply all the advice you give to others to yourself too. Anything you think will benefit and keep other people on track is bound to help you stay on track too so practicing the techniques on yourself will help your mind stay strong xx
Treat yourself in the same way you are treating the people you want to help, with kindness and care x

Azziman

Hey

I think it's best to take things slowly. Take on one role to begin with, and once you're comfortable, you can go for more. Taking on too many might overwhelm you, and that can shake our confidence. Take the time to build your confidence and dispel the doubt properlyx

Much love

Siena

Heyy Salix

proud of you for thinking about this and seeking support & for where you are now!

i think thinking about this ahead is literally the best way to go about it. I think it's best to actknowledge your feelings and everything. It can be pretty scary starting new roles with a mental health challenge or not and actknowledging this can help that too with self doubt. And being mindful of how you feel without dismissing it. I also like to read motivational quotes when I doubt myself like "you need to step out of your comfort zone to be stronger and grow" and other motivational ones. 

i think it would also be important to put some time in for self care or todo things you like so you can recharge and relax. 

I believe in you<3

Former Member

Hey !

Thanks for the advice @Past User @Azziman and @Shaunie I've taken not of all they very helpful things you've mentioned 

 If anyone else wants to chip in feel free too!

Salix

JustV

Completely second what @Past User said. Treat yourself and try and look at your situations as you would view others if they were in your shoes. A lot of those self-critical feelings can come from treating yourself differently to other people or holding yourself to a higher standard, so getting a bit of perspective can be useful.

I would also say that anxiety and failure can be good things. A little bit of anxiety means you're challenging yourself and growing as a person, and failure is how people learn. @Shaunie touched on this with that quote, and of course it needs to be balanced with what you can healthily absorb.

I'm also a big advocate of ruthless self-care. Particularly when you have an emotionally demanding job, giving yourself boundaries that work for you and sticking to them can really pay off. For me as an aggressive introvert, this means making alone-time a big part of my routine and preserving my evenings just for me. Looking after basic needs (food, water, hygiene, etc) also helps massively.

This is way more noticeable long-term, too; you might not notice the odd over-stretch but you'll eventually hit a wall and burnout if it's a regular thing.

Finally, trust the people around you. I've been in positions before where imposter syndrome has hit hard, but it can help to step back and see what your colleagues or your managers are saying. During moments where you don't believe in yourself, trust the people who believe in you.

Glad to see you back by the way Salix.

Former Member

Thank for the advice Mike, it's been super helpful getting info from both users and staff of The Mix !

So in short:

1) Try to understand what the OP is going through
2)  Set healthy boundries
3) Performance anxiety is NORMAL 
4) Always always unwind for a health mind
5) Trust your colleagues and don't be afraid to lean on them


It's nice to be back too, even if it's just for a bit

Former Member

I'm going to try to make this into a poster and frame it 😁

@The Mix if it turns out nice enough, would you like a copy? I haven't done art in a while so I'm a bit rusty.

Former Member

I don't work with vulnerable people I work in a hotel   but some things as the others have said is lean on your colleagues when you need to, make sure your employer is supportive, that's a big one! and something not many people know is it's okay to take a mental health day, my work calls them personal days, you can phone up and just say it's personal and they're not allowed to ask any questions (we're allowed 5 a year but may vary depending on employers ( it also doesn't effect your absence rate)) keeping a routine helps me aswell, I come home, shower, then write all my thoughts down before bed, it helps just to get them out   

JustV

Salix_alba_2019 said:

I'm going to try to make this into a poster and frame it 😁

@The Mix if it turns out nice enough, would you like a copy? I haven't done art in a while so I'm a bit rusty.

If you're happy to send us one @Salix_alba_2019 definitely! Would be super cool to see what you come up with.