Working And Keeping Sane

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For me, work has become a major part of my life. I spent more time working than I actually do on myself. Basically, it's what pays the bill so I gotta put more energy where the money is. I've come to see being paid, having a fulfilling job and being mentally well is a scam. You can never have it all. If you do, give yourself a tap on the back. The grim reality is you've to forgo one or the other. Well, in my experience to say the least. Take a deep breath and read that again. It's hitting home right? That's me right now, taking a trip down my past and present experiences and seeing it's either I had none of the those at some point, maybe one along the way and now I've totally neglected my self wellness and awareness. The question if you can't make it to your own to-do list/bucket list is it even worth it? Is it good for you?

Life, in general, gets on top us now and again. Sometimes work-related. Sometimes it's human relations. Sometimes it's something else, mental health and other happenstances. The main focus for us today is on the relationship between mental health and self-awareness concerning work life. The workplace is where everyone thrives. Or is supposed to, to put it correctly. So why talk about the relationship between mental health and self-awareness in the workplace? From experience, good mental health and good management of work, as well as, self-awareness go hand in hand. Mental health is something we all have, gather everyone here I'm coming to your house today. We need to do housekeeping, it's been long overdue. It shouldn't be a situation where mental wellness stops when you enter the work doors.

             “When quitting is the only option”

Have some self-preservation instinct of some sort. Trust me it’s not all talk I’ve been in a situation where I ignored all my anxious feelings. Basic communication problems could trigger me. "Don’t take life seriously" Duh, stop this nonsense and just get your things in order. Anxious people are prone to feel alienated and paranoid from the ‘little things’. At one point they will become too big to hide from. One in four people experience a mental health problem every year, we need to accept that little is not as little as you think after all. Even if we would love to, most of us can’t regulate our working hours, the least that one can do is, if it’s not work-related please don’t stress us!

We’re overworked and unappreciated on most occasions. Our worth is based on how early we come in, how late we leave, how we say thank you for the money you broke your back for and the shortness of lunch breaks. It’s draining trading your sanity for someone's pettiness, seriously I came here to work, what about we start there. Once you go to a place you're forgoing your mental wellness something is dead wrong. In my case it’s been work, work, work and I couldn’t even make it to my own priority list. I stopped doing what I loved, writing, exercising, and reading. The feeling consumed me. God knows we all need our own, working by yourself for yourself. That right there is thee best option for our sanity.

The moment it hit me I need to do better was when I normalized forgetting things. I knew right there I may have, but definitely over-whelmed myself and I needed a time out. That's where it started, my first step to being self-aware of the instabilities of my emotions and schedule. The Oxford dictionary definition for self-awareness is:

self-awareness

             noun

‘conscious knowledge of one’s own character and feelings.’

Basically, it’s the ability to focus on yourself and how your actions, thoughts or emotions do or don’t align. So my loves, 

·      Take time out for yourself, practice some self-care.

·         Get enough sleep

·         And be kinder to yourself

It's a simple equation: Mental well being = productivity. When we enjoy good mental health, we have a sense of purpose and direction. You won't need an extra nudge, it’s the energy you need to do things you want and the ability to face the challenges of life.