The Importance of Self-Care at Work

It is easy for our responsibilities to pile up that we forget to take care of ourselves, this can be especially true in the workplace. With most adults spending more of their waking hours at work and with one in five Canadians experiencing a mental health problem or illness, prioritizing self-care is critical to ensure you are not burning yourself out and losing your drive at work.

This International Self-Care Day, we want to highlight ways you can implement self-care into your work day:

• Be kind to yourself – Often we are our own worst critics at work, so it is important to ask yourself “What would I say to a colleague if they were in this situation?” to help lessen your self-doubt.
• Set your priorities – Value your time and resources by setting your top priority for the day and when your time is requested elsewhere, you consider the impact on your top priority before saying yes.
• Celebrate your victories – Take the time to connect with your team to look back on the previous week, month or quarter and what you have accomplished together.
• Organize your workspace – Your environment can have a positive impact on your productivity, so keeping your desk and workspace tidy will help you gain mental clarity.
• Take time for yourself – Whether it be picking one evening a week to go to bed early or taking a 15-minute break mid-afternoon, take the time to recharge yourself mentally and physically.

Businesses also have a role to place in the self-care of their employees, which is why we have taken simple steps to build a more mentally healthy workplace by enrolling in an employee and family assistance program, developing a psychological health and safety policy, having all employees complete mental health training, providing staff with flexible hours and the ability to work remotely. Additionally, all our locations are secured offices with natural lighting and quiet spaces, as well as our headquarters has an employee wellness room.

Click here to learn about the resources we offer businesses to help create a more mentally healthy workplace.