World Mental Health Day 2019

 1 in 4 people in the UK suffers from mental illness at some point in their lives with anxiety and depression being the two most common (Mind, 2019). In honour of World Mental Health Day 2019, we have asked our Consultants to share the ways they best mind their heads and stay positive!

 “Wind down and switch off”

I have two favourite ways of doing this. The first is getting something in the slow cooker, taking the dogs on a walk and returning to eat comfort food with a feel-good film or book. The second is finding my best feel good album, turning it up and singing along… LOUD, mine is always the Backstreet Boys!

Laura Walters, Recruitment Board Director

“Sometimes in life we just need a hug… no words, no advice, just a hug to make you feel better”

Life can be a rollercoaster of emotions and sometimes things may get on top of us but it is important to remember that the people around us care. At times it can be difficult to express our emotions with others and sometimes all it takes is a hug from a friend, family member or more importantly, a dog!

Beth Farrar, Marketing Recruitment Executive

“Sometimes people say they’re fine when they’re not. To really find out, ask twice.”

Asking twice is a simple way to show our friends and family that we are really interested; we are ready to listen, now or whenever they need it.

Rachel Wilson, Recruitment Operations Manager

"Turn your to-do list into a ta-da list"

Struggling to switch off from work has a massive impact on mental health. Our “to-do” lists are sometimes endless; a couple of pages long in some instances and ever-growing. An unfinished to-do list can make you feel like a failure, incompetent and can cause you to leave work feeling unfulfilled and you’ll no doubt be thinking about it when you get home!

I got a great piece of advice from none-other than the wonderful “Mrs Hinch”! Making a “ta-da” list, or something equally as aptly named, lists your achievements for the day, and what you’ve done AFTER you’ve completed them. Of course, you need to write things down to remember them (well, I certainly do!) but you look at the list of things that you’ve written down and know that you’ve been productive! Going home and switching off your phone is another issue!

Emma Burke, Agency Recruitment Manager

“It’s okay not to be okay.”

There is no shame in admitting you aren’t yourself and speaking to someone about your mental health, be it a friend, your boss or a councillor. The first step to recovery is admitting you are struggling, once that has happened you can start to understand why you aren’t feeling right and what’s making you feel the way you feel. Once this has happened, you can then begin the road to recovery. I would always recommend speaking openly to a professional about your mental state, as they are qualified and trained to work out what’s affecting you. However, counselling doesn’t work for everyone so keep searching for alternative therapy until you find one that suits you.

Felix Peach, Analytics Recruitment Consultant

"You'll be amazed at the kindness of others."

When you’re feeling down or stressed or just not your usual self then try to talk to people if you can, be that your friends or other people.  You’ll be surprised at how many people have been through or are going through similar feelings and amazed at the kindness of others.

Alison Livesey, Recruitment Business Manager

 "Read books about positive things."

Some of my favourites I would recommend reading are ‘The Secret’, ‘Make Your Bed’, ‘Declutter Your Mind’, ‘Good Vibes, Good Life: How Self-Love Is the Key to Unlocking Your Greatness’ and ‘The Magic.

Sophie Parkin, Senior Marketing and Ecommerce Recruitment Consultant

"I can’t express how much yoga and meditation have helped me."

I’ve always suffered with anxiety and I can’t express how much yoga and meditation have helped me. It took me a while to get into it properly but now it’s part of my daily routine, I feel like a different person!

Megan Cross, Marketing Recruitment Manager

“Have a colleague who you can confide in."

Talking about your mental state can often be really daunting, especially in a professional environment, so having a friendly face to anchor you when you’re not feeling your best can really help!

Leif Radford, Analytics Recruitment Manager