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Mental well-being is also about coping with our emotions. We experience varying emotions, ranging from happiness to sadness to anger and more. On some days, we may feel energised while on other days, we may feel stressed. It is normal to feel all kinds of emotions.
It’s OKAY not to be okay at times. We can all learn to improve our mental well-being by incorporating ”OKAY” tips in our daily lives.
OKAY TIPS
Observe your emotions
Identify them, assess how you are feeling and what’s causing you to feel that way.
Keep a healthy lifestyle
Adopt the following healthy lifestyle habits:
• Get a good night’s sleep. Adults need at least 7 hours a day.
• Have a balanced diet. Adopt the Quarter, Quarter, Half rule for My Healthy Plate.
• Exercise regularly. Aim for 150-300mins of physical activity each week.
Adopt Coping Skills
• Better manage your time. Make a list of things that need to be done plan your
time in advance and block off time to complete each task on time.
• Learn to think positive by reframing your thoughts by reframing your thoughts,
it helps one to view and convert a successful situation positively into a form of
motivation.
• Engage activities to engage your mind. You can try deep breathing exercises
and mental relaxation exercises like visual imagery and mindfulness. Set aside
some ‘me time’ every day to relax or do things you enjoy.
You can reach out
• Stay connected. Create your own support system. Talking to others can help to
relieve pent-up feelings or worries. It could offer us new insights or help us view
things from a different perspective. Be there for others. It is not always obvious
when the people you care for are going through a tough time. You can play an
important role in supporting them by offering a listening ear.
• Seek mental health resources and services.
Why is it important to understand
and manage our emotions?
Managing our emotions helps us make better decisions, big or small.
Understanding our emotions allows us to become aware of triggers, so we can gain insights on how to respond in constructive ways.
Accepting our emotions allows us to view our thoughts and perspectives objectively, instead of defaulting to making negative judgements about ourselves and others.
Juggling multiple roles and responsibilities are part and parcel of adult life. This often brings about challenges with stressors and can be overwhelming over time, unless managed properly. Everyone responds to stress differently. Our body sends out various warning signs, such as:
Physical signs (How our body might react) such as headaches, stomach aches and rapid heartbeats.
Cognitive signs (How we might think) such as poor concentration and forgetfulness.
Behavioural signs (How we might behave) such as acting in a defensive, aggressive or impulsive manner.
Nervous habits (e.g. stammering or biting nails)
Emotional signs (How we might feel) such as overwhelmed and restlessness or irritability.
• Decreased immunity levels thereby increasing our chances of getting colds and
other illnesses
• Worsening of asthmatic conditions
• Increased blood pressure that will increase the risk of stroke, heart attacks and
kidney problems
• Digestive problems like stomach ulcers, indigestion, constipation, or diarrhea
• Nervous breakdown or mental conditions such as depression
Burnout is a state where we feel emotionally, physically, and mentally drained. This is caused by excessive and prolonged stress. When we experience burnout, we may feel overwhelmingly exhausted. A sense of dread about work might loom over us, making us feel withdrawn or detached from our commitments and the people around us. We might also find ourselves feeling less productive or competent.
• Frequently feeling tired or drained
• Recurring pains/headaches
• Changes in sleep habits
• Changes in our appetite
• Taking longer to complete tasks
• Sense of failure or self-doubt
• Avoiding responsibilities
• Cynical outlook
Some common signs and symptoms of burnout:
• Depression
• Insomnia
• High cholesterol
• Heart disease
Burnout can lead to:
One effective way to minimise burnout is to have work-life harmony, which is about being able to achieve both our work and personal goals.
Work-life harmony is not about balancing work and life equally. Instead, it is about recognising that our priorities may vary at different stages of our lives. Our work and life are interdependent and increasingly intertwined.
Here are some ways to achieve work-life harmony
Make time to rest
Disconnect from work after working hours
It is important that we prioritise our own well-being and learn to manage our stress, so we’re ready for the challenges ahead and we would then be able to better care for the people around us.
For any enquiries, e-mail to healthywe@team-axis.com or call 9027 3873 (9.30am - 6.30pm)