Mental health is an important part of overall health and well-being and should be acknowledged and prioritized year-round.
In honor of Mental Health Awareness Month, we asked members of Prime's Mental Health Alliance Employee Resource Group to share the strategies and practices they use to take care of their mental wellbeing.
Here are some of the tips they offered to help best protect your mental health.
- “I try to walk outdoors each day, as it gives me a chance to refresh my mind. During these walks I listen to music to fit my mood. I really enjoy walking on the trails nearby, there's something about being in the woods and embracing all the sights and breathing in fresh air. Our physical health and mental health influence one another. Participating in some sort of physical activity can affect our overall wellbeing.” - Jessica Johnson, Special Investigations Unit (SIU) clinical consultant.
- “I definitely make time for walks, yoga and other outside activities. However, I have a standing weekly meeting with a therapist - and it is truly the best thing I've ever done.” - Becky Kwapick, senior paralegal.
- "I love the Calm app and listening to sleep podcasts like The Sleep Bookshelf at night. It helps me relax and stop anxious thoughts that keep me up at night!” - Clarissa Maertz, senior program analyst.
- “For me I use a lot of tiny goal setting! If I'm feeling really stressed out or overwhelmed, I set small easy to attain goals with little incentives. Examples might be for every five emails I answer I earn a Gummy Worm. An hour deep diving a project is 5 minutes of pup snuggles”. - Michaela Shaw, claims specialist.
- “I use self-care like a soothing bath, music, going outside, and breathing techniques. My cat will come lay down on me and during that time I just focus on that task of petting her.” - Renee Wilds, tech clinical operations associate.
- “I have a wellness care checklist in grid format with Monday-Sunday at the top and along the left-hand column are wellness activities such as, exercise, social interaction, spiritual formation principles, pursue hobbies, nutrition, journaling, cognitive growth. As I practice one of these areas during the day, it provides me a snapshot of my week and gaps where I can ensure that I have a balanced wellness care plan.” - Phillip Edwards, supervisor member services.
Learn more about Mental Health Awareness Month and available resources here: https://bit.ly/37NzWQq
