Best Practices For Supporting Mental Health At Work

Do you ever feel like you're everyone's "work therapist"? Where people come to you and share their stresses, strains, pains and more? On one hand, it's wonderful to be helpful, compassionate, and supportive. (And boy do we need that more than ever!) On the other hand, unless you're actually a licensed mental health professional, you may be overstepping your helping role. This can both tax YOU emotionally, and underserve someone who really would benefit from professional help. As a manager, your role isn’t to diagnose or provide therapy, but to create the conditions where your team member feels supported, respected, and connected to the right resources. Here’s a breakdown of what's actually MORE helpful than being everyone's quasi-therapist. 1. Notice and acknowledge Pay attention to changes in behavior, performance, or engagement. Approach with empathy: “I’ve noticed you seem stressed lately—how are you doing?” 2. Listen, don’t diagnose Offer a safe, nonjudgmental space to talk. Focus on listening and validating feelings, not fixing or labeling the problem. 3. Connect to resources Know your organization’s policies, Employee Assistance Program (EAP), or mental health benefits. Encourage them to access professional help if needed. 4. Adjust work supportively Explore flexible options (deadlines, workload, schedules) where appropriate. Reinforce that performance expectations remain, but show willingness to adapt. 5. Model healthy behaviors Set an example by taking breaks, managing stress openly, and respecting boundaries. Normalize conversations about well-being so team members feel safer sharing. In short: Your role is to notice, listen, support, connect, and model. You’re not their therapist; you’re their leader, creating a culture where mental health is taken seriously and help is accessible. #mentalhealth #wellbeingatwork #stress

May is Mental Health Month. So, let me ask: How are you doing? Seriously. How are you REALLY doing? I speak to so many clients who wait too long to make a change. They endure difficult and demoralizing work climates, hoping that things will get better. While they wait, their confidence is eroded, making a job search that much more daunting. Please, don't let this happen to you. No job is worth your mental health. If you: ➙Don't get any satisfaction in your work ➙Routinely deal with people who are difficult ➙Do the work of 2 people (or more!) ➙Lack the resources to do your job well ➙Get no support from your direct supervisor ➙Are bullied or taken advantage of by co-workers ➙Find it difficult to muster the energy for your workday Then, your mental health is at risk. That is not okay! Here are 6 strategies to take care of yourself: 1️⃣ Map Your Triggers ↳ Document specific situations that drain you ↳ Track when your stress peaks ↳ Notice when you are withdrawing or in conflict 💡Action: Make adjustments where you can, based on what you learn 2️⃣ Create Non-Negotiable Boundaries ↳ Set firm work hours for yourself ↳ Block "recovery time" in your calendar ↳ Turn off notifications during deep work 💡Action: Communicate these changes with key people 3️⃣ Master the "Strategic Pause" ↳ Take micro-breaks (2-5 minutes every hour) ↳ Use lunch for actual lunch, not more work ↳ Practice quick breathing exercises between meetings 💡Action: Put these items in your calendar and set alarms to take care of yourself. 4️⃣ Control Your Controllables ↳ Organize your workspace ↳ Structure your day around your energy peaks ↳ Focus on what you can influence, not what you can't 💡Action: This is a habit. Keep coming back to what’s in your control when frustration builds. 5️⃣ Build Your Support System ↳ Connect with trusted colleagues ↳ Consider tapping into your Employee Assistance Program ↳ Look into professional counseling 💡Action: Ask for help, even when it makes you feel uncomfortable. You are worth it. 6️⃣ Prepare to Make a Change ↳ Activate your network and have casual conversations to test the waters ↳ Update your resume and your LinkedIn profile ↳ Build a list of target companies and research your options 💡Important Point: These steps aren’t a decision to leave. But, they will make it easier and quicker if you decide to do so. Reminder: Your mental health is non-negotiable. Protect it fiercely. 🎯 What's your best strategy for maintaining mental health at work? Tell us below! ♻️ Repost to support colleagues who might be struggling 🔔 Follow Sarah Baker Andrus for more career and workplace strategies

🖼 Fuseli’s “The Nightmare” (1781) is one of my favorite paintings. I like it not because it’s comforting, but because it captures something we still don’t talk about enough: what it feels like to carry unseen stress. In this iconic Romantic-era work, a woman lies draped in sleep while a grotesque imp squats on her chest. Behind her lurks a shadowy horse, eyes wide in horror. It’s a visual metaphor for night terrors, but it resonates deeply with how anxiety can feel in waking life, especially in high-pressure work environments. 👉 The truth? Mental health still isn’t treated like physical health in many organizations. We champion fitness challenges and healthy snacks in the break room but ignore signs of burnout, chronic stress, or depression. Let’s change that. Here are a few best practices I’ve seen (and implemented) that make a real difference: ✅ Normalize check-ins that go beyond performance. Managers can ask, “How’s your workload feeling this week?” Not just “Are you on track?” ✅ Make mental health resources visible and easy to access. If your EAP is buried in an intranet or requires a scavenger hunt, it won’t help anyone. ✅ Treat PTO like recovery time, not a privilege. Don’t just approve time off. Encourage it. Model it. Respect it. ✅ Design work rhythms that allow for decompression. From no-meeting Fridays to quiet hours, small tweaks reduce the cognitive load. ✅ Train leaders in emotional intelligence. Psychological safety starts at the top. Art like The Nightmare reminds us that invisible burdens are just as real and sometimes just as paralyzing as any physical obstacle. Let’s build cultures where our people don’t need to wait until nightfall to be haunted by stress . 💬 How is your organization championing mental health? What’s working—and what still feels like a dream? #MentalHealthAtWork #PsychologicalSafety #Leadership #EmployeeWellbeing #Fuseli #OrganizationalCulture #LearningBites #WorkplaceAnxiety #MentalHealthAwareness