Even the best and the brightest sometimes succumb to the tremendous pressure of the overwhelming weight that they carry on their worn and weary shoulders because even the smallest problems and slightest inconveniences can snowball into a catastrophic avalanche if left unchecked (Newport, 2019). These silent battles that people fight and the burdens that they carry can break the camel’s back as the saying goes. And that is the reason why UPLB employees need to take a step back, put their feet up, and chill out every once in a while so that they can recuperate and regain their strength or else they run the risk of burning both ends of the candle at the same time and suffering the dire consequences of their misplaced complacency and nonchalance (Friedman, 2020).

Therefore, aside from staying in tiptop physical condition to strengthen their bodies and ward off illnesses that can leave them on the sidelines, employees who are feeling burnt out from the accumulated stress should also take care of their mental health and prioritize their emotional well-being (Greenberg, 2017). With that said, here are sure-fire ways to help stressed out employees cope with their mental health struggles so that they can stay afloat and survive through the dark times of their life. 

Get Up, Stand Up

Instead of sulking in a corner, shutting their doors, and shunning others away when they feel like the walls are closing in around them, it is better for stressed out employees to get up and work out to feel the elation brought by the rush of endorphins (Ratey & Hagerman, 2008). They can head straight to the Copeland Gymnasium and work up a sweat by playing different kinds of sports with other UPLB employees and students. They can also hit the weight room and pump some iron to bulk up and tone their muscles. But if cardiovascular exercise is their cup of tea, running a few laps around Freedom Park and Baker Field or hiking up Mount Makiling will certainly get their hearts racing and give them the breath of fresh air that they need to calm down their frazzled nerves (Dimeo et al., 2012). 

Soak Up the Sun and Work on your Tan

There are people who save up all their vacation leaves for something grand and extravagant but they should realize that nothing is more important than their own health and wellness right now. And so instead of constantly putting off that well-deserved vacation, they should buy those plane tickets, book that hotel reservation, and enjoy some downtime of rest and relaxation immediately because this will do wonders for their mental health (Nawijn et al., 2010). Aside from personal travels with their friends and family, team building getaways for the different offices, colleges, and units of UPLB are also highly encouraged every now and then because it allows colleagues to form closer bonds outside the workplace without worrying about paperwork and deadlines (Wells & Thelen, 2002). This will also help the whole team touch base and connect on a more personal level as they help each other work through their personal problems and concerns without feeling judged, dissected, and examined under the microscope because they know that they are in a safe space with people who truly care about them (Edmondson, 2018).

Teamwork Makes the Dream Work

Speaking of team building activities, UPLB employees should always remember that no man is an island and that there is strength in numbers. While it is commendable for employees to work independently without relying on anybody to fulfill their duties and responsibilities, there is no shame in seeking assistance and guidance from their colleagues when they are swamped and overwhelmed (Katzenbach & Smith, 2015). Much like ants working together for the greater good of the colony or bees carrying the orders of the Queen Mother for the sake of the hivemind, colleagues working hand in hand makes everything so much easier and this takes off a lot of pressure from their minds thereby alleviating some of the mental stress weighing them down (Duhigg, 2016).

Seek Safe Spaces and Shelter from the Storm

When all else fails and they feel like everything around them is falling apart, UPLB employees can seek shelter from the storm and enjoy the safe space provided by the Office of Counseling and Guidance under the Office of the Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs. Originally designed to help out students who are struggling with dark thoughts and mental health issues, UPLB employees can now ask for help and schedule sessions with their licensed psychiatrists and psychometricians who are more than willing to assist and guide them through the tough times and rough patches in their lives that they experience from time to time (Linehan, 2015). 

Christian Jonah P. Mizal

References:

Dimeo, F., Bauer, M., Varahram, I., Proest, G., & Halter, U. (2012). Benefits from aerobic exercise in patients with major depression: A pilot study. British Journal of Sports Medicine, 46(12), 865-865. doi:10.1136/bjsports-2012-091087.45

Duhigg, C. (2016). Smarter faster better: The transformative power of real productivity. Random House.

Edmondson, A. (2018). The fearless organization: Creating psychological safety in the workplace for learning, innovation, and growth. John Wiley & Sons.

Friedman, S. D. (2020). The healing organization: Awakening the conscience of business to help save the world. Simon and Schuster.

Greenberg, J. (2017). Occupational stress, health and well-being. In J. Houdmont, S. Leka, & R. R. Sinclair (Eds.), Contemporary occupational health psychology: Global perspectives on research and practice (Vol. 3, pp. 1-10). John Wiley & Sons.

Katzenbach, J. R., & Smith, D. K. (2015). The wisdom of teams: Creating the high-performance organization. Harvard Business Review Press.

Linehan, M. M. (2015). DBT skills training manual. Guilford Publications.

Nawijn, J., Marchand, M. A., Veenhoven, R., & Vingerhoets, A. J. (2010). Vacationers happier, but most not happier after a holiday. Applied Research in Quality of Life, 5(1), 35-47. doi:10.1007/s11482-009-9091-9

Newport, C. (2019). Digital minimalism: Choosing a focused life in a noisy world. Portfolio.

Ratey, J. J., & Hagerman, E. (2008). Spark: The revolutionary new science of exercise and the brain. Little, Brown Spark.

Wells, M., & Thelen, L. (2002). What are we doing together? The organization of intersubjectivity in collaborative remembering. In P. Carruthers & J. Boucher (Eds.), Language and thought: Interdisciplinary themes (pp. 257-274). Cambridge University Press.