Our Mental Health and Wellbeing Team are focusing on Healthy Habits this month.
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This week, 7th-11th November 2022, is International Stress Awareness Week. In recognition of this, we have prepared this short blog emphasising the importance of managing stress effectively.
WHAT IS STRESS?
In order to develop techniques for managing stress, it is important firstly to understand what stress means. HSE define stress as ‘the adverse reaction people have to excessive pressures or other types of demand placed on them’.
We all face different types of stress both in work and in our personal lives. This is not always negative stress, as positive life changes will often trigger some sort of stress. Examples of this may include moving house, starting a new job or getting married. Stress is therefore a normal part of life and is how our mind and bodies react to different situations. In the legal profession, small amounts of stress and pressure can trigger positive outcomes as it helps us to meet deadlines and targets in such a fast paced environment. However, high amounts of stress and feeling stressed for long periods of time will have a negative impact.
STRESS MANAGEMENT
Stress management refers to the tools, strategies and/or techniques used to reduce stress, which is essential to minimise the negative impact stress has on wellbeing, both mental and physical (Berkley Well-Being Institute).
Various mental, emotional and behavioural strategies can be implemented to manage stress. Examples of some strategies include:
- Having a healthy lifestyle
- Doing regular exercise
- Not being too hard on yourself and celebrating achievements
- Being mindful and remaining positive
- Taking time out and doing things you enjoy
- Getting some rest and having a healthy bedtime routine
- Identifying the causes and triggers of your stress
To effectively manage stress both at work and at home, it is important to recognise your own signs and causes of stress. This is because understanding the triggers will help to develop techniques to reduce the impact stress has in the future, thus making us better prepared. This means we can build resilience, which provides us with the ability to cope with stress and hardship (Very Well Mind).
Mind have different Wellness Action Plans, which you may find useful. You can also check out the Stress Management Society for different ways to manage stress.
Here at Maxwell Hodge, we encourage all staff to talk openly about their mental health and wellbeing whether that be with a friend, a family member or a colleague. It is important to remember that despite what we may be feeling or going through, particularly in our personal lives, there are people around us who want to listen and support us to become the best version of ourselves. Therefore, we also encourage you to access necessary support, and have included some reference links below.
References & Further Reading
- HSE: work-related stress and how to manage it
- Berkley Well-Being Institute: stress management – definition, techniques and strategies
- Mind: managing stress and building resilience
- Very Well Mind: what is resilience?
It was recently Anti-Bullying Week, which took place 15th-19th November.
The theme for this year was One Kind Word, which emphasises the significance that our words have and whether how we treat others has a negative or positive impact.
Bullying can happen to anyone at any time, whether you are a child at school, a parent or an employee in the workplace. Looking specifically at bullying in work, this may be in the form of intimidating, insulting or offensive behaviour or an abuse or misuse of power that can undermine, humiliate or cause physical or emotional harm to another person (ACAS).
At Maxwell Hodge, we are fortunate to have positive work environments where this type of behaviour is not tolerated, which is supported through our Whistleblowing Policy, effective leadership and through individuals who genuinely care; starting from the top of our organisation, i.e. our company Directors through to all employees that make up our workforce. We also have a Mental Health First Aid Team on hand to support employees.
The leaders of our organisation work hard to promote the importance of team work and working effectively together, which is important for not only providing an excellent level of client service but to also ensure that staff feel supported and have the necessary guidance in their role. We understand that at times, disagreements between colleagues will occur, which may, for example be in relation to the way forward on a client matter. However, this can be addressed through regular Team discussions, whether that be at a Team meeting or via an email exchange or telephone call and will often result in positive action. Providing the right setting for employee voices to be heard is important but this will differ from person to person. Some people prefer to raise issues at a face-to-face meeting whereas others will prefer email or telephone call. Providing these different environments is achieved through software we have introduced via a new phone system allowing us to have group calls as well as video calls, which is also crucial to staying connected with colleagues in our different offices and ensuring our workplace remains bullying free.
The theme of One Kind Word emphasises the power that our words have, whether that be a word said out loud or wrote down in an email or on social media. Think about the damage that a throw away comment has had on you and how this made you feel and compare this to how you felt when somebody said something kind – whether that be a compliment or some advice, kind words can inspire and motive. This is because words and actions can have a lasting impact, which is why it is crucial to always treat people how you would like to be treated and importantly, celebrate the fact that everyone is different, which makes the world a wonderful and interesting place!
We have put together some kind words/messages from our staff that we hope have a positive impact on anyone reading this.
- You are perfect as you are
- Let your uniqueness shine through
- Don’t doubt yourself – you’ll get there
- When you are kind to others, it not only changes you, it changes the world – Harold Kushner
- I stood at the border. Stood at the edge and claimed it as central and let the rest of the world move over to where I was – Toni Morrison
Today is “World Menopause Day” – a day where we can raise awareness and highlight the support available for our health and wellbeing.
PURPOSE
The purpose of Maternal Mental Health Matters Awareness Week (4-9 May 2021) is to encourage important conversations regarding mental illness during pregnancy and/or after giving birth and signposting women and their families to dedicated organisations offering advice, information and support to enable recovery.
The Facts
According to The Mental Health Foundation, the most common mental health problems that are experienced during pregnancy and after birth are: anxiety, depression and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
‘More than 1 in 10 women develop a mental illness during pregnancy or within the first year after having a baby’ (Maternal Mental Health Alliance, 2021)
The statistics highlight the need for this awareness week and sheds light on the fact that we need to support women during pregnancy and after birth – whether that be a partner, colleague, friend, family member or neighbour. However, equally important to this is being mindful of women around us that may have difficulty conceiving as research shows that women with fertility problems have higher rates of anxiety and depression in comparison to fertile women.
How to Support Maternal Mental Health
Similar to how we look after our mental health generally, there are various things we can do to promote positive mental health amongst pregnant women, new mums and those trying to conceive. This includes:
- Being realistic: The images of the “perfect” parent that we see in the media and on social media can have a negative impact. Try to avoid putting further pressure on yourself. Instead, be led by what you and your baby need.
- Planning and preparing: Think about what you might need when your baby arrives, such as where to access support if needed. Also think about local activities where you can connect with other new mums: Mums Meet Up and other preparation such as easy meal planning and freezing. Try: Freezable recipes for new parents
- Looking after yourself: Continue to set time aside for self-care for you to rest, relax and recharge. Whether that be light exercise, reading a book, getting a manicure etc.
- Finding social support: Whether that be through catch-ups with friends, or through antenatal groups to connect with other parents. Just remember to get the social support that is right for you.
- Talking to someone: Don’t be afraid to open up to people around you such as a partner or friend – especially when you are struggling. Talk to someone who will listen to you without judgment, and remember there is nothing to be ashamed of. So be honest with yourself and those around you – what you are feeling is normal and there is help available. If you need further support, speak with your GP or a health care professional.
The above tips are aimed at new mums, so what about tips for managing mental health while trying to conceive? Try:
- Communicating and creating boundaries, particularly if you are continuously asked about pregnancy and your journey – don’t be afraid to be assertive and set boundaries, i.e. that you appreciate their interest but the constant reminders damage your wellbeing.
- Finding a support group – whether that be online, via a group of friends or a supportive community of people experiencing the same emotions and/or difficulties as you. That way, when you do want to talk about your journey, you can do so on your terms with people that understand your situation.
- Making self-care a priority. This may be simply through doing things you enjoy such as cooking, reading, walking or through journaling/diary writing and meditation. The important thing is that you do things that make you feel good.
Pregnant women can try the following to improve their mental wellbeing during pregnancy:
- Talking – share your concerns with people around you.
- Make a wellbeing plan.
- Regular exercise – swimming, walking, jogging, yoga or whatever else works for you.
- Meditation and breathing exercises.
- Ask for help whenever you need it.
BEING SUPPORTIVE
Having a baby is a big life event so experiencing a wide range of emotions before, during and after giving birth is normal. It is impossible for women to enjoy every minute of being a new mum because all new mums, similar to the general population, will have good and bad days. However, like our general mental health and wellbeing, when women start to experience bad days or difficult emotions on a regular basis, which impacts their quality of day-to-day life, they may be experiencing poor mental health. It is okay to not feel okay but it is equally important to seek help and support when necessary. In this section, we will focus on how people and organisations can offer support.
Although it can be upsetting when someone close to us is suffering with their mental health, it is important to support them in order to aid their recovery. This means not blaming or judging them for how they are feeling, listening to them without judgement and reassuring them. However, not everyone wants to talk about their mental health. New mums in particular may not want to share their concerns out of fear of being judged, blamed or being labelled a ‘bad mum’. This emphasises the importance of checking up on new mums and looking for any changes in behaviour – look out for: extreme mood changes, withdrawal, excessive fear, worry, or anxiety.
Mind outlines a number of ways that you can support the pregnant women and new mums in your life:
Make time for them: Offer to spend casual time with them; Make time to keep in touch; Suggest activities that you used to do together; Offer to go to parent-child groups or activities together
- Be patient
- Give them space
- Learn about perinatal mental health
- Listen to them
- Don’t judge
- Offer practical support
- Support them to get help: Offer to help them arrange a doctor’s appointment – see: helping someone else seek help; Go with them to appointments, or offer to look after their child/children whilst they go to the appointment(s)
Organisations offering support:
- Action on Postpartum Psychosis (APP)
- Anxiety UK
- The Association for Post Natal Illness
- Birth Trauma Association – for anyone affected by birth trauma
- The Breastfeeding Network
- Child Bereavement UK
- Gingerbread – for single parent families
- Maternal OCD
- Mums Meet Up – connecting mums locally and across the UK
- Netmums – online community for parents
- NHS UK
- PANDAS Foundation
- Tommy’s – for people affected by stillbirth, miscarriage and premature birth
Resources & References
- World Health Organization
- Mental Health Foundation
- Maternal Mental Health Alliance
- Tips to Manage Mental Health While Trying to Conceive
- Top 10 tips for mums: Perinatal mental health
- Improving mental wellbeing in pregnancy
- Pregnancy, breastfeeding and parenting information
- Maternal Mental Health – Women ’ s Voices
- Mind: Postnatal depression and perinatal mental health
Thank you for reading.
MAXWELL HODGE, MAY 2021
Valentine’s Day is the perfect day to celebrate loving relationships. However, many of us will suffer with our mental health because Valentine’s Day can heighten feelings of loneliness and self-worth.
WHY IT MATTERS
The Mental Health Foundation states that 1 in 10 children and young people will experience a mental health problem.
Today, Thursday 4th February 2021, is Time to Talk Day.
Christmas can be such a wonderful time for many of us as we get to connect with loved ones and spend time with one another. However, Christmas can also have a negative impact on our mental health.
