Tips and Advice
This section provides tips and advice on how to manage mental health and wellbeing. We have divided the tips into three categories: looking after yourself, looking after your colleagues, and looking after your team.
Click on the tabs to switch between the categories.
Some of the tips have been submitted by members of the community, during various workshops and Mike's fellowship talks.
Looking after yourself
On this page, we focus on self-help; tips & advice to help you manage your own mental health and wellbeing.
Self-Care
Self-care is about looking after yourself, doing what makes you feel good, and taking time to recharge your batteries. Self-care is not selfish. After all, you cannot do your job effectively, or be there to support your friends and family, if you're burned out. You can't pour from an empty cup, and sometimes you need to make time to refill it.
We all know what we need to do, but it isn't always easy to find the time or motivation. Getting enough sleep, eating well, exercising, getting in touch with nature... all these things are important. So is spending time with our loved ones and making time for the things we enjoy.
As Mike says in his talk, we don't want to be the ones who say "You look stressed, have you tried yoga?". But research has shown that Yoga and other mindfulness techniques can be very effective in helping to manage stress and anxiety. You need to find what works for you.
Getting Help and Support
If you are struggling, and feel like you need additional support, there are a range of options available.
There are organisations that can provide more information about a range of problems, as well as provide emergency support. These are discussed in more detail on our Get Help page.
Support at work
It can be daunting to talk to your colleagues and line manager about your mental health. You may be worried that they won't take you seriously, or that they might view it as a sign of weakness. But remember:
"It's better to raise a red flag before you're forced to wave a white one."
Nobody is invincible, and if you struggle for too long, you may end up burning out or developing more serious conditions that will require you to take time off and may take years of hard work and therapy to recover from. It is always easier to raise an issue before it becomes a problem. By admitting that you are struggling, you might be able to get support.
Who to talk to
- Your line manager - they may be able to provide additional support or make adjustments to your workload or deadlines.
- Mental Health First Aiders - are trained to provide confidential support to people experiencing mental health issues, and can signpost additional sources of information and support.
- Support from your Institution - most universities have an Employee Assistance Programme, which can provide confidential support and advice, often including free counselling sessions.
- Occupational Health - occupational health may be able to help evaluate and support your needs, including giving you time off to recover or making changes to your work environment. You may need a referral from your line manager or HR department.
- Your Doctor/GP - your doctor may have useful advice and can also refer you to specialists and other methods of support, as well as prescribing medication that may help manage your condition.
- Therapy - there are a number of different types of therapy, including Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), group therapy and counselling, available through the NHS, or privately.
- Other organisations and charities - as previously mentioned, there are various organisations that provide a range of services, some specialising in working with certain groups or mental health problems. A good starting point might be to check out the list on our Get Help page
