You have to work to better your mental health. Not the work you do every day to earn your living, but the work you need to do to earn your peace of mind. Yes, a sound mind can only be earned. Having said that, it is equally important to acknowledge how hard it is to get back to being your best self once you feel lost. While it may seem like a long road to travel, it certainly gets easier with time and practice. Well, as they say, "The journey of a million miles begins with a single step." So here's how you can put forth your best step forward to a healthier mind.
1. Mark Copeman: "Strive to strike a balance between work and life."
Having consulted with multiple MSPs in the IT sector, Mark has gone on to create numerous programs on customer service and onboarding for his clients. He believes that a great way to start off on your mental health journey is to try and find a work-life balance that simply does the job for you. For all you know, you've been working on a tight project and you've barely seen your family. So take time to pause and reflect on all that has happened over the week, and ensure you spend enough time off work with people you love. The most important part here is to keep doing this evaluation periodically.
2. Paul Green: "Journal your thoughts."
As the founder of MSP Marketing Edge, Paul has helped over 500 MSPs get their next client. As an author himself, it is no surprise that Paul has found comfort in writing a couple of lines every night for the last 5 years! Putting your thoughts down on paper helps you acknowledge your feelings by translating them into words, and a better understanding of your emotions can help you feel better.
3. Todd Kane: "Diet, exercise, and sleep."
In his career of 20+ years in the IT and MSP space, Todd has carved his own path to becoming a business operations expert. He believes that the key to a sound mind lies in a healthy body. Countless research activities prove that regular exercise can positively improve mental health by reducing anxiety, depression, and keeping negative mood swings in check. Eating nutritious food rich in fibers, protein, and vitamins also play a huge role in keeping you healthy and active. Sleep is just as important, as has a direct effect on how the brain functions. Getting in a minimum of 6-8 hours every day, with longer deep sleep sessions can improve your mood, and work wonders for your overall state of well-being.
4. Jeff Lord: "Surround yourself with people who make you better."
Jeff served as the VP of sales and marketing at Dorian solutions for close to 7 years before he joined Triantan CCC LLC as a senior account executive. According to Jeff, the first step to better mental health is to get out of toxic circles. To give our minds the best shot at recovering, it is imperative that we put ourselves in positive environments. They say you're the average of the five people you spend the most time with, and it's true! When you're part of a positive, supportive circle, you become the average of all the empathy and positivity too.
5. Chris Timm: "Unapologetically do things that make you happy."
Chris owns Sondela Consulting, based in the UK, and the author of PSA Profitability, a guide to help businesses boost their profits. Chris believes in doing what is best for you now, without overthinking about what the future holds. When it comes to matters of mental health, you come first. Helping yourself comes way ahead of helping others.
A common mistake we all make when we try to improve our mental health is looking at mental health as a goal to achieve. What we fail to realize, however, is that mental health is the journey itself and not the destination. It's a process that needs consistency, support, and some self-love when things don't go to plan. The most important part is to enjoy the mental health journey, so what are you waiting for? It's a great day to start caring for your mental health.
