According to an expert, the balance of the body and mind depends on the execution of simple factors, but which require commitment.
In a world where mental health in the workplace becomes increasingly important, a vital question arises: how to ensure a psychologically safe environment when leaders themselves struggle to stay well? The answer is not simple and requires a complex approach, a commitment from both individuals and companies.
This commitment, explains the consultant and head of psychology at Vittude, Luckas Reis, involves the need to recognize that problems of burnout or psychological distress are not just an individual issue, but have deep roots in organizational practices and expectations.
“High labor demand is a multifactorial situation. It’s never just about a lack of leadership or organizational skills,” he says.
For Simone Nascimento, specialist in mental health in organizations, five factors are directly interconnected in ensuring physical and mental health.
Below is a step-by-step guide with simple actions to avoid burnout at work:
1. Monitor your sleep
One of the essential points to maintain the correct functioning of the body and mind is to take care of the quality of sleep.
“If you don’t sleep enough, the central nervous system begins to suffer. Neglecting sleep ends up impacting everything, even creativity,” explains the expert. Lack of sleep retention affects levels of stress, anxiety, and depression.
The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends at least 7 hours of sleep between the ages of 18 and 64.
Preparing the environment by avoiding strong lights a few hours beforehand can speed up the arrival of sleep. Cell phone use should be avoided. Creating a routine is an alternative for those who suffer from insomnia.
2. Interpersonal relationships
Another factor that contributes to mental illness is neglect of relationships, both inside and outside of work. According to Nascimento, when people are unable to develop bonds with family and friendship groups, other mental health problems can arise.
“When you can’t enjoy your family and friends, that becomes a factor in your illness,” he says.
3. Practice of physical activities
People in management positions tend to have demanding routines. In some cases, there are few or almost no gaps focused on personal life. Leaving body movement on the back burner can have short- and long-term consequences.
In addition to malaise and greater difficulties in carrying out simple daily activities, the lack of physical exercise increases the risk of chronic diseases, including mental ones, explains the specialist.
According to the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), it is recommended that adults get at least 150 to 300 minutes of aerobic activity, such as walking, per week. In practice, this means about 40 minutes of physical practice per day.
4. Balanced diet
“Physically healthy people produce much more. So, when you can have satisfied people, your product improves because that person works better”, underlines Simone Nascimento.
The expert believes that food is not just about body weight, but is linked to nutrition, immunity, attention, concentration and disposition.
“The discouragement, tiredness, lack of concentration and disposition that we sometimes experience can be directly linked to what we have on our plate. Thinking carefully about our diet affects longevity and all aspects of our lives.”
According to the expert, no matter how busy the day is, the ideal is to avoid skipping meals and satisfy hunger with processed foods. Include whole, plant-based foods instead, as they help prevent diseases such as type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, stroke and cancer.
“These four pillars (sleep, relationships, exercise and nutrition) are very effective because they can prevent 70% of all types of chronic diseases. It’s about doing physical activity, sleeping well, meeting people we like and eating well There was a time when it was nice to say, ‘Wow, I spent all night working.’ We began to realize that in addition to not being beautiful, it is harmful,” he adds.
Source: Terra
Ben Stock is a lifestyle journalist and author at Gossipify. He writes about topics such as health, wellness, travel, food and home decor. He provides practical advice and inspiration to improve well-being, keeps readers up to date with latest lifestyle news and trends, known for his engaging writing style, in-depth analysis and unique perspectives.
