In 1992 the World Federation for Mental Health first recognised Mental Health Day. Now, 30 years on, October is celebrated in NSW as Mental Health Month.
To encourage each other to think about our mental health we spoke to the Madden team. Our third post is with our Account Executive, Sarah. Here are some of her insights:
What does mindfulness mean to you?
A professor named Jon Kabat Zinn defines mindfulness as: “Paying attention; On purpose, in the present moment, and non-judgmentally.” And I couldn’t agree more! Mindfulness means a shift in the way that you pay attention but through this subtle shift your entire world can transform. Too often our mind takes flight and most of us become absorbed in the anxieties and stresses of ‘getting stuff done’ instead of living a life that makes us truly happy. I consider mindfulness to be one’s ability to switch off this overwhelming ‘autopilot mode’ and be fully present and aware of the here and now – paying attention to and accepting all experiences as they arise without judging or labelling them in any way.
How could we practice more mindfulness at work/in our day-to-day?
I am guilty of dismissing every single mindfulness notification on my Apple Watch, especially in the context of a busy workday; sometimes I even eat at my desk! If you’re anything like me then consider this mental health month an opportunity to press the reset button and practice cultivating mindfulness in your day-to-day by taking regular breaks away from your desk and going for a short walk or focusing on your breath with a short, simple breathing exercise. You may even find your productivity increase; after all, concentration is like a muscle – it needs to rest to be able to function, and it shouldn’t be overworked.
We can make conscious choices about how distracted we will allow ourselves to be all day long so give yourself a better chance of staying present to the task/people at hand by answering emails during dedicated periods of time, rather than as soon as they pop into your inbox (unless genuinely time sensitive); and avoiding checking your email during your lunch break – we need to slow down to speed up!
What’s your go to routine for when you’re feeling overwhelmed/stressed?
Stress is a part of life, and it doesn’t discriminate. I try to be kind to myself and remind myself that this feeling won’t last; acknowledge my thoughts and then try to bring my attention back to the task in hand. I step away if I need to and clear my head with a short walk, or if I am at home lots of cuddles with my Labrador! Luckily for me, I have great relationships at work and at home where I have multiple people that I can also reach out to and confide in when situations get overwhelming.
How does Madden embrace a positive culture which supports our wellbeing?
Madden has very much adopted a growth mindset in terms of both personal and business aspects. This shared mindset combined with frequent expressions of gratitude has made our environment one where employees feel safe, engaged, inspired and productive, whether they’re at home or in the office. Flexible working arrangements such as the introduction of summer Fridays which allows employees to finish work earlier and enjoy the summer season demonstrates that employee work/life balance and mental health is valued by the business.