Work can be tough, but it doesn’t have to stay that way forever.
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School often teaches us hard skills for the kinds of jobs we want to do. But what it doesn’t teach is just how hard the adjustment can be, especially when it’s your first time in the workforce. It needs to be said that soft skills are just as important when you start working. The anxiety of being in a professional setting for the first time, the expectations put upon you, and not to mention the countless deadlines make for a stressful environment that isn’t kind to your mental health. And the data backs this up.
In the latest Employee Job Happiness Index Jobstreet by SEEK, the study found Gen Z least likely to be satisfied with their current jobs. A recent AXA Mind Health Report, meanwhile, found Gen Z employees were more likely to experience mental health struggles than the total population. Aside from this being yet another call for better work culture, mental health benefits, and better working conditions, it’s also a reminder that work should not take precedence over your well-being.
So, if you’re feeling the pressure get to you, here are a few things to remember to help re-center yourself.
HAVE HOBBIES OUTSIDE OF WORK
While it’s ok to love your work, thinking about your job 24/7 is not conducive to a thriving well-being. Focus your mind on other things with different hobbies and activities outside work hours. Even something as simple as talking to friends and family is ok so long as you give yourself an outlet away from the workplace.
ESTABLISH BOUNDARIES
One of the most important things to remember is the need for work-life balance. It’s more than just a buzzword you see online but is a key way to prevent burnout. There is a tendancy to let work invade personal time, but that isn’t right for your mental health in the long run. Acknowledge your challenges, then put in those boundaries to help make the division between work and personal time more distinct, whether that be fixing a schedule or setting up a defined workspace.
SEPARATE WHO YOU ARE FROM THE WORK THAT YOU DO
We all want to do a good job at work, but that conviction can sometimes lead to putting too much of yourself into what you do. The problem with that is that when something isn’t received well or there’s criticism, we take it personally, which then affects our mental health. Know that who you are as a person is not determined by what you do at work or how your output is received. Also, we’ve all fallen into the trap one time or another of when getting a hundred good compliments and one criticism, we just focus on the one bad thing. Instead of surrounding your mind with negativity, celebrate your Ws, and find the positive in things.
TAKE BREAKS
It sounds simple, but there’s a difference between resting and being well-rested. Find time in your work day, even if it’s as short as five minutes, to pause and do something else. Basically, give yourself microbreaks throughout the day. Also, consider taking a mental health care day off every month. Self-care and rest should not be a burden nor should you feel guilty about doing it. We’re still human, after all, and the stigma around taking care of mental health needs to be broken.
TRY NOT TO TAKE THINGS TOO SERIOUSLY
Being in a professional setting as compared to school or a college org can feel worlds apart, which often translates to added expectations. With that, we tend to be hard on ourselves and overthink and overwork to compensate for all the pressure we’re facing. But remember to be kind to yourself. We all make mistakes, but what matters is how we grow from them. You’re young with more opportunities down the line. This isn’t the end of the road, so don’t think it’s the end of the world when something goes wrong at work. Chill, bestie. It’s not that serious.
WHEN IT’S TIME TO LOG OUT, LOG OUT
That work email or text message you got after work hours? Yeah, that can wait. When it’s time to work, work. But once the shift is done, take a step back to recharge. It isn’t healthy for you to constantly look at your notifications late into the night to see if your boss messaged because there is a time and place for everything, and that includes work. When you’re done with your work for the day, give yourself the space and grace to enjoy your free time.
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