This pandemic can trigger the people to feel more anxious. Problems are piling up on top of another- temporarily loss of jobs, limited budget, lack of transportation going to and from work, and the list just goes on.
With more than 150 participants from all over the country, the National Nutrition Council (NNC) Regional Office 9, headed by Nutrition Program Coordinator Nimfa D. Ekong, attended the Webinar on Mental Wellness at the Workplace Amid the COVID-19 Pandemic on 10 June 2020 via Google Meet. The webinar was spearheaded by the management of National Nutrition Council for the staff to be able to gain more knowledge on mental health and the ways to cope up with stress. With this activity, all NNC staff felt the concern of the management towards its employees amid this pandemic.
With the expertise of Dr. Kathryn Tan of the National Center for Mental Health, the staffs of NNC were able to step back from their official duties for a while and listen to the very comprehensive presentation of Dr. Tan.
In her presentation, Dr. Tan reminded the participants to view mental health as an investment. According to studies, companies reduce job related accidents, sick days, and employee turnover when depression is adequately treated. If employees take care of their mental health, they also improve their productivity which would evidently reflect on the productivity in the workplace. Thus, to take care of our mental health, Dr. Tan introduced some strategies to help the employees cope with the situation:
1. Have a grounded social support system- this could be an emotional support wherein we have access to certain needs, such as the feeling of being validated and accepted, and people whom we can run to if we need to seek for advice.
2. Don’t forget to relax- this includes breathing exercises, stretching, resting for 10 minutes between works, and doing the things you really want to do that could give your mind some relaxation such as cooking, doing meditation, and reading books.
3. Practice having healthy habits- this includes sleeping for at least 8 hours, having a balanced diet, and exercising regularly.
Dr. Tan also gave examples on how to practice these 3 coping strategies. She introduced the progressive muscle relaxation exercise wherein we put tension on certain body parts then eventually release it to help us relax. She also advised the participants to make our bed only available for sleep and to not bring gadgets on our beds.
Our mental health is vital. Anything around you can contribute to depression and anxiety. That’s why Dr. Tan also reminded the participants to try and understand each other. People are trying to cope from different problems every day and the best way to help other people to cope is to be understanding. People who are experiencing depression and other mental health problems tend to shut themselves out from the world because they think that they can’t ask for help or nobody understands them. However, we must stop the stigma. We must be one of those good-hearted people to understand their situation.
With her final message, Dr. Tan shared a very short yet powerful statement:
“There is no health like mental health”
Stress is not a reflection of what a person can or cannot do. It is not a label, but an experience. It is okay to feel stressed; it is okay to take a break, because at the end of the day, we must take care of ourselves- not just physically but also mentally.
AA VI Cielo Katrina M. Mabalot
