Keys to optimal personal and professional mental health

Ashleay: Hello and welcome to the “In Your Interest!” podcast. My name is Ashleay and today I'm joined by Myriam Auclair, Product Leader. We'll be discussing the multiple issues that can affect mental health and how personal problems can affect someone on a professional level. We'll also talk about the factors that positively influence mental health. So hello, Myriam.

Myriam: Hello, Ashleay.

Ashleay: So, we often hear about mental health and that it's a growing issue. Can you give us an idea of the phenomenon?

Myriam: Yes, absolutely. In Canada each year, it's 1 in 5 people who experience symptoms of illness or mental health problems. Also, according to the Conference Board of Canada, mental illness costs our Canadian economy over $50 billion each year. And this is why it's super important to understand the link between mental health, physical health and total wellbeing.

Ashleay: Right.

Myriam: Also, to give you an idea, mental health is the state of our psychological and emotional wellbeing. It's also a necessary resource for living a healthy life and realize our true potential. But a good mental health can also help us cope with life’s stress and challenges. The range of problems that poor mental health can cause is quite large. It can range from concentration problems, anxiety, stress, up to depression. On the other hand, we talk more about mental health issues, which means that we are also more likely to talk about solutions and tools that we can use to take care of our mental health.

Ashleay: And Myriam, how do we know when something is wrong? Like, how can we recognize warning signs? And why is empathy so important?

Myriam: Well, like it's true, as I said before, that we understand mental health better than ever. However, there's still a lot of stigma and we're still ashamed to talk about it. It's over 50% of Canadians with mental health issues that fear discrimination. So, in this context, this is where empathy is fundamental. It will help us recognize signs of distress in ourselves, but also in others. These signs can manifest themselves in many ways, depending on the individual. For example, some will experience change in their physical nature. For example, they may feel more tired, they have headaches, or they have trouble sleeping, or can experience unexplained weight loss or gain. For some other people, it may present in some psychological changes, for example, mood swings, irritability, lack of energy, low self-esteem. For others, it can present itself in changes that are cognitive, such as difficulty concentrating or making decisions, or having trouble remembering things. For example, one could experience change in their behaviour at work. And this is where empathy is also important, because as a person, we may notice that, for example, one of our colleagues appears to come late to some meetings or seems less motivated and less productive. So, this is important to be alert to those change in the person's mood or behaviours.

Ashleay: And we often hear that mental health is part of a whole. That's influenced by several factors, but what are they?

Myriam: Exactly! Mental health is affected by many factors in everyday life. It can be whether our genetics, our life experience and habits, our relationships with others, our social work environment, for example. So, there is no single determining factor, but rather a series of factors which, taken together, can play a major role in influencing our mental health positively or negatively. It's all interconnected, and you won't be surprised to learn that people in poor physical or mental health that experience financial problems or heavy workloads are more likely to experience high levels of stress.

Ashleay: Absolutely. And I mean, surely there are things that we can do to maintain a good mental health and make mental health a priority.

Myriam: Yes, indeed. There are three main factors that are important. I'd start by making sure that we have good lifestyle habits. A healthy lifestyle is essential and making sure that we eat well, get enough sleep, that we practise physical activities. It's all super important and has an influence on our state of mind. The other aspect that I would look at is making sure that you have the right balance between personal and professional life. The idea here is to be fully satisfied with the place that each of these two aspects occupies in our lives. So, there are many ways of finding the right balance. It's important, for example, to take breaks during the day to socialize with colleagues and manage your expectations by being kind to yourself during busier periods. And the last thing I would recommend to maintain a good balance is to remember to disconnect after work, to spend time away from our screen, and the last would be around stress. Stress is a physical reaction that makes us fully alert in the face of danger. It's not bad, but over a long period of time, stress can be really harmful to our health. And one way of preventing and managing our stress is to take a Zen break. Practise relaxation or breathing exercises. There's a lot of meditation activities that we can do. Also, another thing would be to make sure that if something is bothering us, make sure to talk about it with someone close to you, someone who will listen to you, and it can really help us feel better. So, the lesson here is that it's essential to make time for yourself, to take care of your body and your mind. And for that, there's a lot of mental resources and information that is available, so do not hesitate to consult those resources that are mostly available online, but also maybe through your group insurance. Or the last would be to never hesitate to talk about mental health, to seek help, or consult a health professional when you feel the need to.

Ashleay: And that is the end of today's episode. Thank you, Myriam, for explaining why mental health is a priority. And thank you to our listeners. Please don't hesitate to drop us a line if you have any questions, and we'll talk to you next week. Love this podcast? Want to know more about economic news? Follow our “In Your Interest!” podcast available on all platforms, visit the economic news page on ia.ca or follow us on social media.