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Just like you would take care of your physical health it’s just as important to look after your mental health.
Mental health involves emotional, social, and psychological wellness. It influences how you act, think, and feel. Your mental health also affects the way you relate to others, the kind of decisions and choices you make, and how you handle stress.
We asked #Team Eames: What are some ways you take care of your mental health?
“Ensure I take breaks from work and recharge by exercising, walks in nature and spending quality time with my loved ones.” Abigail Lee, principal consultant, Singapore
“For me, I play golf! It’s the one part of my week where I totally switch off from work and spend 4 hours outside in the fresh air and spending some time away from looking at my phone or thinking about work.” Mark Thomas,partner and director, UK
“Exercise! Or finding a healthy outlet that works for you to destress and decompress. Everyone destresses in different ways and it’s great to always keep yourself in check by paying attention to what your body or mind needs will go a long way.” Chanel Wee, associate director, Singapore
“Some of the ways that I take care of my mental health are by journaling, going for walks, and making sure to switch off at the end of the day. Putting my thoughts on paper when journaling really helps me from feeling overwhelmed. I also think it’s really important to take breaks outside and switch off at the end of the day to prioritize mental health, especially when working from home. “ Viveca Riley, associate consultant, UK
“By keeping active and stay healthy. I’m not a big fan of exercise but sweating it out does help so finding a suitable sport to release stress is key. Socialising for me is good as I get to talk and enjoy a drink or two with your friends which gives me a chance to let out my stress.” Jojo Yeung, operations manager, Hong Kong
“Don’t let ‘work-life balance’ get in the way of bettering yourself outside of work. Always have something on the go besides work so you feel like you’re making progress. Be self-aware when you need to ask for help and don’t hesitate to speak to your peers about your mental health before it gets too bad.” Alex Joslin,associate consultant, UK
I think it is important to practise the art of “Step Back to Lean Forward”. I do a lot of yoga and meditation especially after a long day in the recruitment field. It helps me to slow down my thoughts and reorganize my emotions. Aside from that, I also pick up some leisure activities like painting, video games, or exercise, just to keep my mind away from reality for an hour or two. It always helps me to gain new perspectives when I come back to reality, often followed by better results and achievements!” Jun Leong, consultant, Singapore
“Taking a long aimless walk on the weekends and calling family on the way. I find it’s a great way to switch off, de-stress and clear the mind.” Hannah Turner,principal consultant, UK
"Going outdoor for exercises, watching Netflix/News and spending quality time outside of work with family/friends." Lucas Tan,associate director, Singapore
I try to make sure that I leave the house and get outside in the fresh air daily, however I am feeling. This even extends to Christmas Day when we have either a post or pre-lunch walk! I believe it is important to slow down and not focus on whatever may be causing you stress/trauma and for me, I use baking as it forces me to slow down and concentrate. If I am feeling overwhelmed, I try and physically write out all the stress factors and look at what control I have to change them. Finally, I think it is really important to have people to talk to. In the same way that you need to treat an infection or heal an open wound, you need to identify how you may need support and lean on your support network. From a practical work perspective, signposting your team or your manager when you are close to buckling is important so that you can navigate your challenges rather than be overwhelmed. I also go to the gym at least 4 times a week to ensure that I’m exercising and keeping my body healthy as I truly believe there is a strong link between the two.” Abigail Moss, associate director, UK
“Frequent (daily if possible) runs and walks. Additionally, rather than being seated at my desk, I prefer walking around my house (no joke!) when I make calls or look out of the window into the horizon.” Vincent Yao, associate director, Singapore
“Go to the spa, fine dining, and outdoor activities on weekends such as hiking and water sports.” Louis Fan,associate director, Hong Kong
“Workouts! Any bits of endorphins help.” Adrian Chua, associate director, Singapore
“Joined class pass (I go spinning and Muay Thai every week). I have also invited most of my team to come also. We do group Muay Thai classes which lets off steam after a long day in the office.” Toby Miles,managing consultant, Hong Kong
“I enjoy exercising, organising my schedule and home, speaking to my family (back in Brazil) and doing small things such as skincare (face masks etc.) at home, watching movies and ordering takeaway! Whenever I am feeling anxious or stressed, those small things always do the trick. But most importantly, venting those feelings to my partner always helps me clear my thoughts.” Rafaela Fakhre, principal consultant, UK
“Exercise, spending time with family, time away from emails where possible (especially whilst on annual leave), the power of asking how someone is or speaking to someone about how you’re feeling shouldn’t be under-estimated also.” Sanjeev Vegad,partner and director, UK
“I take care of my mental health by taking a breather to rest my mind. Additionally, I like to take an evening run on a weekly basis as I feel exercising is one of my key components to keep fit and maintain my mental health.” Jasper Ang,consultant, Singapore
“I've always found it difficult separating my work and personal life, and still do to some extent. I've tried over the years to ensure I have time set aside for myself, away from work. I've also tried to switch off my emails in the evening and weekend...although I'm still working on this!” Sam Crayk,manager, UK
“Going on walks with my wife, child and family. Being outside is really good for me and a bit of fresh air always helps calm a mind in my opinion. I am also big on going to the gym and fitness. This is very important to my mental health and wellbeing and makes me feel a whole lot better, especially after a tough day at work” Robin Muir, partner and senior principal, UK
“Popping out for a walk during work to break the day up and get fresh air. Then outside of work, exercise really, I like swimming as you are completely away from everything and can disconnect from the stresses of life. I find even in the gym you can still scroll emails etc, see what is going on in other people’s lives.” William Bragg,managing consultant, UK
“It’s all about exercise, fresh air and making time for my family for me. I’m no exercise enthusiast but a 5km run to clear my head makes a huge difference. Also, going for a walk in the lovely countryside where I live, gets air into the lungs and gives some perspective. And family time reminds me what really matters and reminds me to never to take that time for granted.” Ruth Foster, chief people officer
“I always try and listen to my general state of mind. If I need more sleep or have a busy day of meetings the next day, I try and go to bed early. If I’m feeling stressed, I take a walk, go for a run or a bike ride to help decompress. I often find it helps also when working out solutions for challenging situations or decisions. I think my message is little and often so that you don’t find yourself burnt out, which then requires a much longer fix.” Matthew Eames, founder and CEO
Taking breaks and switching off during personal days offs and not to touch work. Exercising always helps and speaking to family or friends regarding any problems I’m facing. I also take the time to reflect why I feel stressed out, what are the real stressors and try to tackle them” Charmaine Chiam, consultant, Singapore