Mental health at work: it’s a topic we’re used to hearing about. But how can we actually make space in our working lives to promote our mental wellbeing?
What risks are there?
Let’s consider the risks posed by our jobs. Yes, as developers or tech professionals, there are inherent risks posed by our chosen trade!
Firstly, let’s acknowledge that there is still a stigma attached to talking about mental health, particularly at work. If you ever have concerns, speak with your Taxdoo people team and also your health practitioner who can advise you of the best route to take.
Secondly, tech is inherently fast-paced, projects are tied to go-live dates and communication can be pressurised. Let’s face it, the stress of deadlines and implementation unknowns are inherent to software engineering. Furthermore, the nature of remote work or even hybrid limit social interaction- often a boon for productivity but not for your mental health in the long run.
So, what steps can we take to care for our mental health as busy tech professionals (a heavy hint dropped with ‘steps’)?
Read on for suggestions.
What can tech professionals do?
Mind and body are connected.
Movement helps.
The theme of World Mental Awareness Week 2024 is Movement: Moving more for our mental health’, according to the Mental Health Foundation.
Based on the concept that the mind and body are connected, movement helps to boost mood and promote feelings of empowerment and stress release. As desk workers, we lead sedentary lives which poses not only physical but also mental health risks if not managed properly.
Taking this year’s theme into account, why not consider ways to get up, out and about to help keep your brain healthy?
Some fantastic suggestions include:
- Create a playlist that motivates you to go for a walk or a run
- Set a timer to do work and do some chair yoga every time it pings
- Associate movement with a break or treat: plan things to look forward to like a lunchtime walk to a new coffee shop or a hike with friends at the weekend
If you are someone who lives with a long-term health condition or disability, you may find movement difficult. Not to worry! Focus on what you can do and how you can create a mind-body connection that can limit the effects of stressful desk jobs. The Mental Health Foundation shares the lived experiences of staying active for your mental welllbeing, despite living with a long-term health condition.
According to the British Medical Journal, ‘Poor nutrition may be a causal factor in the experience of low mood…’ This is not to say that you should never treat yourself to a packet of crisps or your favourite chocolate bar, more to consider the entirety of your diet and whether it is balanced and that you are eating regularly.
Although more research on the link between nutrition and mental health are needed, why not consider whether incorporating elements of the Mediterranean diet into your cooking routine may be beneficial. How come? As a non-restrictive diet, it’s easier to adhere to and boast benefits such as better sleep as well as improved mental health. Either way, any balanced diet that improves gut health is good for boosting mental health and combatting the effects of stress.
Speaking of stress, many of us have been there: when a deadline looms, it’s tempting to reach for some comfort food. This isn’t a bad thing but if it becomes a habit, you might need to be more treat-aware. Afterall, we know that excessive consumption of trans fats can wreak havoc on our gut microbiome and immune system, so it might not hurt to keep an eye out for a healthier choice the next time you reach for a snack.
As much as working remotely can be flexible, allow for travel and more time with family and friends, it can also mean spending most of your working week alone. But alone doesn’t need to mean lonely, especially if you focus on building connection with your co-workers, as well as being productive. At Taxdoo, we encourage employees to go for in-person and virtual coffees- we’ve installed an app that reminds colleagues to reach out and schedule time to socialise.
Interestingly, Scott Stockdale from Gun.io recommends encouraging employees to give, which can promote connection and takes the focus away from personal feelings of detachment towards feel-good memories of helping others out.
Given this, why not offer mentoring or coaching to junior developers? It’s a tough job market, especially for those with little experience, and they would benefit from your help and guidance.
We all know how stressful it can be when the end of the sprint is coming up or the project deadline is on the horizon, and we somehow have more work than we expected.
It’s normal for humans to not always accurately predict how quickly work can get done, but it’s important to be realistic when communicating this. If the project turns out to be more complex than expected, speak up soon- it will help your project or product manager know that you are invested in delivery as much as they are and will contribute to perhaps getting more time or resources to complete the work. Viktor Iyomipo shared his personal experience of a project that focussed on rebuilding an entire web app based on legacy code, how it impacted his mental health and how he recognises his own triggers and project ‘red flags’ to guard against experiencing burn out again. Stockdale also mentions that he finds ‘fear setting’ helpful: made famous by Tim Ferris, fear setting is the practice of writing down your worries, rating their impact on your life if they were to ever happen and writing down how you could prevent or repair these situations if they were to ever come to fruition. Perhaps when the mid-project meltdown rears it’s head, perhaps getting a pen and a piece of paper out might help you to be mindful that you are resourceful and able to handle even the worst scenario, despite the slim chances of it occurring.
Conclusion
At the end of the day, nothing is ever worth sacrificing your health for. We are lucky to work in an industry where we will always find great opportunities: the same unlimited chances cannot be applied to our health and that’s why everyone should make their own health their top priority.
On Mental Health Day this year, what intentions will you be setting to keep well?
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Working in tech is awesome, especially as a software developer.
The opportunity to build amazing products, being paid to learn and working with very smart colleagues are just some of the reasons why this profession is so rewarding.
However, software engineering isn’t always a walk in the park. Tight deadlines, adjusting to remote work, fixing major outages and generally, the velocity of the tech industry are some factors that can cause you stress as a developer. Therefore, it’s important to look after yourself and create simple, daily rituals that support a healthy working routine.
Ahead of World Mental Health Day on October the 10th, we asked our software engineers on how they take care of their mental wellbeing.
Here’s what they said
1. Fresh air
Our interim VP of Engineering swears by fresh air and regular doses of sunshine; living in Hamburg means that biking to work or going for a lunchtime stroll around the Alster is easy to integrate into your daily routine.
2. Meditation
Some of us have trouble not thinking about things, so meditation can help you put things into perspective and arrive in the current moment rather than being swept away by thought.
3. The Pomodoro Technique
This technique focuses on working in 25 minute sessions throughout the day.
This can be helpful for focussing efficiently and it encourages you to take regular breaks so that you avoid sitting for hours and hours without moving, drinking water or looking away from your computer screen.
4. Connect with colleagues
At Taxdoo, we encourage everyone to set up or attend ‘Donuts’ (informal online meetings), regardless of department.
Catching up with a colleague over a random Donut or setting up a Developer Donut is a great way to get to know your colleagues and helps you to feel connected and part of a team.
5. Take a break
Coding is awesome and the feeling of completing a task is great, however rest is also important. Why not use your lunch break to talk a walk around the block? You might be surprised at how refreshed you feel.
6. Find a job you love
We all spend a lot of time at work, so it is important to feel comfortable and motivated by your tasks, colleagues and environment.
How do you look after your mental health as a developer?