Navigating Mental Health in the New Year by Megan Gorman and Brendan Lindberg
The New Year is well underway here at Shift Digital and as we approach the one-year mark of working remotely, it’s important to recognize the impact and toll this stressful pandemic has had on our mental health. While we’re all doing our best to individually manage our lives through this pandemic, it’s important to continuously seek new ways to practice self-care while keeping mental health at the top of our priorities. Shift Digital is committed to supporting its employees’ mental health by creating various opportunities relating to self-care. Shift recently introduced the Ulliance: Employee Assistance Program as well as ZENSTOP online meditation.
There are many factors under the mental health umbrella that contribute to our overall well-being. The CDC describes mental health as having everything to do with how we reason, feel and engage daily. This can obviously affect overall health as well, which is why it’s important to check-in and make time for ourselves.
This week, we took to our Instagram story to ask employees how they practice self-care. While some of us enjoy exercise, facemasks, and time with our pets, we also decided to try out the ZENSTOP virtual meditation class. This class was a 20-minute guided mindfulness meditation with a focus on kindness. We must be honest with you, both of us have felt that in the past that focusing during meditation is a difficult task. It can be hard to clear the mind and focus on breathing without thinking of tasks, what time you must pick up your kids, or what’s needed from the store. Easier said than done, right? All of that considered, remaining focused during the mediation session was our biggest goal.
The instructor reminded us of the importance of being generous to others, but also to ourselves. She encouraged the class to not worry if the mind was wandering, and to gently guide it back to the breath and the present moment, as you would for a best friend. She also challenged us to imagine what the world would look like if we were all kinder to ourselves first. Towards the end of the mediation, we both agreed that we felt clear-headed and refreshed, ready to take on the rest of the afternoon.
We would strongly encourage everyone to find an activity that contributes positively to mental health and practice it daily. Sometimes it’s easy to get caught up in the tasks of everyday life, so it’s important to remember to take time to put yourself first. Don’t be afraid to try something new, like we did with the ZENSTOP meditation class. In case you’re interested, we’ve provided some readily available internal and external resources below. Mental health matters, and YOU matter. Seek resources, ask for help, and remember, a better tomorrow starts with taking care of ourselves today.
SHIFT DIGITAL RESOURCES:
Ulliance – Enhancing People. Improving Business.
Ulliance is Shift Digital’s free Employee Assistance Program.
- There is no cost to you for using this program
- EAP is available for use by spouses and dependents in your household
- Counseling, legal and financial assistance, and life planning are all included
- 24/7 toll-free support: (800) 488-8326
ZENSTOP
Interested in online meditation? Shift has partnered with ZenStop to offer free virtual meditation classes on Thursdays from 12 pm - 12:20 pm.
Check out the ZENSTOP website for more information about its services: https://zenstop.co/
External Resources
Spotify:
- Daily Wellness – A mindful mix of music and podcasts, refreshed for your morning and night.
Apple Music:
- Pure Calm – A mellow oasis of modern jazz, classical, and instrumental music.
Headspace:
- Guided meditations, animations, articles, and videos, all in the distinct Headspace style.
Calm app:
- Meditation, breathing exercises, sleep stories, music and nature sounds, and various other resources to create a Zen-like atmosphere.
Information about Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD):
Blog: