Mental health encompasses our emotional, psychological, and social well-being. It affects how we think, feel, and act. It also helps determine how we handle stress, relate to others, and make choices. For the team at Pollicy, mental health means a state of wellness, putting yourself first, the overall health and quality of life, ease and peace to tackle everyday problems, resting and rejuvenating, among others.
Prioritizing mental health isn’t just good for personal lives, it’s also a smart business strategy. In today’s high-pressure work environments, prioritizing employee mental health cannot be overstated. This is especially true in the African context, where mental health awareness and support have traditionally been overlooked. However, a growing body of research highlights the tangible benefits that organizations can reap by making mental health a strategic priority.
The benefits of prioritizing mental health extend beyond the bottom line. Okello and Mussi’s study on Ugandan workplaces found that employees with good mental health reported higher job satisfaction, creativity, and overall well-being. This aligns with the World Economic Forum’s (2020) finding that mentally healthy employees are up to three times more productive than their stressed counterparts. Additionally, a 2019 survey by the African Mental Health Research Initiative revealed that 78% of sub-Saharan African employees believe employers should be more proactive in supporting mental health, highlighting the growing workforce demand for genuine organizational commitment to employee well-being.
In today’s fast-paced world, it’s easy to neglect mental health due to the focus on meeting deadlines, hitting targets, and managing personal commitments. This stress is compounded by the current state of the global economy, such as tax increases and civil unrest.
Since Pollicy’s inaugural mental health week in 2021, the majority of the team have participated in it at least once since joining the organization. Team members have described the experience as refreshing, unique, useful, and a learning experience. One staff member noted, “It was a good and rejuvenating week. But again, it was time to work on all the pending assignments, ready to attack the new week.” This week-long observance is dedicated to all team members to focus on their mental well-being and rest. This initiative aims to foster a healthy working environment, prevent burnout, reduce work-related stress, and promote a work-life balance.
With a compressed 4-day work week and remote setup, the Pollicy team can optimize their time for research, analysis, and high-quality work, with the fifth day of the week being a flexi day where staff can use to rest and rejuvenate. The shorter work week reduces pressure and stress, while the flexible environment supports better work-life balance and helps prevent burnout.
Examples of self-care tips that some of our members at Pollicy practice to promote healthy mental wellness and rest include taking walks, journaling, joining book clubs, yoga, meditating, having spa days, detoxing from social media, holistic cleaning, breath-work, colouring, reading, watching movies, getting enough sleep, and practicing gratitude. 90% of our survey respondents indicated that the mental health week is effective with some indicating “as remote workers, the line between work and rest is very thin.”
Here are some simple activities that you can adopt in your daily routine to help you take care of your mental health and well-being.
- Practice Mindfulness: Take 5-minute breaks to focus on your breathing or try guided meditation. Resources such as From Within, a wellness lifestyle brand offers amazing tips on self care and support.
- Move Your Body: Engage in physical activities such as free online workouts, a dance party, or a walk in nature. Check out Kenyan based yogi, Zouma Yoga for free yoga tips.
- Unplug Daily: Step away from screens and immerse yourself in a weekly practice and hobby such as Mozambique Kizomba Dances, good book, puzzle, or simply relax.
- Cook Healthy Meals: Preparing nutritious meals can be a form of self-care and fun.
- Engage in Creative Activities: Drawing, painting, or writing can be therapeutic. Try using apps like Canva for design projects or simply buy a coloring book and get to work!
- Connect with Loved Ones: Maintain social connections through video calls, phone calls or in- person meet-ups.
Remember, taking care of your mental health every day is essential for a balanced and fulfilling life.
Authors: Lilian Ndanu Mulandi, Rashid Kisejjere, Getrude Mbaseege, Eman Abdelaziz, Ebassa Agrephine Gwladys & Wanjiku Maina
Contributors: Angela Efia Dzidzornu (Pollicy) and Bridget Kivumbi (Pollicy)
