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When you’re struggling with your own mental wellness at work or at home, it can be difficult to make informed well-being decisions and to know where to start. Unfortunately, mental health has declined substantially in the last eight years, and over half of American workers have experienced elevated stress levels in the last year.1 Read on for some tips to help navigate your mental health decisions.

1. It’s okay to ask for more

If you’re struggling with your mental health, searching for an in-network doctor and then waiting for availability can feel like a huge barrier to the wellness resources you need. Good mental health resources should include:

  • Immediate access: You can be matched with mental health providers, exercises, or tools that are right for you to quickly receive the needed support.

  • Personalized care: A wide-reaching network of mental health providers will mean that you will have access to a diverse set of solutions, so you can receive the care you need at various points of your well-being journey.

If you are working and your employer doesn’t offer these benefits, it’s okay to ask for them. You may be surprised at how receptive your HR team might be; after all, it’s in your organization’s best interest if you are healthy and productive at work.

But if you are not currently employed with benefits, or if this conversation feels daunting, you can keep it simple and consider the following:

  • Ask a friend to take care of the kids so you can take a mental health day to help you manage burnout, get some sleep, do something you love, or just re-center yourself.

  • Ask for a yoga or meditation seminar to be brought into the office. Or, if you are at home, join an online meditation program whenever you have a free moment. Many meditation centers offer free and frequent classes.

  • Use your vacation time. Most states limit the amount of vacation you can roll over into the next year, requiring your organization to pay out. So, take the time, even if it simply means a staycation.

2. Take some deep breaths: Use meditation and relaxation exercises throughout the day

Meditation is considered a type of mind-body complementary care medicine.2 During meditation, you focus your attention and eliminate the stream of jumbled thoughts that may be crowding your mind and causing stress. This process may result in enhanced mental well-being by producing a relaxed and tranquil mind.3

The key with meditation is consistency. A daily meditation practice is what makes it effective. It doesn’t have to be perfect; you don’t need a meditation studio, a special pillow, or incense. Meditation can take place wherever you are. Try ten minutes when you’re still in bed in the morning, while you’re on a walk, or when you’re sitting still in the school pickup line.

Another tip — you don’t have to do it yourself. You don’t have to set a mantra or guide your own inhalations. There are many apps and wearables in the meditation space — and often free or offered at a minimal monthly subscription rate.

3. Do some quick research: Discover the well-being initiatives offered by your employer

The offerings your employer provides may be more plentiful and more varied than you expect. For instance, some employers offer sleep improvement programs, pediatric-focused mental health support, digital CBT (cognitive behavioral therapy) apps, and teletherapy.4

Remember that mental health coverage in your health insurance plan is typically covered at the same amount as physical health coverage. If you’re provided unlimited doctor visits for a chronic condition like diabetes, then you are also offered unlimited visits for a mental health condition such as depression or schizophrenia.4

Check your company intranet or your description of plan benefits; one or both should include information on behavioral health services or coverage for mental health and anxiety disorders. If you still can’t find a clear answer, ask your HR department or call your insurance company directly.

Don’t hesitate to be a trailblazer! If you’re struggling with how to manage your mental wellness, so is someone else. Start a walking club with your neighbors (this could be adults only or with kids in their strollers!), gather a group to get a private meditation instructor, or simply share therapist names and numbers. As you navigate the ins and outs of mental wellness, remember that it’s completely normal and that you’re not alone.

1 Surviving or Thriving, Guardian’s 13th Annual Workplace Benefits Study, 2024

2 Mayo Clinic https://www.mayoclinic.org/tests-procedures/meditation/in-depth/meditation/art-20045858

3 A New Era of Employee Well-being, 12th Annual Employer-sponsored Health & Well-being Survey, Fidelity Investments https://www.businessgrouphealth.org/resources/2021-Employer-Sponsored-Health-and-Well-being-Survey

4 National Alliance on Mental Illness https://www.nami.org/Your-Journey/Individuals-with-Mental-Illness/Understanding-Health-Insurance/What-is-Mental-Health-Parity

This article does not provide legal, medical or mental health advice. It is intended for informational purposes only. Employers should consult their employment law counsel and/or appropriate resources to determine if an employee circumstance or dialogue constitutes a request for disability accommodation or has triggered a disability accommodation obligation under the Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA). This article is not a substitute for professional medical or mental health advice, diagnosis or treatment. Never ignore professional medical advice in seeking treatment because of the information presented.