Mental health: 3 tips for supporting yourself, colleagues and students | Health & Wellness Services

2. Be ‘unproductive’

Pressure to perform, meet expectations or reach certain goals at work and home can send us into overdrive when it comes to our productivity. However, being ‘unproductive’ has benefits, too. For instance, downtime can help us relieve stress and avoid burnout. It can also help us become ‘unstuck’ if we are having a hard time solving a problem or navigating difficult times. 

Try to carve out some time each day to do something completely unrelated to work, care tasks or other responsibilities. If you have an hour, great! If not, 15 to 20 minutes may feel more manageable right now. It can be helpful to come up with a list of activities you can do. For instance, you may want to read a book for pleasure, listen to a new podcast series, cook your favorite meal, visit a new hiking spot or enjoy a long bath to unwind. Keeping your list handy will help you easily choose activities without feeling even more overwhelmed.

3. Set healthy boundaries

Be honest with yourself about what you can and can’t do. This may not be the best time to take on additional work or responsibilities beyond what you already have on your plate. If things come up, practice saying “no” and being protective of your physical, emotional and mental resources so you can keep the commitments you’ve already made to yourself and others. It’s also important to remind yourself that you’re doing the best you can with the resources, energy and time that you have.

You can connect with these resources for additional support: