This week is Mental Illness Awareness Week. From October 1^st – 7^th, the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) is working to raise awareness on mental illness throughout the country. Their goal is to fight stigma, provide support, educate the public, and advocate for equal care for those living with a mental illness.

While mental health should be a priority year-round, we think this week is a great opportunity for employers and employees alike to focus on their mental health and wellbeing. Work can be stressful and make it difficult to find time for yourself and prioritize your mental health.

An excellent way for full-time workers to take care of their mental welling is by taking a mental health day. Whether you’re dealing with a breakup or major life crisis, the stress, anxiety and depression that comes with challenging life experiences can impact your daily work productivity.

Workplace wellness should be anything but complicated. With so many employees stressed enough as it is, the last thing you want to do is overwhelm them with complex wellness initiatives and tasks. Fortunately, we’re here to help you take the hassle out of building a successful wellness program. 

Our newest eBook is dedicated to helping you keep your wellness program simple. By keeping things simple, you’ll be able to focus on the main factors that lead to behavior change and promote a healthy, happy workforce. We narrowed it down to five key factors that contribute to an effective wellness program: accessibility, communication, health assessments, screenings, and health education and activities. 

Here’s a sneak peek of what you’ll find when you download our free eBook:

There’s really nothing better than crawling into your warm bed after a long day. However, for many people, bedtime means tossing and turning until the alarm clock goes off. Lack of quality sleep leads to many mental and physical health problems. Not to mention, you certainly will be able to perform your best at work. 

Believe it or not, sleep is just as important to your health as nutrition and exercise. Your body simply cannot function without enough ZZZs. So, if you find yourself counting sheep trying to fall asleep, or waking up multiple times throughout the night feeling restless, it’s time to change the way you sleep. Use these tips to start promoting good sleep habits throughout your day and create the perfect sleeping environment: 

Poor office morale is bad for everyone. The business itself suffers from the loss of productivity, managers have to deal with high turnover rates, and employees are just plain unhappy. Research has shown the strong link between job satisfaction and work performance. Unhappy and disengaged workers don’t put in their full effort, and they are likely looking for other jobs. 

Signs of low employee morale shouldn’t be hard to spot. According to Dr. Laura Hills, some common warning signs of low employee morale include:

• Increase in absenteeism and tardiness
• Staff conflicts
• Increase in errors
• Uncooperative attitude
• Lack of enthusiasm
• Lack of commitment
• Low participation
• Opposition to authority
• Silence during meetings 

If any of these signs are present at your company, don’t fret. While you might think office morale is completely out of your hands, the truth is that as an employer, you control many elements of the work environment that contribute to employee happiness. So, if your employees need a morale boost, try out some of these tips:

We all know that feeling. It’s just after lunchtime, you’re feeling a bit drowsy, and your co-worker just delivered a batch of fresh donuts to the breakroom. Your sugar craving is at an all-time high, and you’re tempted to grab a glazed donut, even though you’re not even hungry.

This situation is common at the workplace. While you might be trying to eat healthily and cut back on sweets, chances are, most of your co-workers might not be doing the same. Office “cake culture” definitely plays in role in many full-time employees cheating on their diets. And we get it – it’s hard to resist temptation when you see your colleagues enjoying leftover birthday cupcakes for breakfast.

The scariest part about sugar is that it adds up quickly. In fact, most American adults triple the recommended daily amount of sugar, and many fall into the category of sugar addicts. Not to mention, too much added sugar can lead to major health issues like high blood pressure, a weak immune system, and liver damage.

Unfortunately, many Americans aren’t happy at work. According to a recent Gallup Survey, as summarized by CBS Moneywatch, of America’s 100 million full-time employees, 51% aren’t engaged at work – meaning they feel no real connection to their jobs and tend to do the bare minimum. Another 16% reported being “actively disengaged,” meaning they resent their jobs and drag down office morale as a result.

Feeling unhappy at work leads to poor productivity, concentration, and overall work performance. Even worse, feeling unhappy for 40 hours a week will have a negative impact on your health and personal life. If you struggle to feel happy during the workday, try out some of these tips to boost your mood and enjoy your job more:

Ah, to be forever young. It’s a fantasy for most of us that unfortunately will never become a reality – at least not in this day in age! However, keeping healthy habits is a simple and effective way to maintain a youthful glow for years to come. Here are six everyday habits that are secretly aging you, and what you can do about it: 

Sitting Too Much

Many full-time employees are susceptible to a sedentary lifestyle. Sitting at your desk for 40+ hours a week has a lot of health consequences. Besides substantially increasing your risk for certain diseases, sitting too much can shorten your lifespan and accelerate the aging process. According to a report by Science Daily, adults who are physically active during their leisure time appear to be biologically younger than those with sedentary lifestyles.

To combat a sedentary lifestyle and keep your youthful looks, try to get up and move once every hour of the workday. Aim for at least 30 minutes of exercise, five days a week, and invest in a standing desk. Be sure to also stay active during your evenings off work and weekends. Find active hobbies or weekend hobbies that will keep you moving.

Office design is a good business investment.

A top-notch workspace design creates a relaxed and super-productive atmosphere. Employers must consider their employees' physical work environment. After all, employees perform their best when they feel comfortable and at ease in their work settings.

If your employees are having trouble staying productive or seem overly stressed, your workplace design might be contributing to the problem.

Read on to learn four office design tips to help increase productivity while also reducing workplace stress. 

While it can be a touchy subject, addressing drug use is a key component of workplace health and safety. With opioid abuse increasing at a startling rate of 500% in the last seven years, opioid misuse might be one of the biggest health threats to your workforce. In fact, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has officially declared the abuse of prescribed medications in the U.S. an epidemic.

Opioids are a class of drugs that have morphine-like effects. This includes oxycodone, hydrocodone (Vicodin), codeine, morphine, and many others. Medical professionals prescribe opioids as a treatment for moderate to severe pain caused by workplace injuries, surgeries, or, in some cases, chronic pain. While these drugs are effective in treating pain, they can also produce euphoria or a high, which makes them more prone to abuse.

Using these prescriptions for anything other than its medical purpose is considered to be abuse. This abuse can include mixing the medication with alcohol or taking more than the recommended dose – leading to many health consequences and even death. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), more than 90 Americans die after overdosing on opioids every day. 

Research has made it clear: you don’t want workaholics running your business. It’s not uncommon for American employees to be working more than the standard 40 hours a week. In fact, according to 20-Something Finance, the U.S. is the most overworked developed nation in the world. They also stated that 85.8% of males and 66.5% of females work more than 40 hours a week. 

It’s important to realize that working 55+ hours a week isn’t “overachieving,” it’s just plain unhealthy. A 2015 research article suggests that employees working a 55-hour week face a 33% increased risk of stroke than those working a 35 to 40-hour week. The side effects of long hours are more than just physical, too. Working crazy hours diminishes the opportunity for a healthy work-life balance, which can mentally drain employees.

As an employer, it’s your responsibility to make sure your company promotes the health of your employees. If your company demands that employees put in overtime hours over an extended period of time, it’s time to make some changes – for both the sake of your employees and your company. Let’s take a look at some of the negative impacts of long hours: