By Jamieson Lee Hill

Looking after one’s well-being is crucial in today’s often demanding world. Businesses are facing rising energy costs and workers endure the cost of living crisis around the world. Furthermore, estimates of 300 million workers losing their jobs to AI tools pile on the stress for workers and businesses. There is a real need to take good care of one’s well-being in these times. In this article, we examine 7 tips for positive wellbeing in work with a particular focus on staff in the technology sector.

Mental Wellbeing and Overcoming Stress

Mental well-being is the bedrock of a happy and successful life. Stress is a major cause of illnesses and absences from work and business. The NHS has a list of recommendations for combatting stress, including physical exercise, me-time, connecting with people and working smarter,

“ Some of the keys to good stress management are building emotional strength, being in control of your situation, having a good social network, and adopting a positive outlook.”

Source: NHS, 2024

Read the NHS tips for stress management here. 

Mindfulness and Meditation

Mindfulness and meditation are effective ways to help promote positive mental well-being. Scientific research suggests that mindfulness can help with stress, anxiety and other disorders,

“Mindfulness-based treatments have been shown to reduce anxiety and depression. There’s also evidence that mindfulness can lower blood pressure and improve sleep. It may even help people cope with pain. “For many chronic illnesses, mindfulness meditation seems to improve quality of life and reduce mental health symptoms,” says Dr. Zev Schuman-Olivier of Harvard University.”

Source: National Institute of Health, USA Government Dept of Health and Human Services, 2024

More and more businesses are encouraging staff to use such practices as meditation and mindfulness to alleviate stress.

Identifying Stressors in the Tech Industry

In terms of strategies for IT Professionals for managing stress and burnout, it is a proactive approach to identify the main stressors in the tech sector e.g. short deadlines, high pressure, excessive screen time etc and try to counter these with stress management approaches such as meditation, exercise and more of work-life balance. Also, when staff are facing great personal struggles due to life’s transitions and challenges professional help from counsellors can be very helpful. Fostering a work environment which is open and receptive to discussing these matters creates a much happier workforce. 

Sleep Hygiene

Poor sleep hygiene can be a real source of poor physical and mental health. Quality sleep is crucial for our bodies, cognitive function and optimum emotional health. The USA’s National Sleep Foundation recommends at least 7 to 9 hours a night for adults to promote positive mental wellbeing,

“For teenagers, 8 to 10 hours was considered appropriate, 7 to 9 hours for young adults and adults, and 7 to 8 hours of sleep for older adults.”

Source: National Sleep Foundation, 2024

Not getting enough sleep can lead to increased stress and it can badly affect your decision-making at work. For tech professionals in environments such as colocation data centres like IP House, London, the need for precision and focused work is vital. Therefore, good sleep hygiene is essential for the workforce to operate at their best. 

Physical Exercise

Physical exercise can be an excellent way to preserve your long-term health and maintain productivity at work. Engaging in physical activity on a daily and weekly basis is an excellent way to reduce stress and promote positive mental well-being and good physical health. Harvard Health Publishing recommends regular exercise to lower stress hormones and trigger the release of endorphins and other neurochemicals which can lift your mood and improve your mental wellbeing. 

“The mental benefits of aerobic exercise have a neurochemical basis. Exercise reduces levels of the body's stress hormones, such as adrenaline and cortisol. It also stimulates the production of endorphins, chemicals in the brain that are the body's natural painkillers and mood elevators.”

Source: Harvard Health Publishing, 2020

For tech professionals regular physical activity can really enhance cognitive function and concentration at work and optimise performance. This is vital for data centre staff because of the necessity of being on the ball with clients’ data and systems. Fitness routines can easily be incorporated into a tech worker’s daily routine with visits to the gym, a jog or walk before or after work and so forth.

 Companies that provide onsite gyms or discounted memberships at other gyms realise that physical activity can improve mental wellbeing which leads to increased productivity and efficiency at work. 

Healthy and Supportive Work Environment

Cultivating a supportive environment for mental well-being is the essence of a successful company culture. At IP House Data Colocation Data Centre, the positive mental well-being of our staff is a priority. We strive to have an environment where staff feel supported and are encouraged to look after themselves in terms of physical, mental and emotional health. We believe that fostering a culture of positive mental well-being leads to happy and motivated staff. That in turn means higher levels of productivity and success for the company. 

Taking care of yourself in the tech sector can include balancing your screen time, using standing desks and taking regular breaks. The use of digital wellbeing apps to monitor the time spent on screen is also useful. The ergonomic design of furniture also helps staff to be comfortable and not develop back and posture problems. Likewise, healthy ventilation and proper lighting all contribute to a healthy workplace in contrast to the ‘sick building syndrome’ of some workplaces.

Work-Life Balance 

Last but not least, promoting positive mental well-being goes hand in hand with maintaining a healthy work-life balance. Working in the tech sector can be stressful and demanding and downtime is necessary for staff to recharge their batteries. It is the active role of management to spot staff members who are heading for burnout and encourage them to take time off to rejuvenate. There are numerous ways to keep a work-life balance and some companies even prefer a 4-day week which can lead to higher productivity. Whatever approach your company uses, the long-term benefits of a pro-active work culture will tend to lead to lower turnover rates of staff and optimal efficiency for staff. 

The Mental Health Foundation UK has these pearls of wisdom for maintaining a healthy work-life balance,

“A healthy work-life balance will mean different things to us all. It’s not so much about splitting your time 50/50 between work and leisure but making sure you feel fulfilled and content in both areas of your life. A healthy balance could be:

• meeting your deadlines at work while still having time for friends and hobbies
• having enough time to sleep properly and eat well
• not worrying about work when you’re at home.”

Source: Mental Health Foundation UK, 2024

Reflections

In today’s fast-paced world with the advent of AI technology set to replace millions of jobs, the increasing cost of living and rising energy prices, it is vital to look after one’s mental well-being as well as physical and emotional. We hope that this collection of suggestions inspires you to take proper care of yourself. Become the best version of yourself!

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