Kati Morton, LMFT, is a licensed therapist in Santa Monica, California—but more people know her from her immensely popular YouTube channel, where she makes mental health advice more accessible and understandable to millions of people. For World Mental Health Day, Frenshe checked in with her to find out how we can encourage better mental health at work. No matter where you work or what your job is, you deserve to experience good mental health when you’re on the clock. Read on to find out how to make it happen—and how to protect yourself if your workplace is still stuck in the past when it comes to the subject.
“Good mental health at work can mean different things to different people,” Morton says. “But overall, I think the big piece is balance.” Here, she doesn’t mean work-life balance or taking a vacation to de-stress—although those things can be helpful. Instead, she recommends aiming for consistency: “It’s more about the day-to-day balance.” So if you know that Mondays are always front-loaded with your least favorite tasks, make sure your non-work time involves a fulfilling activity.
To support your day-to-day mental health, Morton recommends using the HALT acronym at work. “It stands for hungry, angry, lonely, tired,” she explains. “Don’t make any decisions or do anything if you haven’t taken care of those things.” Ask yourself: Have you eaten lately? Are you hydrated? Make sure you address those and other basic needs—and don’t overlook the power of small actions. For instance, f you work from home, take time to shower. (“A shower can really reset you if you’re having a hard time,” Morton says.) And make an effort to connect, either by engaging in some water cooler chat or by calling a non-work friend during your break. “If we’re feeling anxious or overwhelmed with work, if we can connect with someone, we’ll feel calmed—but also motivated and energized in a healthy way,” Morton says.
If you’re a manager, you can help your team by setting the tone. “As leaders, you have to show that it’s okay to take breaks, that you take them, and that there’s no ripple effects,” she says. “You can give people the OK to take mental health days, but if you don’t do it, then they’re not going to think it’s acceptable.” For colleagues on your level who seem to be struggling or overwhelmed, Morton suggests checking in to see if you can take any tasks off of their plate. (They may do the same for you in the future.)
Good mental health at work can mean different things to different people.
Of course, not all workplaces encourage people to be open about their mental health. Unfortunately, plenty of stigma remains. At work, someone fighting depression may be mischaracterized as unambitious, or a person with an anxiety disorder may be deemed incapable of taking on a stressful new project. Fair? Not at all. But that doesn’t mean it’s not happening. “Obviously the Americans With Disabilities Act will protect you from being fired, but that doesn’t mean that people will be overlooked for promotions,” Morton says. “They’ll say it has nothing to do with that, and we can never prove otherwise. I’ve had so many members of my community think they were overlooked for promotions and transfers, but because they disclosed they’re in therapy, or one of them had to take a week and go into some treatment, they’re like, I think that was why. And that sucks.”
That’s why it’s so important to do your research and understand your workplace policies and rights. “Find out what benefits you have and what you can do,” Morton says. This step is crucial, she says, because all workers have legal rights and you don’t have to tell your employer (including the human resources department) the reason you’re asking for accommodations.
So, for example, if you’re asking to leave early every Tuesday for therapy, Morton says to say you have a standing medical appointment on that day. “That’s no one’s business, and technically, you’re not lying,” she says. “And everybody needs to know: They cannot legally ask you about it; it would be a HIPAA violation.” And if they do ask? Morton suggests saying something to the effect of, “Oh, it’s not something I discuss at work, but thank you for your concern.”
BTW, if you’re experiencing a mental health crisis such as serious depression, you may wonder if you should take a leave of absence. Morton says that if it’s an option for you, do it. “If you’re even thinking that you maybe should take leave, and you can afford to do it, you should,” she says. Again, she recommends researching your employer’s policies and the Family and Medical Leave Act to see what different scenarios could look like for you—and remember, you need treatment for a medical issue. Phrase it as such.
Even though work is important, know that it’s not the end-all, be-all.
Finally, if the job from hell is the cause of your mental distress? Get out. Morton knows that for most people, it’s not as easy as simply quitting. But, she says, it helps to create a plan. Update your resume, network, and consider whether you could switch jobs, even if it means taking a temporary pay cut. “If you could afford it, it’s better for your mental health to jump to something knowing that in six months you can get another raise and be back up to where you were.” In the meantime, do what you can to make time outside of work for activities that help you feel happy, replenished, and renewed—as a reminder that your job is not your life.
On that note, Morton is a big believer in separating your self-esteem from your work. “Don’t let anyone tell you that your productivity equates to your worth,” she says. “Like, I know we live in a world where we want to be successful, and every I want all women out there. I want people to feel like they can be successful. “We can be good at our jobs, we can excel, but don’t think that that’s the only thing that’s worthwhile about you. Even though work is important, know that it’s not the end-all, be-all. There is more to us.”
Kati Morton photograph: Daniel Prakopcyk. Feature photo: Christina/wocintechchat.com