Professionals tend to spend the vast majority of their day-to-day activity at the workplace. For that reason, who we are as people can intertwine with what we do in our professional lives. When the lines between our personal lives and professional endeavors blur, we risk injuring our wellness.
Given the work-life imbalance that nearly all professionals either felt or witnessed over the past year as our homes doubled as workplaces for so many, it is worth considering how we can continue the wellness conversation to be the best version of ourselves while at work.
The Vitality of Mental Health Care at the Workplace
Dr. Randy Phelps is a clinical psychologist and chief executive officer of Give an Hour, a national nonprofit founded in 2005 to give free mental health services to post-911 military members and veterans. Since its inception, Give an Hour has provided 340,000 hours of free mental health care to veterans, service members and their families.
More recently, Give an Hour broadened its focus to address mental health in the broader population. Phelps finds that “people do not treat their mental wellness or mental health the same way they treat their physical health,” which inspired Give an Hour’s collaboration with University of Phoenix. Through this alliance, the two organizations “provide free services to populations in need and also help people understand their emotional well-being and their mental health.”
Before the COVID-19 pandemic, one out of five Americans had a diagnosable mental disorder, amounting to 20 percent of the national population. Over one year since the pandemic began, Phelps points to the CDC’s findings that 40 percent of Americans “are dealing with anxiety or depression or substance misuse.” Considering the extended period of social isolation, compounded by extreme grief and loss, it is staggering to think about how much Americans have endured in their personal lives, let alone at the workplace.
With the world attempting to return to pre-pandemic routines, we need to consider how returning to the workplace will impact our mental health journey. Phelps knows from experience that “if you are having emotional issues, they’re going to show up in the workplace.” Because of how much time we spend at work, both employees and employers need to pay attention to any emotional changes they experience in themselves and those around them. While mental health and wellness may have once been a taboo to mention, there has never been a more critical time to remove the stigma in all aspects of our life, especially in our professional development.
Resiliency, Ownership and Mastering Your Mind
The Career Optimism Index™, facilitated by the University of Phoenix’s Career Institute™, serves as a comprehensive study of how American workers perceive their careers. This year’s Index found that 56 percent of working parents reported the pandemic negatively impacted their work-life balance. It is reasonable to assume that a work-life imbalance would provoke stress, which could jeopardize one’s confidence that things will get better. However, the Index also found that 78 percent of respondents felt hopeful about the future of their careers, and 70 percent said that hope got them through 2020. How? Resilience is the answer.
With extenuating circumstances controlling so many of our day-to-day activities throughout the pandemic, harnessing your resiliency and ownership can be tough. Fortunately, knowing how resiliency forms can help professionals maintain their professional optimism and inspire them to take ownership over their careers. Using resiliency as a tool to build professional ownership can help you master your mind and be the best version of yourself at the workplace. Kristin Griffin, vice president of Student Services at University of Phoenix Reviews, agrees with this approach. By understanding what resilience truly means, Griffin believes professionals can overcome any extenuating circumstances standing in the way of what they want.
We know why resilience matters, but what does resilience entail? The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services defines resilience as “the ability to withstand, adapt to, and recover from adversity and stress.” Resilience can become a factor in professional development by “adapting and being stronger after that stressor.” In return, acclimation and familiarity with discomfort inspire professionals to maintain ownership over their career journeys.
About University of Phoenix
Since opening its doors in 1976, University of Phoenix has maintained its commitment to breaking down barriers to higher education. The University fulfills this commitment through its flexible learning modules and online education programs, empowering non-traditional learners and adult students to earn an education on their chosen terms. University of Phoenix offers over 100 online programs that prepare students for over 300 professional occupations.
For more information visit the University of Phoenix social media accounts on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube.
