As a leadership coach, I have met with numerous leaders and individuals who face various challenges in running a business and dealing with day-to-day issues. One thing I can assert with confidence is that mental health plays a pivotal role in one’s success in both work and life. It’s important to recognise that there isn’t a single silver bullet that can dramatically enhance our lives. I prefer to describe it as a holistic, 360-degree approach to conquering obstacles and challenges successfully. In light of October being Mental Health Awareness Month, I’d like to share my top tips that are applicable in both the workplace and our personal lives.
The Foundation: Nutrition is Key
I would argue that the most fundamental tip of all is the simplest: Nutrition is Key! Having faced my own health scare in the past, I’ve come to appreciate the critical role of food in influencing our mental health. When our bodies receive the right nutrients, our ability to focus and think clearly improves, resulting in enhanced problem-solving skills. I would also recommend researching the Blue Zone Diet, which is followed by some of the world’s oldest populations.
Energise Your Body: Exercise Matters
Next, let’s consider the importance of exercise. We all know that getting our blood pumping is beneficial for our hearts and overall stress relief. Whether you’re dealing with work-related or personal challenges, taking a walk or going for a run can help you relax and provide you with a less emotionally charged response to the difficulties you may encounter.
READ MORE: 3 Dynamic Warmup Exercises You Should Do Before Every Workout
Nurturing the Mind: Spiritual Awareness
Spiritual awareness should be a daily practice, whether through meditation or prayer. These moments of silence with your thoughts can lead to finding solutions to the issues you face. We live in a world inundated with distractions that can cloud our mental state, so taking time to sit in silence with your thoughts can bring you back to a place of calmness.
Seeking Support: Lean on Others
Once you’ve addressed your body and mind, it’s crucial to have external support. Unfortunately, we, as humans, don’t possess all the answers, so leaning on others is a valuable way to feel safe and supported. We all need to vent and seek advice at times, so make sure to nurture strong relationships with people or family members you can turn to when you need an understanding ear.
READ MORE: How To Achieve the Good Life Through Healthy Relationships & Emotional Intelligence
Guidance for Growth: Get a Coach
Most importantly, consider getting a coach. Whether it’s a leadership coach or a life coach, they can help you enhance self-awareness, identify personal performance blind spots, overcome old habits, recognise growth opportunities, cultivate a growth mindset, unlock your true potential, and perform at your best in any situation.
Finally, I would like to emphasise that life is short. Remember to have fun and not take everything too seriously.
Meet Brian Mhlanga
Brian is a leadership and organisational development practitioner with more than 12 years of experience working in higher education, finance, project management, international relations, communications, and advocacy. He is one of four qualified Deep Coach practitioners in Africa. In addition to offering one-on-one outcomes-based coaching to individuals, Brian works systemically with organisations and teams to improve performance and grow leadership competence, and emotional and somatic intelligence.
