Mental Health Prioritization

You struggle to focus, even on simple tasks. Your energy crashes in the middle of the day. You’re restless at 11 PM, exhausted at 8 AM. I see most of my patients in their 30s and 40s normalise this lifestyle. But these aren’t just signs of getting older. They’re your body’s way of telling you it’s under chronic stress. 1. You wake up tired, no matter how much you sleep. Cortisol disrupts deep sleep 2. You forget things more often. Chronic stress shrinks your hippocampus. 3. You feel unexplained aches and pains. Your body stays in fight-or-flight mode. 4. Your digestion is unpredictable. Stress alters gut bacteria and slows digestion. 5. Your mood is all over the place. Cortisol depletes serotonin and dopamine. Stress isn’t just mental — it’s physical. It speeds up aging at a cellular level. The good news? You can reverse stress-driven damage: ✅ The Physiological Sigh – Breathe in deeply through your nose, take a short second inhale, then exhale slowly through your mouth. This activates the parasympathetic nervous system and lowers heart rate within seconds. ✅ 20 Minutes of Nature – Just 20 minutes outdoors can lower cortisol by up to 21%. So go for a walk and make sure to spend some time outdoor everyday. ✅ The Filters Test - If you want to reduce stress, you need to curate your thoughts. Whenever you have a negative thought, answer these 3 questions: - Is it true? - Is it kind? - Is it helpful? If any of the answer is no, try to discard the chain of thought immediately. Aging is inevitable. But feeling older than you are? That’s something you can control. Which of these stress signs do you notice in yourself? #healthandwellness #mentalhealth #stress

Throughout my football career, I learned that performance isn’t just about how hard you train—it’s also about how well you recover. Whether you're on the pitch, in the boardroom, or building something of your own, the same rule applies: "You can’t pour from an empty cup." Rest and recovery aren't signs of weakness—they're signs of wisdom. It’s in those moments of pause that your body and mind regenerate, that clarity returns, and that you're able to show up stronger and more focused for what really matters. We live in a world that often glorifies being “always on.” But I’ve seen firsthand that sustainable success comes from balance. High performers—athletes, leaders, creatives—understand the power of rest as part of their routine, not apart from it. Some periods can be very intense, but managing your work and rest can help you extract the top performance possible. Even if some things may be feel urgent, sometimes you have to create your pause moments, and then attack the task with full focus and energy. Motivation and intention are such important factors of success, and the right rest can keep your motivation at a high level resulting in better focus, better effort and better success!

The day I realised work never ends… but life does. Last month, a close friend of mine, Raghav, called me sounding completely drained. He had been pushing himself for weeks—late nights, weekend logins, skipping family plans—just to meet a set of deadlines that somehow kept moving. Every time he finished one task, two new ones quietly replaced it. One Friday evening, after yet another extended shift, he told his manager, “I’m thinking of taking two days off, but I’ll manage it next month once everything settles.” His manager simply smiled and said: Raghav, work is never going to end. You take leave so your life doesn’t end.” He finally took those two days off. And guess what? He came back on Monday sharper, calmer, more creative, and far more productive than he had been in the last 30 days. The deadlines didn’t suffer. The world didn’t fall apart. His team actually appreciated the energy he brought back. That’s when it hit me: When you take leave, you’re not being irresponsible you’re actually contributing to a healthier work culture. Because rested employees: Think better Handle pressure with clarity Bring fresh energy to the team Produce higher-quality work Burnout doesn’t make you a hero. Balance does. So here’s the reminder most of us need: ✔️ Work will never finish. ✔️ Your leaves exist for a reason. ✔️ Never compromise your rest because of deadlines. Take your leave. Protect your energy. A fresh mind is always more powerful than a tired one. Prioritize your well-being. When you recharge, you don’t just help yourself you elevate your entire team and workplace.

Addressing our nation’s behavioral health crisis isn’t just a moral, public health imperative — it would lift all boats by boosting our economy and saving more than $280B per year. I had a choice to join NJ Health Commissioner Kaitlan Baston and colleagues at HIMSS to discuss how unaddressed behavioral health issues impose a significant financial burden on the American economy each year. Recent analyses estimate that these costs range from approximately $280 billion to $477.5 billion annually. A study published in May 2024 by Columbia Business School estimated that mental health issues cost the U.S. economy more than $280 billion annually. This figure accounts for factors such as reduced investment, decreased productivity, and diminished wealth accumulation. The study emphasized that this economic impact is comparable to that of a recession, equating to about 1.7% of the country’s annual consumption. All the while, more data is surfacing that shows reductions in TOTAL health spend — not just within the mental health category— when patients get better with reliable access to mental health care. At the same time, innovative approaches to digital and in-person access championed by Spring Health and others manage to connect patients to providers within days, using AI to match individual patients with therapists that are most likely to be successful treating them the first time around. Premium services are clearly overcoming workforce shortages in mental health by enhancing access and provider availability. If we valued mental health that much more incrementally — by boosting Medicare and Medicaid rates for mental health services— the result would improve lives, reduce total health spend, and boost productivity in the economy. Policies that expand mental health access, and incentivize greater entry into the field, just make sense.

Protecting Your Peace Starts With Protecting Your Space As a mental health consultant, I often remind my clients: well-being isn’t just shaped by what you do, it’s also influenced by who you surround yourself with. Even when you’re grounded, certain interactions can leave you feeling drained or unsettled. You may notice it in subtle ways: ❌ A colleague who constantly interrupts ❌ Conversations that linger long after they’re over ❌ A pattern of walking away feeling unheard or unsure Protecting your peace doesn’t always mean cutting people off. Sometimes, it’s about small shifts that create space for clarity. Here are a few gentle strategies I often recommend: 1. Stay neutral: If something feels off, you don’t need to challenge it. Try: “That’s an interesting point of view. It creates space without creating tension. 2. Set clear, kind boundaries: You can say: “I’d love to revisit this when I have more capacity.” You’re allowed to limit access to your time and energy. Because boundaries aren’t barriers, they’re bridges to healthier communication. 3. Pause before reacting: A deep breath gives you time to choose your response, not just react to the moment. 4. Step away with grace: Not every moment needs a resolution. Sometimes, silence is strength.  No sarcasm. No confrontation. Just peace. 5. Ask thoughtful questions:  If something feels unclear, ask: “Could you explain that a bit more?” OR “Can you clarify what you mean?” It invites clarity and lowers emotional intensity. 6. Protect your internal space: Remember Not everything needs to be absorbed, You can acknowledge without internalizing. Picture their energy bouncing off, not seeping in. Because, not every emotion is yours to absorb. Protect your mental space. 7. Release the need to ‘fix’: You’re not responsible for everyone’s behavior.   Save your energy for growth, and not overcompensation, save your energy for people who value it. 8. Stay emotionally steady: Calm is not passive, trust me it’s powerful!  A grounded presence often speaks louder than any argument. Your peace is personal. Protect it like you would anything valuable. What’s one way you’ve learned to maintain your emotional balance in tricky spaces?

May is Mental Health Month. So, let me ask: How are you doing? Seriously. How are you REALLY doing? I speak to so many clients who wait too long to make a change. They endure difficult and demoralizing work climates, hoping that things will get better. While they wait, their confidence is eroded, making a job search that much more daunting. Please, don't let this happen to you. No job is worth your mental health. If you: ➙Don't get any satisfaction in your work ➙Routinely deal with people who are difficult ➙Do the work of 2 people (or more!) ➙Lack the resources to do your job well ➙Get no support from your direct supervisor ➙Are bullied or taken advantage of by co-workers ➙Find it difficult to muster the energy for your workday Then, your mental health is at risk. That is not okay! Here are 6 strategies to take care of yourself: 1️⃣ Map Your Triggers ↳ Document specific situations that drain you ↳ Track when your stress peaks ↳ Notice when you are withdrawing or in conflict 💡Action: Make adjustments where you can, based on what you learn 2️⃣ Create Non-Negotiable Boundaries ↳ Set firm work hours for yourself ↳ Block "recovery time" in your calendar ↳ Turn off notifications during deep work 💡Action: Communicate these changes with key people 3️⃣ Master the "Strategic Pause" ↳ Take micro-breaks (2-5 minutes every hour) ↳ Use lunch for actual lunch, not more work ↳ Practice quick breathing exercises between meetings 💡Action: Put these items in your calendar and set alarms to take care of yourself. 4️⃣ Control Your Controllables ↳ Organize your workspace ↳ Structure your day around your energy peaks ↳ Focus on what you can influence, not what you can't 💡Action: This is a habit. Keep coming back to what’s in your control when frustration builds. 5️⃣ Build Your Support System ↳ Connect with trusted colleagues ↳ Consider tapping into your Employee Assistance Program ↳ Look into professional counseling 💡Action: Ask for help, even when it makes you feel uncomfortable. You are worth it. 6️⃣ Prepare to Make a Change ↳ Activate your network and have casual conversations to test the waters ↳ Update your resume and your LinkedIn profile ↳ Build a list of target companies and research your options 💡Important Point: These steps aren’t a decision to leave. But, they will make it easier and quicker if you decide to do so. Reminder: Your mental health is non-negotiable. Protect it fiercely. 🎯 What's your best strategy for maintaining mental health at work? Tell us below! ♻️ Repost to support colleagues who might be struggling 🔔 Follow Sarah Baker Andrus for more career and workplace strategies

In my 20s, I thought working 80 hours a week made me successful. In my 40s, I realized it made me stupid. Sure, I made money, hit President’s Club, led massive deals. But it wasn’t until I started resting that I actually built wealth. Today, I want to explain why REST is the ultimate Revenue Generating Activity. And how top performers use it to make more money in less time. Most salespeople still think “grind” equals “growth.” But here’s the truth: revenue-generating activities (RGAs) only work when you have the energy to do them. You can’t prospect powerfully when you’re running on fumes. You can’t lead impactful calls when your brain is foggy. You can’t close big deals if your energy is small. That’s why I started teaching my team a new kind of RGA: Rest-Generating Activities. Rest-Generating Activities are the foundation that make real RGAs possible. Because what kills most AEs isn’t lack of talent. It’s fatigue. They waste energy on the wrong things — Slack, internal meetings, busywork — and then try to prospect in survival mode. Here’s how I stay in peak performance mode without working nights or weekends: 1. Plan Rest Like Revenue I take four vacations a year. Not maybe. Not “if I hit quota.” I book them six months in advance. It’s not luxury — it’s strategy. When there’s a deadline before a break, I work sharper. When I return, my creativity explodes. 2. Track Sleep Like Pipeline I use WHOOP to make sure I get 7–8 hours of quality sleep. Because a rested brain closes more than a tired one ever will. 3. Protect the Calendar Every day, I block 12–1 p.m. That’s lunch with my wife, a walk, a reset. If you sprint from 8:30–12, you need that hour. Otherwise you’re running a marathon on fumes. 4. Stop at a Set Time I stop working at 5 p.m. (sometimes 6 p.m. — never 10). Why? Because if there’s no hard stop, there’s no urgency. When you know you can’t work at night, you make the day count. The result? I work 40 hours a week. I outperform people who work 80. Because my hours are intentional, not impulsive. The problem isn’t overwork — it’s under-focus. Most people are busy for 60 hours instead of productive for 6. And when you fix that, you win at work and at life.

𝑅𝑒𝑠𝑒𝑎𝑟𝑐ℎ 𝑓𝑟𝑜𝑚 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑾𝒐𝒓𝒍𝒅 𝑯𝒆𝒂𝒍𝒕𝒉 𝑶𝒓𝒈𝒂𝒏𝒊𝒛𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏 (𝑾𝑯𝑶) 𝑠ℎ𝑜𝑤𝑠 𝑡ℎ𝑎𝑡 𝑏𝑢𝑟𝑛𝑜𝑢𝑡 𝑖𝑠 𝑛𝑜𝑤 𝑐𝑙𝑎𝑠𝑠𝑖𝑓𝑖𝑒𝑑 𝑎𝑠 𝑎𝑛 𝑜𝑐𝑐𝑢𝑝𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛𝑎𝑙 𝑝ℎ𝑒𝑛𝑜𝑚𝑒𝑛𝑜𝑛, 𝑤𝑖𝑡ℎ 𝑜𝑣𝑒𝑟 40% 𝑜𝑓 𝑝𝑟𝑜𝑓𝑒𝑠𝑠𝑖𝑜𝑛𝑎𝑙𝑠 𝑟𝑒𝑝𝑜𝑟𝑡𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑦 𝑓𝑒𝑒𝑙 𝑏𝑢𝑟𝑛𝑡 𝑜𝑢𝑡 𝑎𝑡 𝑤𝑜𝑟𝑘. 𝑆𝑡𝑢𝑑𝑖𝑒𝑠 𝑓𝑟𝑜𝑚 𝑯𝒂𝒓𝒗𝒂𝒓𝒅 𝑩𝒖𝒔𝒊𝒏𝒆𝒔𝒔 𝑹𝒆𝒗𝒊𝒆𝒘 𝑎𝑙𝑠𝑜 𝑖𝑛𝑑𝑖𝑐𝑎𝑡𝑒 𝑡ℎ𝑎𝑡 𝑝𝑟𝑜𝑓𝑒𝑠𝑠𝑖𝑜𝑛𝑎𝑙𝑠 𝑤ℎ𝑜 𝑝𝑟𝑖𝑜𝑟𝑖𝑡𝑖𝑧𝑒 𝑠𝑒𝑙𝑓-𝑐𝑎𝑟𝑒 𝑟𝑒𝑝𝑜𝑟𝑡 𝑎 20% 𝑖𝑛𝑐𝑟𝑒𝑎𝑠𝑒 𝑖𝑛 𝑝𝑟𝑜𝑑𝑢𝑐𝑡𝑖𝑣𝑖𝑡𝑦 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑎 𝑠𝑖𝑔𝑛𝑖𝑓𝑖𝑐𝑎𝑛𝑡 𝑟𝑒𝑑𝑢𝑐𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛 𝑖𝑛 𝑠𝑡𝑟𝑒𝑠𝑠 𝑙𝑒𝑣𝑒𝑙𝑠. Are you pushing your career so hard that you’re forgetting something important to yourself? Many experienced professionals face the same challenge: How do you balance the ambition to climb the corporate ladder with the need to care for your well-being? It can feel like a juggling act, but the truth—𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗱𝗼𝗻’𝘁 𝗻𝗲𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗼 𝗯𝘂𝗿𝗻 𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝗯𝗲 𝘀𝘂𝗰𝗰𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗳𝘂𝗹. When I was ten years into my career, I believed that overworking was the only way to stand out. I was putting in long hours, taking on every project, and trying to prove myself constantly. But then it hit me—burnout was right around the corner, and my productivity was tanking. I realized that sustainable success comes from balancing ambition with rest and reflection. By giving myself permission to pause, prioritize self-care, and reflect on what truly mattered, I was not only able to perform better at work but also to thrive personally. The result? A healthier work-life balance, increased energy, and ultimately, the leadership position I had been aiming for. So, takeaway is ambition drives your career forward, but self-care keeps the engine running smoothly. Prioritize reflection and rest, and you'll achieve more—without losing yourself in the process. To your success, Coach Vandana Dubey 𝐸𝑙𝑒𝑣𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝐶𝑎𝑟𝑒𝑒𝑟𝑠, 𝐸𝑛𝑟𝑖𝑐ℎ𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑆𝑜𝑢𝑙𝑠 #Leadership #mindfulleadership #SelfCare #WorkLifeBalance

Mental health support shouldn't be a last resort. I've noticed something in my years building OpenUp: many people still view therapy or coaching as something only for crisis moments. This mindset is holding us back. As leaders, we don't wait until our business is failing to review our strategy. We don't ignore small market shifts until they become existential threats. So why do we often wait until we're at our breaking point before attending to our mental well-being? I've found that engaging with mental health professionals works best from a position of strength. When you're reasonably balanced, you can explore patterns, build resilience, and develop practices that serve you when challenges arise. What's fascinating is how these conversations illuminate connections we couldn't see before. Recurring challenges that seemed unrelated suddenly reveal their common roots. It's like upgrading your operating system, suddenly you process information in ways your default settings never could. Preventive mental health care doesn't just reduce the risk of serious challenges. It empowers us to maximize our potential as leaders, partners, parents, colleagues, and community members. That's why I believe mental health support should be as normal as having a financial advisor or a personal trainer. It's not about fixing what's broken, it's about investing in your most valuable asset: your mind. What's holding you back from making this investment in yourself? #MentalHealth #Leadership #PreventiveCare #PersonalDevelopment

5 Questions to uncover your stress (my clients typically don’t identify with the word). If you were to dismiss, disguise, discount, disregard or simply not be aware of a feeling you associate with stress how would you know it was present? It’s a useful question I think because we have a way of desensitising threats in order to allow endurance of a life we can’t see any clear or desirable path out of. Such as creating or maintain the success of our company while navigating the complexities of life at the same time. Before long we can end up normalising it as how our experience of life should be and in so doing dismissing all of negative side effects that come with it. Here are a few useful questions you can ask yourself to discover if stress and overwhelm are at root cause: 1. Are you currently repeating practises that you know for certain produce the opposite of the things you say you want? For example, you want to feel energised and alert but take 6 hours sleep or want your staff to be autonomous but keep telling them what to do. 2. Do you find yourself getting frustrated or angry with those who don’t see the world exactly the way you do or who fail to meet your expectations? Eg the kids do something you didn’t want them to do or one of your team or failed to deliver something in time to serve your needs. 3. Do you find yourself serving other peoples agendas above your own? Eg you answer emails or let people pick your brains but get to the end of the day and haven’t achieved what you set out to. 4. Do you find yourself procrastinating or putting off tasks or conversation that you know will have the greatest positive impact in your business and instead focusing on busy work of lower impact? 5. Do you find yourself being silent or avoiding tasks at home that you know need doing in the hope that your partner will do them if you ignore them long enough? Eg you ignore the child waking in the night despite being awake or avoid helping with day to day tasks like cooking or filling the dishwasher. These all sound like judgements I know, but they aren’t, far from it. The judgment stems from the false idea that we are ALWAYS rational beings despite what’s going in our internal and external environments. Something we ALL know for certain not to be true. What I’m attempting to provide is a clear map so that you can observe at least some of the ways that stress and overwhelm present themselves so that you can take action sooner both for yourself and to support those around you. Are there any signs and symptoms that I’ve missed that are read flags for you?