Dealing with a mental breakdown at work

Dealing with a mental breakdown at work

Unfortunately, mental breakdown is a very real and serious problem. One may experience this at point of time throughout his or her career. Speaking from experience, it’s a nasty phase to have to go through. In this article, we’ll be looking at how one can better deal with a mental breakdown at work. 

With the recent changes in work modes and its unpleasant repercussions, there’s a higher chance for one to experience a mental breakdown at work. Despite the red flags, individuals may have ignored the signs of exhaustion, frustration and anger building up in them. 

After all, there’s a very thin line between the ideas of stress experienced from daily work versus that experienced as a result of a mental breakdown at work. In this article, we hope to share with you some advice that can help you or your colleague better deal with a mental breakdown at work.

 

A word of caution

A word of caution before we delve into the article. The following mentioned tips and tricks are information that has been generally observed across numerous work sectors. There may be instances in which specific advice may not match or suit what is expected for a specific firm, industry or job role.

As such, this written piece aims to function as a guide. It should not be read as a comprehensive or exhaustive list of advice when it comes to mental health at the workplace. The best way to find out what may work for your success would be by conducting ample research. 

Browsing through this article could function as the first step you take into exploring different ways to ensure you are putting your best foot forward. 

 

Without further ado, let’s get right into the article!

Dealing with a mental breakdown at work

1. Recognise when you need a break & take it

The first step to dealing with a mental breakdown at the workplace? Find ways to prevent its onset in the first place! Recognise when you need a break and ensure that you take it.

And no, that break does not refer to the kind of 5 to 10 minutes of disconnect time. It refers to a proper cut-off time, away from work related matters. The goal would be to make sure that you are able to take some time off for yourself. 

As such, ensure that you are not contactable for work purposes during the time that you’re going off. We recommend a break of two weeks’ time. Refrain from checking your work emails and texts. Invest your time in yourself – practice meditation, start a hobby or go on a holiday! 

Opt to go for a staycation or become a local tourist to change things up a bit. Do things you’ve always wanted to try out but never quite got the time to do so. Taking a break will truly help one to better deal with a mental breakdown at work!

2. Have a heart-to-heart chat

 

When you experience a mental breakdown, your morale levels will be at an all-time low. In order to tide through these times, consider talking about what you are going through with someone. 

As such, we suggest that you talk to someone dear about it. Take your time to explain the problems, your emotions and despair. Ideally, talking to this person will help you get those bottled emotions out of your system. This individual whom you choose to share your troubles with should be someone who genuinely cares about your well-being. 

Additionally, talking about your problems is one way to identify, recognise and accept that you’re about to experience a mental breakdown at work. You don’t necessarily need to have a sit-down and face to face conversation. It could be done over texts, emails or a letter.

Put your thoughts into words and share it out loud with someone dear. That’s one way to effectively deal with a mental breakdown from onsetting at work.

 

3. Maybe it's time to quit it

This isn’t the first time you are experiencing such a scenario? Finding it increasingly difficult to deal with a mental breakdown at work? Maybe it’s time to quit your job. 

Repeated occurrences are indicative of the hidden fact that the work environment you’re in is not a healthy one for you. Be brave and choose to put a stop to this issue. Learn to accept that a new work environment could help remove the stress you have been facing for a long time now.

Take some time to think things through and decide if quitting could potentially help you avoid facing one mental breakdown or more at work. You definitely don’t want to be trapped in a cycle of unfriendly feelings. Your health is your most valuable asset and it should always come first. You can always find another job, after all.

To wrap things up...

And there you have it – a compiled list of 3 tips to help you better deal with the onset of a mental breakdown at work. We hope this article has helped to provide you with some helpful tips for you or a friend in need.

Just bear in mind that mental breakdowns can take a toll on everyone. Calm your mind and remember to breathe. With all that being said, we have to come to the end of this article! We hope this written piece has provided you with some insights as to how you can put your best foot forward at the new workplace!

In the meantime, if you’re on the lookout for job opportunities at organisations within Singapore that may tap on these trends to march ahead, read on! 😉

Need some career resources?

As was briefly covered above, GrabJobs shares career resources in the form of articles for people at different stages of their work lives. Our resources share details on how freshers can start to look for jobs more effectively. We also share about the best job interview practises, how individuals can grow their career and so much more! 

 

These are just some of the topics we explore, namely.

 

Feel free to visit GrabJobs here for more information and interesting reads! We hope you find our resources helpful and useful 🙂

On the lookout for a job?

If you’re just about to begin the job hunting process, why not consider giving GrabJobs a visit?

 

GrabJobs is an efficient recruitment platform that connects thousands of job-seekers and employers around the world on a daily basis. Individuals can rely on the platform’s free job search functionalities to receive job matching alerts, access the career resources library and online courses to build their career. 

With its instant live chat feature with employers, job seekers can expect to not miss a single opportunity while receiving timely updates about their applications as well as automated reminders when they get invited for an interview.

 

Through the platform, you’ll be able to filter through specific industries, part-time, freelance and full-time positions too. No matter the industry or the position, remember to visit GrabJobs to find a job opportunity in Singapore easily!

Valentin Berard

Valentin Berard

COO at GrabJobs. Valentin leads strategic and operational activities regionally. Background in Business Development and Recruitment. Passionate about social innovation, he constantly strives to find solutions to real-world problems through harnessing smart technology. Read more: https://www.linkedin.com/in/valeberard/