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Take time for your mental health

Mental Health Week is held from the 9 – 17 October to coincide with World Mental Health Day on 10 October. This year’s theme is “take time for mental health”.

Take time is about taking a moment to do some of the simple things anyone can do to boost their mental wellbeing. Take time is also about breaking down the stigma associated with mental illness and reaching out to people in our communities who need support. Let’s take time for mental health together — at home, at work, and in our personal time.

According to a 2012 University of South Australia study into the workload and wellbeing of teachers, 42% of teachers say they feel extremely tired or completely exhausted at the end of the day. When looking at the statistics across the working public in Australia, these figures drop down to one third of full-time workers feeling the same way.

With the majority of our members reporting that they are struggling to balance their increasing workload, school and parental expectations, it is more important than ever for members to “take time” to focus on their mental health.

Helpful tips

The Queensland Government suggests that we focus on mental health using these six steps:

  • Take time to be active – it’s good for your mind as well as your body
  • Take time to learn – learning new things can make you more confident as well as being fun
  • Take time to give – practicing small acts of kindness, volunteering time or simply helping a friend in need can help you feel more satisfied with life
  • Take time to connect – spending time with other people is important to everyone’s mental wellbeing
  • Take time to enjoy the moment – paying more attention to the present and the world around you helps relieve stress and makes you feel better
  • Take time to care for our planet – keeping our planet in shape is the best recipe for world wellbeing.

Where to find support

In addition to the support available through our union, we encourage members to seek additional support if they are in need.

Avenues for mental health support: