Over 25% of people in the UK suffer from some kind of depression or anxiety.
#WorldMentalHealthDay rang through social media on Tuesday putting mental wellness firmly back on the news agenda. At Mercieca it hasn’t left our agenda. From offering flexible working hours to make sure people can fit in a yoga session, to lunchtime walks around Regent Park, we understand how important it is to feel well on the inside too.
That’s why we invited Harley Street Naturopath Katie Ruane in to meet our team this week. Mental wellness is heavily influenced by what we’re putting into our bodies as well as our behavior. From making sure we’re considering how to get the best night’s sleep of no less than eight hours (smartphones down and warm bath run!), to what we’re eating. Agency life can be notoriously busy, and whilst we are spoilt rotten by the choice of eateries in Camden, there are often meals delayed and even missed, or any old snack grabbed. But thanks to Katie’s guidance, pre-prepped meals and more thought around balancing good and bad fats plus healthier snacking choices, means we’ve had an important reminder to take care of our bodies, from the inside too.
According to The Naked Professor, over 25% of people in the UK suffer from some kind of depression or anxiety. I myself have become increasingly more anxious over the last four years and can be often found with my face down in lavender! But Katie offered real advice around breathing techniques to make sure that no matter how busy our day, or how stressful looming deadlines can be, we don’t internalize those pressures. Here’s our top three tips from our time with Katie:
1. Prep. Putting an hour aside on a Sunday to prep meals for the week ahead that mean if you do arrive home late from an event, there’s a healthy meal waiting that can be quickly heated up
2. Breathe. Little did we know that over 50% of the Mercieca team are breathing in-correctly. Thanks to guidance from Katie, we’re now all learning to use all of our lungs rather than just the top half (contact Katie for more details)
3. Nature. No not tree hugging. But making sure that we get outside. Whether it’s a walk in Regents Park at lunchtime or sitting out on our roof top to eat our lunch. There’s a lot of time spent cooped up inside in front of computer screens!
Mental Wellness will remain high on our agenda to ensure that we’re looking after ourselves and each other – after all it really is okay to not be okay! But if you have any ideas that have helped you or your team, please do share them with us [email protected].
PR Director Gemma Oakes