Today’s Tip: Build Work Habits That Support Your Mental Health

When you’re struggling with your mental health, getting through the workday can feel more difficult. Tending to your mental health at work is critical—whether or not you’ve been diagnosed with a specific condition. Here are some ways to make your workday work for your mental health.

First, establish strong habits around deep work. Building a consistent routine for focused work will help you feel a little more in control of your life and schedule. For instance, scheduling deep work from 10 AM to noon daily can help automate your productivity patterns, making them more manageable—even on days when you’re feeling off.

Then, create routines to manage tasks without immediate deadlines. It’s easy to spend your workdays focusing on one urgent task after another. But when you work that way, less-immediate responsibilities slip through the cracks and pile up, causing incremental stress. Setting aside regular times to tackle non-urgent work can help you stay on top of your overall workload.

Finally, schedule unfocused time. It’s not possible to be locked in and undistracted all day, every day. Balancing focused work with periods of unstructured time can enhance your ability to think creatively and problem-solve. After intense work sessions, taking a walk or reading casually can help you clear your mind and recover.