Carrying On: Mental Health Strategies for COVID-19

During the COVID19 pandemic, Dr. Bill Howatt has shared with us the many benefits of creating and maintain social connections, mostly supporting good mental health. One key strategy in building social connections and reducing risk of feeling isolated and lonely is to develop networking skills. Learn the how-to’s.  

• C—Community  
• I—Involvement 
• R—Relationship building 
• C—Collaboration 
• L—Learning 
• E—Evolve

Psychologically, it takes 6 weeks to create a habit. Improved mental health is a result of maintaining intentional, non-negotiable habits. Dr. Bill Howatt provides you with ideas you can exercise for the next 6 weeks. Will you build a habit over this time period?

Something that is interesting about the Mental Health space, is that we don’t talk about suicide. We should not avoid tough topics, especially during a pandemic. Learn from Dr. Bill Howatt on how to increase conversation, thus awareness.

If you're worried someone you know may be at risk of suicide, you should talk to them about it. Here are some warning signs: 

• Suicidal thoughts
• Substance abuse
• Purposelessness
• Anxiety
• Feeling trapped
• Hopelessness and helplessness
• Withdrawal
• Anger
• Recklessness
• Mood changes

Canada Suicide Prevention Service
1-833-456-4566 (Phone) | 45645 (Text) | crisisservicescanada.ca (Chat)

In Quebec (French): Association québécoise de prévention du suicide:
1-866-APPELLE (1-866-277-3553)

Kids Help Phone
1-800-668-6868 (Phone)
Live Chat counselling at www.kidshelpphone.ca

Has your mind been feeling tired? You may not realize but “Zoom” fatigue is an emerging issue… overload of new process is an issue… worry of spreading, catching and living with contagion is an issue. We’re in a very interesting sociological time. If you’re starting to feel fatigue, give yourself a break. Dr. Bill Howatt provides a framework for managing mental fatigue.

Common feelings and fear of being socially rejected often stem from stigma. Different types of stigma include self-stigma; which is self-inflicted, peer stigma; which comes from experiencing your peers share negative thoughts and organizational stigma; which creates fear of putting your career at risk. How does one manage organizational stigma? For starters, you must understand what accommodations you need to succeed, and ask for those. Learn more in today’s video. 

Different jobs require different skills. Some physical, some mental, some social. Dr. Bill Howatt highlights some key focus areas upon returning to work. Are you a crane operator or truck driver? Be mindful of motor skill decay. Do you lift heavy items at work? Be mindful of physical health deconditioning. Work in an office? Be mindful of mental fatigue as we each process new emotions brought on by a new, new normal. Above all, be mindful of proactively preparing your mental health.

20% of Canada, at any point in time, is dealing with a mental illness. About 20-30% is dealing with loneliness, which is probably 50% or so during the COVID-19 pandemic. We all know how to better physical health, and many prioritize that in their daily routine. So why not prioritize your mental health, too? Hear from Dr. Bill Howatt for guiding principles on how you can make your mental health a priority.

COVID19’s effects on individual stress have added to the over 75% of Canadians who consume alcohol yearly. The danger lies in habit creation. Dr. Bill Howatt discusses alcohol consumption for the mental health series.

Overcome negative emotions by concentrating and rewarding the accomplishments. Dr. Bill Howatt reminds us all of the importance in celebrating big and small milestones during the COVID-19 pandemic, to better mental health. Check out our latest podcast for tips and tricks.

Dr. Bill Howatt on Financial Health; it was the #1 cause of stress amongst Canadians pre-COVID-19. Hear Dr. Bill’s tips on financial health management, for better mental health.

Before COVID-19, financial health was #1 cause of stress in Canada. It’s very common; approx. 177% of debt load is household debt. 54% of population was concerned about financial debt, ave. Employee spends 1hr/day distracted by finances. 9 million hours a day of workforce productivity lost on financial stress.

Tip: Take a look at your budget. Bills, discretionary and savings. Rule of 3 months of savings, at minimum. Feeling bad about past decisions is not helpful; look ahead. Differentiate want vs need.  Use available resources. Avoid taking on debt. Be careful from whom you chose to take advice from (as a financial planner). Protect yourself from fraud.

Learn more at https://www.conferenceboard.ca/covid-19