In a recent talk at TNG’s online meeting, Katie Rickson spoke about the importance of mental health when working from home.

Katie is a copywriter, editor, and lived experience speaker. Drawing on her expertise, she shares some strategies geared towards achieving mindfulness through reframing success and consistency, conserving energy, paying attention to your senses and harnessing creativity.

The human element
Katie begins her talk by sharing a poem she’s written. It focuses on the importance of unity in humanity. This relates to her talk in two ways. 

Firstly, it speaks to the importance of recognising our individual humanity, and secondly, it’s a demonstration of creativity, which is crucial to Katie’s final tip. 

Self-compassion
Katie explains that self-compassion begins by being aware of our inner critic. Instead of giving in, we should acknowledge when we are going through a hard time and be kind to ourselves. 

Being overly self-critical can compound negative feelings because we may feel sad about being sad or anxious about being anxious. In short, we should give ourselves a break.

Unhelpful thought patterns 
Next, Katie addresses unhelpful thought patterns. The first is selective thinking. This is where you focus only on the negative rather than acknowledge what you have to be thankful for. The solution is to measure your thinking with gratitude.

Cynicism is another unhelpful thought pattern which can feed your inner critic. As tough as it might be, the solution is to recognise your achievements, and even accept praise when it’s given, and internalise it. 

The last mode of unhelpful thinking is when we mistake feelings for facts.

Katie points out that while feelings colour our reality, they don’t define it. This can be beaten when you slow down and analyse things critically, as well as get the perspective of another. 

Mindfulness 
The next important aspect Katie discusses is mindfulness. Mindfulness is all about being in the moment. Rather than let your thoughts race, relax and observe your surrounding with every sense. Focus on what you can hear around you, what you can see, and what you can smell.

See troublesome thoughts as “passing,” like cars on a highway. Clear your mind and let go for a while to embody yourself  

Sensory modulation can help in this regard. Simply put, you make your environment comfortable yet stimulating. Wear clothing that makes you feel good. Brighten your desk up, etc.

Find balance
Katie moves on to discuss the importance of balancing wellness. She speaks of the “wellness wheel,” which balances spiritual, financial, environmental, emotional, social, physical and intellectual health. 

Each facet is critical to maintaining your mental health. Some are abstract, but of course, factors such as your environment and financial situation will impact your mental state. She shares a beautiful illustration through Hauora Maori (a Maori health model). 

Taha Tiana (physical health), Taha Wairua (spiritual health), Taha Whānau (family) and Taha Hinengaro (mental and emotional health) are all vital to a solid foundation in life. They are what hold up the walls of the “home.”

Reframe success and consistency 
“If it costs you your mental health, it’s too expensive.” This is the quote Katie begins the next section with. She explains that it’s important to take stock of what you believe about success and work out if those beliefs are helpful or harmful.
A toxic or unreasonable idea of success can harm you, which will ultimately impact your ability to perform. In other words, success can slip away as you burden yourself.

This leads to a need to reframe consistency. Questions such as “How much is enough?” “Should you post every day?” “Should you burnout yourself out to reach a goal?” That brings us to Katie’s next point…

The One Thing
Katie provides a strategy called The One Thing. Clear your mind of everything and identify your most important tasks. The top task becomes the one thing. That one thing is your main goal for the day, week, or month. Once that’s achieved, everything else is framed as a bonus. 

You can also achieve consistency through the Pomodoro technique, which helps with flow if you procrastinate. Work uninterrupted for 25 to 30 minutes, then take a 5-minute break. On the fourth, take a 15-minute break. 

Katie explains that you should keep your phone in aeroplane mode and that you don’t have to do the hardest tasks first. It’s also important to identify when you have the most energy and plan work accordingly.

Find breaks while working and embrace creativity
Finally, Katie shares a helpful yet controversial strategy. She says that it’s good to delegate most of your repetitive tasks, if possible, but not all of them. She explains that she likes coding in Xero because while it’s work, it’s low energy. Doing task like this gives your mind a rest while you’re still being productive.

Katie ends off with encouragement to find a creative outlet. Some form of art that works for us, whether it be writing poetry or painting. This gives us an outlet that’s just for us. The goal isn’t to create perfect art but to experience your humanity through the creation process. 

Conclusion
For too long mental health has been overlooked, but these tips from Katie are part of a global effort to promote awareness. When we practice self-compassion through mindfulness and find balance, we can begin to be the best version of ourselves. This is vital when we work from home, especially seeing as the home is where healing
begins.

See the whole presentation on (7) “Business in the bath. Ways to support your mental health when working from home” Katie Rickson – YouTube 

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