by the 7Mind team, written by Daniela Obers

Mental Health Day 2021

Week after week, we, the 56 minds behind 7Mind, produce mindful exercises, write magazine articles and improve the 7Mind app. Why? Because we’re convinced that mindfulness and meditation can help our users – in their professional as well as their private lives. To celebrate Mental Health Day, we changed the perspective and asked our colleagues: How do you deal with the issue of mental health? Do you feel like you are being listened to, understood and supported in your daily work? Which things do you find helpful when your mental stress increases or you suffer from mental illnesses?

I would now like to share the results of our survey with you, dear 7Mind users.

Before we begin: In our survey, mental illness was defined as disorders like depression, eating disorders, schizophrenia, anxiety disorders, addictive behaviour - whether officially diagnosed or not.

This is how the 7Minders answered

63% of the people interviewed said they had experienced mental illness in the past, while 38% are doing so right now. I have to admit that this first result surprised me when I examined the answers from the survey and made me take a closer look. Everyone complains about a cold, but not about depression.

33% stated that they talked to their team colleagues about their mental illness. 22% also talked to their supervisor(s). Some of those who prefer to keep their mental illnesses to themselves answered that these are highly personal issues that they don’t want to share or simply don’t feel the need to. And that is important: no one should be forced to share their experiences. On the other hand, there were also people who didn’t want to be treated differently by their colleagues or the team leader, or who were worried that they wouldn’t be considered mentally resilient. Or who have not been able to find the space to talk about it.

No one should feel pressured to talk about his or her mental illness. But how about creating a space where mental illness isn’t considered a taboo subject? The vast majority of 7Minders agree with this. 67% think it is appropriate to talk about one’s mental health and illnesses at work, while 20% make it depend on the situation and the person they are talking to. 13% prefer to keep this topic separate from their workplace.

What can you do if your mental illness manifests itself during your working day?

The 7Minders shared a seemingly endless list of tips and best practices. This list is as varied, individual and passionate as our staff. Many find it helpful to take breaks: “This may sound a little cheesy, but I meditate.” For many, taking a break can look like this: Going for a walk, talking to a friend, colleague or therapist, exercising, dancing, experiencing nature... Or even: “I watch long, slow videos on YouTube of a train travelling through a snowy Norwegian landscape.” The answers have one thing in common: breaks are necessary. Without feeling guilty about it. Without putting on a brave face. Without Slack messages. Without pressure. What if we had asked this question in a collective meeting? Let’s assume that the list would have been just as long and colourful, how beneficial would the exchange about it be? Simply feeling a connection to others can often cause us to feel more comfortable about our own condition instead of being ashamed of it.

What wishes do you have from 7Mind, dear 7Minders?

Naturally, we concluded the survey by asking what our team members would like to see from their employer. The answers were hardly surprising and yet often had not been expressed yet.

• Taking sick days due to mental illness should absolutely be OK.

• Many 7Minders would like to see mental health days that people can take without having to explain too much.

• Colleagues want more transparency, education and communication about how important this issue is.

• Team leads who are struggling should share this to help shape a culture where someone saying “I’m stressed today” is just as common as someone saying “I’m sad today” or “I’m feeling down today”. Walk the walk – team leads always have a special opportunity to leave a lasting mark on the team culture.

Other colleagues emphasised that the flexible home office arrangement at 7Mind is helpful and that they have the impression that 7Mind is already addressing the issue of mental health. These colleagues already perceive our working atmosphere as very open and understanding.

“When it comes to my mental health, I have never felt more supported by a team than at 7Mind. When this topic came up at other employers, which was rarely the case anyway, it felt more like a compulsory exercise by management than that they actually cared about the mental health of their employees. It definitely feels different at 7Mind and I am very grateful for that.”

In comparison with other employers I have already gotten to know, I can confirm this. This makes me equally grateful to 7Mind, but also shows that there is still a lot to be done in the working world as a whole. Looking at 7Mind, I have the impression that a cultural foundation stone has been laid. The canvas is ready. Now let’s paint together.

Thank you 7Minders for sharing your thoughts so openly. Thank you for caring about the issue.