World Mental Health Day activities for the workplace
World Mental Health Day is an opportunity for all of us to raise awareness of mental health issues and reduce the social stigma it can have.
The day provides an opportunity for you and your organisation to add to the wider conversation that will be occurring on social media, television and elsewhere. Highlight the fantastic work you’re already doing to address mental health stigma in the workplace, and introduce new and targeted activities anchored to the event.
1. Secret Wellbeing Santa
This idea is the same as Secret Santa apart from the gifts you buy are to enhance the recipients wellbeing.
The basic concept of the Secret Wellbeing Santa game is simple. All of the participants’ names are placed into a hat, box, etc. and mixed up. Each person then chooses one name from the box, but doesn’t tell anyone which name was picked. Everyone then goes away and buys their wellbeing gifts within a set budget, usually about £5. Each gift is marked with the name of the recipient, but not the gift-giver.
All the gifts are then placed in a general area for opening at a designated time on World Mental health Day.
2. Wellbeing Breakfast
To celebrate World Mental Health Day hold a healthy Wellbeing breakfast with fresh fruit, granola, chia pots and other healthy treats.
Encouraging people to talk about mental health. Starting a conversation can be a powerful way to challenge mental health stigma
and get people to think about their perceptions. For all of us, our mental health is just as important as our physical health. Talking helps us all recognise this and can dispel misconceptions about mental health problems and the people who
experience them.
3. Mental health pub quiz
To raise awareness and start conversations in the office about mental health have a Mental Health ‘pub’ quiz.
Find out how much your colleagues know about mental health and challenge misconceptions and learn the real facts about mental health.
Attached are some quiz questions and Facts and Myths from the Time to Talk website.
4. Lunchtime Craftercise
Get the Sharpies Felt tip pens out of the stationary cupboard, download our colouring sheet and hold a relaxing ‘Craftercise’ lunchtime session.
‘Craftercise’ is designed to help your team to bond. Participating in a creative activity that is not directly related to work helps to design a space where people can relate on a new level.
Doing an activity together away from workspace allows people to get to know one another, bond, chat and builds trust.
Building trust amongst colleagues is important in enabling mental health related conversations.
World Mental Health Day activities for the virtual workplace
World Mental Health Day this year is on Sunday so plan some activities on both Friday 8th and Monday 11th October.
Many of us are still working from home and not physically together with colleagues therefore this is a great opportunity to reconnect online and raise mental health awareness with colleagues and friends.
Below are some ideas for online activities around mental health awareness.