The challenge of work-life balance: Youths in Singapore share how they care for their mental health

This World Mental Health Day (Oct 10), AsiaOne looks at how everyday Singaporeans cope with mental health issues in their lives.

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Mental health is not just a buzzword these days.

It's an essential part of one's overall well-being but at times taking care of your mental health can be challenging, especially for working adults.

While we've come a long way on mental health wellness in the workplace environment, we still have a long road ahead.

As we recently observed World Mental Health Day (Oct 10), we spoke to four working professionals in Singapore, millennials and Gen Zs alike, on how they navigate their mental health in a workplace setting - cause truth be told, mental health isn't just limited to one day, it's applicable every single day.

"I developed a tendency to work overtime"

Lisa Chan, a Senior Executive (Marketing & Strategy) for AsiaOne, has encountered her fair share of mental health challenges in the workplace. Tight deadlines, long working hours, and the constant pressure to excel have been all too familiar.

She vividly recalls a period when she fell into a cycle of overworking, obsessing over the need to prove her worth, which eventually led to burnout.

"During my initial full-time job following my diploma studies, I developed a tendency to work overtime.

"Work-life balance never even came to mind as I obsessed over the constant need to validate my worth by investing extra hours to propel my career forward," Lisa recounted. 

Imposter syndrome, that dreaded self-doubt regarding her abilities and suitability for the role, has also been a constant challenge.

"Additionally, the perpetual connectivity facilitated by digital devices has made it difficult to find downtime and disconnect from work," the 23-year-old added.

While Lisa has been transparent about her mental health journey, sharing her recovery from depression on social media, discussing mental health issues in the workplace is a different story.

She's heard comments that belittle the importance of addressing mental health challenges and reinforce stereotypes about women being more emotional and less capable in the work environment.

Remarks like, "They're usually in the office crying over minor issues," have not been uncommon.

These sentiments, she noted, undermine the mental struggles people face.

Nevertheless, Lisa has chosen not to engage in "exhaustive explanations" about this complex topic, understanding that people may harbour fear or misunderstanding about what they are unfamiliar with.

She believes in breaking down the stigma around mental health through her own actions and self-care, prioritising her well-being and personal growth.

To cope with the pressures of her job, Lisa has developed several coping strategies.

She prioritises tasks, sets realistic goals, and communicates effectively with her team.

"This approach enables me to dedicate my full attention to the most important task at hand without the need for excessive multitasking," Lisa elaborated. "Additionally, I find it beneficial to remember to take regular breaks as it provides an opportunity to step back, gain perspective and clear my head after being too engrossed in a particular task."

She also engages in activities outside of work, such as yoga, climbing, and personal creative projects, while spending quality time with loved ones.

In addition to these practices, she journals, jotting down self-affirmations and a realistic to-do list for the day.

On an organisational level, Lisa believes that flexible work arrangements, mental health days, and peer support networks, such as one-on-one meetings with managers during times of need, can positively contribute to employees' well-being.

"Maybe promoting self-care by encouraging employees to prioritise their own well-being by providing resources on self-help strategies for managing stress and anxiety would be a great first step as it may help employees feel safe and supported, encouraging a healthy work output of higher quality," Lisa suggested.

However, she acknowledges that implementing these initiatives may seem counterproductive in terms of work.

"Creating a culture of open communication where employees feel safe discussing their mental health concerns without encountering stigma or discrimination can be a sensitive issue," Lisa mentioned.

"It's the little things that keep you going"

At 28 years old, Charlie (name has been changed to protect his identity) works as an associate in a prominent local law firm, specialising in corporate financing.

While sharing experiences about common mental health challenges among young professionals, he highlights the demanding nature of his job.

The role requires long hours, dealing with high-pressure clients, meeting tight deadlines, and maintaining the highest level of accuracy in their legal advice, Charlie emphasised.

In the face of such pressures, Charlie has learned to practise self-care in his daily routine.

To navigate the challenges, Charlie finds solace in simple pleasures like eating his favourite 'cai fan' for lunch or looking forward to going home to his wife at the end of the day.

"It's the little things that keep you going," he shared.

Charlie also highlights that in his field of work, the workload follows a seasonal pattern. "There are lull periods of work where I can find time to rest and recharge," he added.

He emphasises the importance of "capitalising on these periods of time to take leave", which allows him to go on holidays without the looming worry of work.

During the busy periods, there's a risk of falling into a counterproductive cycle.

He explained, "I've experienced times when this is just a vicious cycle where you're tired, your work is sub-par, you get stressed and you overthink and overcheck every minute detail, then you end up sleeping even later and getting more tired and making more mistakes. It's important to just take that rest, no matter how short."

When it comes to workplace initiatives, he mentioned, "there is only so much a law firm can do to support mental health."

The fundamental challenge arises from the client-oriented obligations, and unless the prevailing attitudes in Singapore's corporate industry change, Charlie mentioned, "there will always be demanding clients, tight timelines and an expectation that you are available to meet their demands 24/7."

"Even if the firm gives extra leave days, off-in-lieus and what not, if the client requires your attention, you will still have to work.

"And most of the time, you would be the main lawyer who has been following the file, and it's typically not easy for someone to just come in and replace you on the file," Charlie mentioned.

That being said, when it comes to workplace mental health initiatives, Charlie mentioned that his workplace offers subsidies for therapy.

Furthermore, he highlighted the existence of buddy-system initiatives where senior associates are paired with juniors" to help them navigate through difficulties in their work life".

For those aspiring to work in law firms, Charlie advised to "take some time to really think about whether this is what you really want to do in the long term."

"Many young professionals starting out in the corporate world think it's just a matter of grinding it out for the first few years, but in reality, the grind never stops even when you reach higher positions.

"In fact, in a law firm, the more senior you are the more liabilities and responsibilities you have, and the more clients you have to answer to," Charlie explained.

"It led me to question my abilities and triggered my imposter syndrome"

Nicole, who only wants to share her first name to protect her identity, works for a media publishing company and has encountered the challenges of a toxic work environment.

During her previous role, she grappled with mental health issues caused by her then-manager.

"[She] lacked leadership skills and micro-managed my tasks. It led me to question my abilities and triggered my imposter syndrome, which took a toll on my mental health," the 32-year-old shared.

These days, she has found ways to safeguard her mental health.

Nicole follows a well-structured daily routine. She establishes clear boundaries, crucial when working from home where lines can get blurry.

"I remind myself to respect my personal time as much as I do my work hours," Nicole added. "I find the Pomodoro technique effective for time management, ensuring I take regular breaks to prevent stress from accumulating." 

In case you were wondering, the Pomodoro technique is a method that encourages 25 minutes of focused work, followed by a five-minute break. 

She is also mindful of her screen time, setting time limits on her phone apps especially after work hours.

To ensure she prioritises "me-time," Nicole schedules "concrete activities" such as facials, massages, workouts, and social gatherings with friends and family.

This approach prevents her from canceling or postponing her leisure activities, helping her maintain a healthy work-life balance.

Nicole is fortunate to work at her current workplace which puts mental health first.

"My company has implemented various workplace initiatives, including the provision of Mental Health Days in addition to annual leave.

"They also offer a health and wellness benefit, which allows employees to allocate an allowance toward maintaining and enhancing health and well-being.

“Furthermore, we've adopted a four and a half day workweek," Nicole shared.

During times when it gets hectic, Nicole also reminds herself that "it's just a job".

It allows her to maintain perspective and avoid panicking if things go off course.

She also actively seeks help when her workload becomes overwhelming and isn't hesitant to decline additional tasks when she's already stretched thin.

"That little pocket of time allows me to decompress my mind"

Daryl Tan is a 36-year-old Managing Director & Therapist at Goodity Co, a therapy clinic and a Director of Business Development at Stale & Co, a fine jewellery brand.

As a therapist, Daryl revealed the mental challenges Singaporeans face.

"Through my therapy work with young professionals at Goodity, some of the more common mental health challenges that come up will have to be in the areas of work-related stress, relationships, and personal development," Daryl mentions.

Furthermore, Daryl openly acknowledged that he has personally grappled with burnout, particularly during his time as a social worker.

When it comes to managing stress, Daryl highlighted the importance of recognising that it's perfectly acceptable to seek assistance when facing overwhelming pressure and stress in the workplace.

Despite the demands of his dual roles, Daryl actively prioritises self-care.

He dedicates one to two hours daily to engage in sports activities, including training and coaching in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.

"Another thing in my daily routine that is tremendously important is starting my day with a cup of coffee and taking 15 to 20 minutes just staring out of the window to calm my mind before starting the rush of the everyday," Daryl shared.

And when stressed at work, Daryl takes afternoon breaks at a coffee shop. "That little pocket of time allows me to decompress my mind before going back to tackling work."

When it comes to supporting the mental health needs of young professionals in the workforce, Daryl emphasises, "This is a topic often brought up in my corporate consultancy work for mental health."

He suggests the management of corporate companies should be trained in mental health first aid.

"This can equip them with the skills to identify signs of mental distress in their employees and for them to be aware that these signs can be observed for early intervention," he added.

Another point he brought up is creating little spaces in the office for employees to retreat into for a short mental break, mentioning that "something as simple as this can make a huge difference in letting employees know that the company has their mental well-being in mind."

He also notes that fostering a healthy communication culture within a company is important. For instance, this can be done in a non-discriminatory discussion with superiors on the staff's mental health.

Last but not least, he points out, is providing financial support for staff members seeking professional help through an employee assistance programme. "Financial cost of therapy is usually the biggest concern for employees when seeking professional help, so if companies were to support in that area it can go a long way."

As for taking care of his own mental health, Daryl mentioned, "I do regular self-reflection and self-talk using therapeutic questions that I'd normally ask my clients in therapy."

He also has regular discussions with his colleague who's the Clinical Director of Goodity Co, where they bounce off concerns and issues they are both facing at work.

ALSO READ: How do different generations view mental health? We asked a Gen Z, millennial and Gen X

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