Each week, ICBA’s Jordan Bateman reflects on what we’ve learned as we participate in ICBA’s Workplace Wellness Program. This program is free for all ICBA members – check out icba.ca/wellness for details.
One of the best parts of our Wellness program are the practical tips that are included – ways for people to help their own mental health at work. Not everything can be solved ourselves, but I think doing our part does (at least for me!) give us a sense of momentum, control and hope.
This week, we looked at the ideas on resolving personal conflict, including:
- Understanding your own needs
- Managing your emotions
- Thinking about underlying issues
- Letting go
- Getting a different perspective
- Talking it out
There is no doubt that this has been complicated by the COVID-19 pandemic. Polls and surveys show many people have fraying mental health, marked by less patience, more insular thinking, fear, exhaustion, and decision fatigue. This means we need more grace and more conversation than ever before – we may be dealing with mental health concerns, but so could our boss, our co-workers, and our reports.
In the end, my takeaway is that we should do our best to control what we can. Or, as the timeless Serenity Prayer puts it:
God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change,
Courage to change the things I can, and
Wisdom to know the difference.
ICBA’s Workplace Wellness Program is helping more than 50 companies, and thousands of construction professionals, better understand mental health. The program is free for ICBA members — see icba.ca/wellness.
