Mental Health Awareness Week 2024

Every year 1 in 4 of us will experience poor mental health, but due to a lack of awareness, many of those people don’t receive the support they need. Mental Health Awareness Week is an important opportunity for everyone to be reminded that mental wellbeing is just as important as taking care of yourself physically.

Mental Health Awareness Week this year is taking place 13^th to 19^th May. This week is organised by the Mental Health Foundation and this year the theme is #MomentsForMovement.

Moments for Movement

It can be difficult for everybody to find the time in the busy day-to-day for wellbeing-boosting activities, but being active doesn’t have to mean spending an hour a day at the gym or running a marathon. Even the smallest moments in your daily routine can be filled with activity. This year the Mental Health Foundation suggests moving whilst you’re waiting:

“When life’s busy, it can be tricky finding time for wellbeing-boosting activities.  But finding moments for movement might be easier than you think. Why not use the time you spend waiting to move more? When you’re waiting for the kettle to boil; for your kids to come out of school; or for a bus to arrive. These moments will add up!”

Why Move?

There are many benefits in finding small moments in your life to be a little more active. Benefits can include:

• Feeling less stressed, tensed and mentally fatigued.
• Providing a natural energy boost.
• Feeling more focused and inspired to keep going.
• Creating a sense of achievement which can increase confidence.

These small moments are vital to a healthy working-environment, and it is important for everyone to be encouraged to remain as active as they can.

The latest data from the Health and Safety Executive shows that over the course of a year, 35.2 million working days are lost and that days taken because of stress, depression or anxiety accounted for most of those days. On average, each person suffering takes 19.6 days off due to stress, depression, or anxiety.

Tips to Get Moving

It can be daunting to introduce the recommended levels of activity into your daily routine. For adults aged between 19 and 64, the NHS recommends doing at least 150 minutes of moderate intensity activity a week, or 75 minutes of vigorous intensity activity a week. Even if you don’t think you can achieve that level of activity, introducing even a small amount of activity s still a step in the right direction towards improving mental wellbeing. There are many tips to get you started:

• Find the little moments: You don’t have to spend hours of your day completing intense work outs to improve your activity levels and bring a boost to your mood – try moving a little whilst you’re already doing something, like waiting for the kettle to boil.
• Set Yourself Small Goals: It is great to dream big, but setting yourself small achievable goals that you can reach will boost your confidence and give you the motivation to push yourself a little further.
• Get Outside: Research shows that being active outside, as opposed to being indoors, has a greater positive impact on your mood. Take the opportunity for moments of movement outside in the fresh air.
• Embrace Fun: Being active can always seem like a bit of a chore, that’s why choosing activities that you enjoy is a great way to get started in being more active. Taking part in an activity that you find fun will increase your motivation and uplift those psychological benefits.

For more tips on starting your #MomentsForMovement journey, get started here.

How Artic Moves

At Artic, creating a positive working environment that is considerate of its employee’s wellbeing is extremely important. Artic is proud to be supporting #MomentsForMovement and is committed to raising awareness and promoting good mental health within our community of employees.

At Artic it is recognised that finding the time to move can be difficult and it is always encouraged for staff to move when they can. Artic has signed up to beneficial schemes that promote movement, like the Cycle scheme and is excited to promote this amongst its employees as part of the Mental Health Foundation’s #MomentsForMovement Campaign.

Cycle Scheme

Artic has signed up to cyclescheme, this means that Artic employees are just a few steps away from getting their hands on a brand-new bike and safety equipment. Employees can save up to 42% on a bike and accessories, making it more accessible for all employees to get moving and get cycling. Employees can pay over a period, as well as save on income tax and national insurance.

Artic hopes to encourage good mental well-being by promoting its cycle to work scheme to boost activity and make #MomentsForMovment.

Looking for More Information

If you are looking for more information and resources to learn about the #MomentsForMovement campaign run by the Mental Health Foundation, find their website here.

As a community, let’s show that every mind matters by continuing to raise awareness for good mental health and wellbeing.