Mental Health Awareness: Supporting Wellbeing at South West Water

During Mental Health Awareness Week, on 11^th May, Learning and Development Coach Dr Manish Pankhania led an inspiring guided wellbeing session with South West Water Process Technician learners.

This year’s theme, “Action”, focused on moving beyond simply talking about stress and wellbeing, and instead equipping people with practical tools they can use in everyday work and personal life.

The session highlighted some concerning national statistics, including that 1 in 3 employees nationally report experiencing severe stress, while 1 in 2 report insomnia linked to stress. Learners explored practical techniques to help better manage stress and anxiety, while also improving performance both at work and in their studies.

The benefits discussed included:

• Improving focus and clarity before exams
• Calming nerves before presentations
• Overcoming fatigue
• Building resilience
• Enhancing overall wellbeing

It was remarkable to see how just a few minutes of guided practice could positively transform the mood, focus and energy within the room of learners.

Here are some actions to help boost your mental health in the long term 

• Prioritise your health – eat a balanced diet, be physically active and get plenty of sleep.
• Regularly spending time with friends and family – will reduce loneliness and allow you to share positive experiences.
• Being present can boost your wellbeing and help you see things from new perspectives.
• Learn a new skill – this may boost your self-esteem, give you a new sense of purpose and give you the opportunity to make new friends.
• Learn to understand and manage your emotions. Being upset makes it difficult to think clearly, maybe put your thoughts and feelings down on paper to help you work through them.
• Set boundaries – think about your personal limits and boundaries and use them as a guide. Working towards these boundaries’ can help reduce stress, prevent burnout and build your self-esteem.
• Prioritise your sleep – it’s a fact that sleep is fundamental to emotional and cognitive wellbeing.
• Seek professional support – we all feel overwhelmed at times, there is no shame in asking for help

Support and resources

If you or your teams need support, there are organisations that can help:

• Samaritans – 116 123 (free, 24/7 listening support) https://www.samaritans.org
• Mind – information and workplace mental health resources https://www.mind.org.uk
• Mental Health Foundation – guidance and awareness resources https://www.mentalhealth.org.uk
• NHS Every Mind Matters – practical tips and support tools https://www.nhs.uk/every-mind-matters