News | Mind matters
Why worry?
Mental health days
By Laura Baker
The reality is we work long and hard to do the job we’ve been assigned to do, so achieving that work/life balance concept can seem redundant.
History is full of poets, philosophers and sages espousing the benefits of a positive disposition. But it seems scientists disagree. Why? Because it pays to worry a little bit - quite literally. A study published in the Journal of Behavioural Decision Making in 2012 monitored 213 people’s behaviour in relation to a simulated gambling game. The study found participants in a sad or worrisome mood were more likely to make logical bets they knew had a higher likelihood of winning, even after a series of losses. Whereas positive, happy bettors were quicker and more likely to play what they knew was a riskier move. Their jovial outlook influenced them to make unpredictable decisions on gut feelings, despite the opportunity to play a logical bet. The study shows you are more likely to make winning decisions while you are in an anxious, worried state of mind. But these findings don’t just apply to gambling. The positive effect of this negative feeling translates into the business world. In moderation, worry can work wonders for your career. Sometimes a negative attitude is actually beneficial trait to have because it allows you to look at a situation in a more realistic light. Feeling worried means you are more likely to make a logical decision with a higher outcome of success compared with your cheerful counterpart in the same situation.
There is no danger of over promising and under delivering because you are thinking realistically. Worry helps to rein in out of this world ideas, it also assists with assessing the risks and obstacles in front of you. Worry can be the side effect of a strong desire to achieve perfection. And in the pursuit of perfection worry can prompt you to double check and even triple check your work. Without worry there is a risk you can become complacent, a little too relaxed and more likely to make a mistake. Under a moderate amount of worry you are capable of learning and remembering new information more effectively. This is because the primary stress hormone, cortisol, improves learning and memory at moderate concentrations compared to low or high concentrations. Worry has also been linked to accelerate career promotions and overall success. An international study in Perspectives on Psychological Science in 2007 monitored 118,519 people’s careers. The study found those who are less happy attain higher salaries and more education, while people who are very happy tend to form more rewarding relationships. People who are more susceptible to worry consequently exhibit the following personality traits: PROS • More attentive to detail • More motivated to work • More polite and attentive to others • Vigilant for risks and threats. CONS • Overcautious • Less creative • At risk of becoming too stressed • More closed minded. In comparison, worry-free people exhibit these contrasting behaviours: PROS • More creative • Form better relationships • Healthier • Willing to explore. CONS • Prone to overlooking threats and dangers • Open to unwise risks • More gullible • Lacking appropriate embarrassment or guilt.
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Sometimes, we simply just need a day off to sort ourselves out mentally in order to prevent burnout, remain productive and increase our work performance when we return to the job. We often associate days off work with a physical illness, but mental wellbeing is generally overlooked. Keeping up with everything in life and work can become too much and our brains turn into mush. While a little worry and concern can focus the mind, being overly stressed and unhappy isn’t good for your health and it isn’t good for those around you either. Sometimes we (especially workaholics) find it difficult to give ourselves time off work because: • We worry about how it might affect other people in the workplace
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Just remember to plan ahead by informing your boss and colleagues of your leave in advance, so they can work around it. This way you won’t need to worry about how your absence may affect others.
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• We think we won’t be able to keep up with the workload when we return
day off. And remember, you don’t have to tell your co-workers that you’re taking a mental health day, just that you won’t be available.
• We worry we’re missing out • We feel guilty or pressured • We need the money
Whether you intend to be busy carrying out chores around the house, exercising, enjoying some retail therapy, or you intend to do the complete opposite and catch up on sleep for the whole day, a mental health day is whatever it means to you to be completely free.
• Or we think we don’t need the time off. But if you’re physically and emotionally exhausted, suffering from sleepless nights, feeling constantly stressed, snappy at work and home, or generally not caring about your work, you’re on the road to having a meltdown, and potentially committing career suicide. What’s worse: working too hard instead of working smart, to the best of your ability yet making mistakes - or taking a day off so you can get back to work re-energised and complete tasks to a high standard? While one day off won’t cast away deep underlying stresses and strains, it does allow you to step away from the scene of the crime and grab some much needed headspace. If you don’t want to eat into your holiday pay, ask your boss to take an unpaid half day or full
Just remember to plan ahead by informing your boss and colleagues of your leave in advance, so they can work around it. This way you won’t need to worry about how your absence may affect others. And make sure when you take your mental health day, work stays at work – don’t bring it home with you. Turn your mobile phone off, don’t check work related emails and certainly don’t take home any paperwork. Emergency’s only please. At the end of the day your health is important. Provide some relief by paying attention to yourself and live a healthier life.
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Call 0800 54 94 24 or visit our website www.kiwichalets.co.nz www.aucklandtoday.net.nz March 2016 | 11