Workplace harassment and racial discrimination are serious issues that can have a severe impact on peoples’ mental health. Although Australian law protects employees from racism in the workplace, it occurs nonetheless.
Although a lot of people seek professional legal and medical help when workplace problems become too much, the mental health impacts can stay with a person for a significant length of time. Because of this, we decided to put together the following list of our top five tips for maintaining strong mental health in the face of harassment. They include:
- Making Sure You Sleep Properly
Poor sleep is a major contributor to poor mental health. Ensuring you sleep properly will help you maintain a good mental space, even in the face of discrimination.
For example, avoid drinking too much alcohol before bed. Although you may feel like drinking helps you sleep better, it doesn’t. Even if you feel like you’re sleeping longer and waking up less, your quality of sleep will be significantly decreased.
- Reduce Alcohol Consumption
In fact, it’s a good idea to stop drinking altogether if you’re suffering from poor mental health due to harassment. If you start drinking, it’s very easy to fall into a downward spiral leading to alcoholism and other problems.
Fortunately, there are numerous resources available to help you reduce your alcohol intake. A quick internet search will reveal some of the most popular.
- Make Sure You Eat Well
Physical and mental health are very closely linked, and maintaining a high level of physical health will help reduce your risk of mental illness. One of the keys to staying physically healthy is ensuring you eat well. Avoid fatty, highly-processed foods and focus on eating well at all times.
- Keep Active
One of the other main ways to maintain a high level of physical health is to ensure you remain active and exercise regularly. Even if you’re not someone who enjoys exercise, try and focus on getting out and about at least a few times per week. Think about:
- Walking regularly.
- Buying a treadmill or other exercise machine you can use at home.
- Joining a local sporting club.
If possible, do try and exercise outside. It’s a well-known fact that spending time in nature is a great way to boost mental health.
- Dedicate Time to Relaxation
Relaxation is another great way to ensure your mental health remains in optimal condition, even in the face of racial discrimination. There are numerous relaxation techniques out there that can help, but we recommend meditation, deep breathing and positive visualisation. However, something as simple as dedicating time to a hobby you enjoy can be enough.
Summing Up:
Racial discrimination is an issue that continues to plague our country. Although Australian laws protect employees from all forms of discrimination, it continues to happen. In general, you should report all discrimination to your employer or your HR department. On top of this, consider adopting some of the above strategies to maintain a high level of mental health.
