Mental Health Awareness Week 2020

Taking care of our mental health is a key part of looking after our wider health. Knowing what can help us to relax, de-stress and what we enjoy are vital for us to feel relaxed and lead healthier, happier lives. This week marks Mental Health Awareness Week and never has it been so vital to look after our mental health as when many of us are largely cut off from loved ones and are limited in activities we can enjoy.

Daisy Ackuaku, Merchant Taylors' HR Manager, shares with us how this year's theme of kindness is appropriate right now.

During these unprecedented times, I am incredibly pleased that Kindness is the theme for this year's Mental Health Awareness Week. I believe it suits perfectly today's climate, now that we require a sense of community and being able to rely on others for support is more crucial than at many other times.

Kindness is defined as a behaviour marked by ethical characteristics; a pleasant disposition; concern and consideration for others.

There are many ways to practice kindness; these stand out to me the most:

• Be a listening ear to the people around you
• Selfless Actions – Helping a person hold the door or even assisting in shopping goes a long way
• Be Charitable – As the saying goes, givers never lack
• Smile – You can always brighten another’s day with a smile

Kindness is also about you; being kind to yourself plays a big part in the scheme of things. Do you speak to yourself nicely and take care of yourself?

Kindness is an amazing, complex quality, especially when used on ourselves and it is deeply personal to us and our own needs. We should try and give ourselves as much kindness as possible, especially now when we need it most. This week especially, be aware of being kind and following some of the practices I believe help in showing kindness.

Find out more at: https://www.mentalhealth.org.uk/campaigns/mental-health-awareness-week