five tips for taking care of your mental health

written by
Mari Aipa

The text messages are coming in as you jump from one zoom call to another, making sure your everyday operations run smoothly.  It’s only 9 AM and you’re on your second coffee of the day…would be the third, had you remembered to put coffee in your Instacart order while shopping at 11 PM last night.  You’re in your third meeting of the day as you’re digging into your growing daily task list.

Sometimes the days and the weeks become one big blur all spent behind the blue light of multiple computer screens. You consider it a good day when you remember to take a break for lunch, let alone a quick stretch break. Sound familiar?

May is mental health month and we’re here for it.  It’s a time to stop and remind ourselves how important it is to maintain balance and take care of our own mental health and wellness.

We asked a few of our team members to think about how they balance long hours spent behind the screen to make sure that they’re rested and ready for all the creative challenges that get thrown their way.

From oversized martinis to new hobbies, here’s what they had to say:

• Get Outside and Get Moving.
• Discover a change of scenery that’s out of this world.
• Uncover a new hobby.
• Sunshine and Fresh Air
• Rest and Reset.

Tip #1:  Get outside and get moving – Technology Director Rex Vokey

Personally, for my mental health, I try to do two things:

• Regular exercise. At least 50% vigorous, but not all vigorous. It’s been shown that regular exercise can boost serotonin levels. Simply put, I feel better when I exercise. And while it doesn’t need to be vigorous exercise, I feel like I get even more out of it that way. But you don’t want to go too far and make it all vigorous to the point it’s making you exhausted or causing injuries.
• Get out of the house and out of the neighborhood at least a couple of times a week. I’ve found it’s way too easy to spend a full day sitting in front of your desk and not getting outside. I’m sure I’m not alone in starting to feel a bit stir-crazy after a week of being in the same place, doing the same things. Breaking up the routine with a trip to a park or some other non-routine activity helps me keep my sanity. Especially when there’s not a daily trip to the office.

Tip #2:  Discover a change of scenery that’s out of this world – Art + UX Director Greg Ciro Tornincasa

Crystal Springs reservoir and trails are right up the hill from where I am, and even doable on a lunch break. If I need an escape from the screen further away than my back patio, I trek up there to get some fresh air and some amazing views.

And for when I really need it, Reboot Float Spa. It’s the closest you can get to outer space, from Earth.

Tip #3 – Uncover a New Hobby – SEO Andrew Levine

I recently solved the Rubik’s Cube and now am competing with myself to see how fast I can solve it – my current record is 1 minute 50 seconds. I don’t know how long this obsession of mine will last, but I do find it relaxing. I also play ukulele and sing along way too loudly. My family prefers the Rubik’s Cube.

Tip #4 – Sunshine and fresh air! – Lead Developer Chantel Gonzales

I recently jumped on the “pandemic gardening” train and have added a couple of dozen new plants to my garden. It gives me an excuse to step outside each day to check up on the plants while also getting some much-needed fresh air and sunlight myself.

Tip #5 – Rest and Reset – CXO Barbara Stephenson

An oversized Martini? Not always possible. Generally, I am a firm believer in not working after hours or on weekends unless it’s an emergency, always taking lunch, and going for walks. I’m also a big proponent of vacations without electronics and I try to take at least one solid 10-day trip a year across the globe so I can’t be in the same timezone working.

But 12 hour days with 8 hours of those on calls are now a regular thing PCP (post covid pandemic) for me. And working from home only makes it worse. So if I need to save my sanity at the moment, I literally check out and restart.

Those who have to work with me on a daily basis may be aware that I’m manic-depressive. So when things start go to sideways, it’s a good day if I’m manic because I’ll get everything done and then chomp at the bit for more work to churn out. But some days I’m the depressive BOS and the soul-sucking darkness leads to sinking into the floor. So on those days, I’ll actually go back to bed. No joke. I turn everything off, close the shades, climb under the covers, play the daily meditation on my Calm app (thanks Kaiser Med!), and tell Siri to wake me up in 20 or 40 min. I don’t always sleep during this time, but the act of removing all stimuli, centering myself, and doing breathing exercises usually restarts my baseline for the rest of the workday. Sometimes that nap is at 9:30 in the morning. Sometimes it’s at 4:30 in the afternoon. But it’s become an important mental health routine for me on tough days.

Whether it’s by curling up with a good book or getting outside for some fresh air, allowing yourself the time to rest and take care of yourself physically and mentally is perhaps more important now than ever as we transition into a post-Covid world.

We hope the inspiration from our 3F0 team spurs you to discover and make time to lessen everyday stress and protect and take care of your own mental health.

Be kind to your mind!

• Fun