Balancing Work and Mental Health

When your adolescent or young adult is struggling with anxiety or depression, this can create obstacles to being successful in their work, and possibly even your own work. In the case of your child’s work, it can be difficult to balance their mental health and the job duties. Many parents might struggle with meeting the demands at work while attending to their adolescent’s mental health concerns. Recently, Time Magazine posted an article outlining tips for finding a balance between mental health and work. This article also discusses parent’s of individuals with mental health concerns and the struggle with finding a balance between work and caring for a loved one. Here are some of the tips:

Photo Credit: DiariVeu - laveupv.com Flickr via Compfight cc
Photo Credit: DiariVeu – laveupv.com Flickr via Compfight cc

  • To start, it is important to know the rights surrounding a psychological disability. The article states, “If you can do your job but need some flexibility or specific accommodations, you’re most likely entitled to receive them.” These rights are covered by the Americans With Disabilities Act.
  • It’s also important to be aware of the work environment. Would your employer be accepting and accommodating to you as a parent of someone with mental health concerns? Unfortunately, stigma exists in many work environments, so it’s good to be aware of this culture within the workplace.
  • Lastly, the article recommends some flexibility. In the article, a story is told about a parent of a child with mental health concerns and the balance she had to strike between her personal life and work life. This required some negotiation with her employer. It’s important to be flexible and find a compromise that fits the needs on both sides.

If you’re interested in reading more tips, take a look at the article!

Was there a time with you had to find a balance at work? We’d love to hear about it in the comments below!

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