‘Take Action’ for mental wellbeing in and outside work

Mental Health Awareness Week ran from 11–17 May, and the theme for 2026, set by the Mental Health Foundation, was ‘Take Action’.

Supporting good mental health is not just about grand gestures. Small actions that make us feel more hopeful and less powerless are just as important.

Here are some ideas of actions that we can all take, for ourselves and for others, to make a positive difference.

Taking action for yourself: improve work−life balance

What does your work−life balance look like? An imbalance can lead to increased amounts of stress, even burnout. Burnout is a very real issue in the UK’s workplaces: Mental Health UK’s 2026 Burnout Report highlighted that one in five UK workers needed to take time off work in the last 12 months due to poor mental health caused by pressure or stress.

Getting the right balance between work time and ‘you’ time can make all the difference. If the average working week is 37½ –40 hours, and the average amount of time asleep is 7–9 hours, that leaves roughly 65–81 hours of time for ourselves. And in the same way as we give full focus to tasks at work, we should give full focus to activities we carry out during those ‘me-time’ hours too.

Try and take action to introduce one of these proactive steps to improve your work−life balance and see the positive impact this has.

• Exercise: even gentle regular movement, like stretching, deep breathing or a short walk, help reduce stress.
• Stay connected: make time for friends, family and colleagues to maintain a strong support network. If you’re looking for an excuse to connect, 29 May is National Biscuit Day, so why not suggest a chat and cuppa alongside a favourite snack to celebrate?
• Don’t worry about asking for help: consider speaking to your line manager, HR team or someone with wellbeing responsibility in your workplace if you are finding things tough. This gives them chance to put supportive measures in place. If an independent listening ear would help, you can call the Printing Charity helpline on 0333 212 3534 for in-the-moment emotional support at any time, every day of the year, or for practical guidance and information, Monday to Friday, 8am−8pm.
• See if you can ‘work smarter, not harder’: try allotting a certain amount of time to tasks, or making sure meetings are structured for best use of time.
• Take proper breaks at work: getting out of the workplace at lunchtime, if you can, creates even more of a break. You could always enjoy a biscuit, too ...
• Set boundaries between ‘work’ and ‘personal’: keep work within work time, and if you spend time working from home, work in a dedicated location, ideally away from where you usually relax.
• Take the link between work-related stress and mental ill-health seriously: maintaining healthy coping mechanisms like physical activity or hobbies helps you manage workplace pressure.

Taking action for others: start a mental wellbeing conversation

As well as being the right thing to do, creating a supportive and open workplace culture has business benefits. A large-scale study from academic partners, including the London School of Economics, found that a ‘meaningful increase’ in employee wellbeing yields, on average, a productivity increase of around 10%.

To help create this environment, here are some thoughts on ways to become a better listener.

• Listen without distraction: sometimes called ‘active listening’, this means you can be completely focused on what you’re being told.
• Don’t jump in: let the other person finish, and, while they’re speaking, try not to think about what you'll say back. Be comfortable with pauses, rather than leaping in to fill the gap – this often gives people ‘permission’ to share what they’re really feeling.
• Recognise it isn’t about you: there’s often a temptation to respond with your ideas or experiences when someone is opening up. The intention is to be helpful, but in fact, it turns the conversation from them to you.
• Ask open-ended questions: these are questions that can’t be answered with a ‘yes’ or ‘no’. Try saying ‘Tell me’, a powerful listening phrase. Repeat what they’re saying to show you’re absorbing and understanding.
• Sit up and pay attention: leaning slightly forward, smiling, nodding and making eye contact all communicate that they have your full attention.
• Be trustworthy: keeping confidences shows you’ve listened because you’ve understood what’s important, and why.

Another action that everyone working in publishing, print, paper, packaging, graphics and the allied trades can take is to share information about the Printing Charity’s free, confidential and independent helpline within their business.

Everyone should have somewhere to turn if things don’t go to plan, and no problem is too big or too small to call about. The most frequent reasons for calling the helpline in 2025 were anxiety, family problems and stress. As one caller explained: “[The helpline] played a big part in me being able to get into a much better and more resilient place.”

Liz Ross Martyn is Director of Marketing & Engagement at the Printing Charity. Follow her on LinkedIn.

The charity’s website offers online chat support, and its helpline (0333 212 3534) provides emotional support, practical information and guidance.