This week is Mental Health Awareness Week in the UK.
We at Gregor take this subject very seriously – we feel now more than ever, it’s crucial to talk about mental health. Our mental well-being is just as important as our physical health, yet it’s still often overlooked or dismissed.
This week serves as a reminder that it’s okay not to be okay and that seeking help is a sign of strength, not weakness. Whether you’re struggling with stress, anxiety, depression, or any other mental health challenge, know that you’re not alone.
Taking care of our mental health isn’t just about addressing issues when they arise; it’s also about building resilience and building healthy habits that support our well-being every day.
The theme of this year’s week is ‘movement’, and we have just the person to talk about this.
Shaun has been our contracts manager for 13 years, he loves exercise and a challenge and has been running half marathons and taking part in triathlons for many years. In just five weeks, on 16th June he’s taking part in his first Iron Man event which he’s been training for the last 18 months.
Here’s what Shaun has to say about mental health and movement.
“Doing exercise helps with stress, mental health, everything. Whether it’s running, swimming or cycling. I’ve always done exercise – but when my kids were young I didn’t do it as often. Then I found the stress of work and parenting etc crept up on me so I got back into it again. Even when I am not training for an event I exercise – for me it’s like maintenance and a release. It’s something I do for myself, and I try to encourage everyone to do it, especially my work colleagues and kids.
Leading up to this event I do about eight training sessions a week, sometimes twice a day and I always make sure I have rest days. I love a challenge and the Iron Man is something I always wanted to do. If I can do this – I feel as though I can do anything!”
We asked Shaun the one thing he would tell anyone if they were thinking of introducing more exercise into their lives:
“Find like-minded people – don’t do it by yourself because it’s not as much fun. When you are there with people there is consistency, they encourage you, and you have accountability. If you say you’ll meet someone at 7am for a run – you have to be there and they will be there too.”
How Gregor promotes more movement during the workday
Prioritizing mental health isn’t just crucial in the workplace, but it significantly impacts overall well-being. This year, the focus on movement deeply resonated with us at Gregor, both personally and professionally. Many of our team members engage in various sports activities outside of work, whether it’s football, tennis, or hitting the gym. We frequently hear them echoing Shaun’s sentiments about the benefits of staying active.
To further promote movement during the workday, not only do we have the cycle to work scheme in place, we also introduced a table tennis setup in the office, which has been a tremendous success during lunch breaks not just for movement but for the social aspect it brings as well. Beyond our workplace, we believe in supporting the community’s access to recreational activities. Over the years, we’ve actively contributed to local sports and community clubs and will continue to promote exercise, movement and good mental health. You can find out more about Mental health Awareness Week here.