Beating The Isolation Blues: Why We’re Partnering With Mind Australia

Beating The Isolation Blues: Why We’re Partnering With Mind Australia

Posted April 13, 2020

It seems especially poignant to write from my home office about the reasons we decided to partner with a mental health charity this year. As most of the world’s workforce has migrated to their spare room we’re in a state of limbo, as communities are united in their struggle whilst being physically separated.

Going back, late last year when we sat down to decide what charity we would like to partner with for 2020 we asked ourselves, what is the issue of the day? In that, what is prevalent but underfunded and under discussed? What issue touches the lives of the majority of our population? Of course, we decided that it was mental health.

Beating The Isolation Blues: Why We’re Partnering With Mind Australia

It’s a polarising subject as traditional attitudes are to brush it under the carpet, but that is ending. The conversation is far more open and people are starting to feel as though they could approach their bosses and disclose the struggles they are feeling and request some time and help for issues such as burnout, depression, anxiety and a whole host of other conditions. Whilst that shift is fantastic, it’s moving at an extremely slow pace.

That’s why when scanning the market we came across Mind Australia and instantly loved what they do. They work to support people struggling with mental health issues in a much more practical way, providing practical solutions for the family and friends of the person suffering as well as themselves. They also work to raise awareness, something we’re particularly interested in bolstering within the corporate environments we often find ourselves within.

How better to raise awareness about an issue we want to start fundraising for than to ask you to imagine and consider things we may all be feeling at the moment:

Loneliness: This is a major issue which often stems as a side effect rather than a symptom of mental health. People who suffer with depression or other anxiety based disorders often find themselves isolating from the outside world as it seems overwhelming and scary.

I don’t have to break this one down too much, the fear in the atmosphere is palpable. Today I forced myself to go for a run at lunchtime as I have been doing every isolated workday and you can see people stepping aside as I go to run past. Sensibly so, might I add. It’s a time where people are isolating out of choice but that doesn’t make it any easier.

Stress: Much of the stress in the air is caused by the fact that there is no end in sight. It’s the uncertainty which is powering our fears. Uncertainty over our health, when this isolated situation will end, how secure our jobs are and even about whether we’ll be able to buy enough toilet paper!

This is one which really hits the families and people around someone with mental health issues as well as the individuals themselves. With the uncertainty of your own or a loved one’s well being, it’s hard to ever relax.

Grief: As we know, at the moment many people are at risk and are passing away. Dealing with grief is always difficult but especially when you’re isolated from loved ones and may not even be able to get the closure of attending the funeral of someone who has been part of your life.

Boredom: This is akin to loneliness and causes people to mull and overthink; an atmosphere in which anxiety thrives.

I know my boredom is a major thing sending me mad, it’s led me to the mass purchase of jigsaw puzzles, painting my kitchen and even making a full roast beef dinner as a long time vegetarian.

All of this just touches the surface of why we’re proud to say we will be partnering with Mind Australia this year.

Our first initiative will be to donate the cost of the coffee we would buy for all of our partners and clients when we catch up with them.

We estimate that throughout the month of April we will raise $1000 as well as being able to chat to a whole host of different people and ask, simply, how are you doing?

If you’d like to donate, please visit our everyday hero page here.