As a project manager, your work can be pressurised at times. There’s a lot to keep track of, and a lot of people to stay in touch with – and when everyone’s suddenly working remotely, these challenges take on a whole new dimension.
We spoke to Chris MacLeod, Fellow of the Association for Project Management, about how life has been this year. In this video, he shares some principles for staying well and supporting your team and colleagues. Then, below, we’ve suggested some resources that can help.
This PDF guide from APM explores the unique challenges faced by project managers and where certain areas of stress might lie. It concludes with a number of recommendations for both organisations and individuals.
As Chris mentions, your physical and mental wellbeing are closely linked. This free template can help you start to create a wellbeing strategy that covers both of these areas together.
When someone tells you they have a mental health problem, sometimes the best thing you can do is listen. This guide can support managers to feel confident in talking about mental health and dealing with disclosures.
We've all had to manage many changes this year, and there's likely to be more changes at work to come. This short PDF can help reduce the stress that often comes with change for both managers and non-managers.
Staying in touch with colleagues might be harder than usual, but it's essential for positive mental wellbeing. Mind's pages about coping during the covid pandemic include some top tips on keeping everyone involved and engaged, even when you can't be together.
Chris shares how resilience is a helpful quality when coping with periods of stress and change, This factsheet explores what employers and staff can do to help build up their resilience and bounce back from problems they are experiencing.
Working apart, it can be difficult to spot when someone might be needing extra support. This poster explains some of the signs that someone may be experiencing poor mental health, which might help you know when to reach out,.
While working from home can ease some pressures, it can increase them in other areas. This PDF guide from Unilever invites you to check that the pressure you are under is healthy and productive.
Managing your own mental wellbeing while working from home is also crucial. This guide from Our NHS People explains some of the challenges of working from home, and explores how you can manage these.
Team leaders like Chris have a responsibility to support their staff when times are tough. This guide from Bupa explores some ways leaders can help their teams look after their own mental health in challenging times, such as the coronavirus pandemic.
