Show up. Really show up. On being present for your team, your colleagues, and yourself.
As Mental Health Awareness Week draws to a close, I find myself thinking the same thing every year. We talk about it for seven days. We share the posts. We add the ribbon to our profiles. Then Monday comes around and everything slips back to normal.
I don’t want that to happen this year.
So instead of another generic reminder to “check in on your people,” I want to talk about something more specific. Something I think many of us are quietly guilty of.
We’re physically present, but we’re not really there.
We sit in meetings while replying to emails. We’re at the dinner table scrolling through our phones. We’re talking to a colleague while already thinking about the next task on our list. We’ve become experts at being busy, and the people around us can feel it.
“Are you ok?” deserves more than a reflex answer. And it deserves more than a reflex question.
This week, and beyond it, I’d ask everyone to do something simple. When someone asks how you are, answer honestly. And when you ask someone else, really listen.
Ask once. Then ask again.
Most people won’t tell you the truth the first time. Not because they’re difficult, but because they’re not sure you genuinely want to know.
So ask again. Make space for the pause. You don’t need to fix anything. You just need to be there.
Step away from the screen for five minutes. Sit with someone. Go for a walk together if that feels easier. Some of the most important conversations happen side by side, not face to face.
You don’t have to be a Mental Health First Aider to make a difference.
You don’t need qualifications or perfect words. You just need to trust yourself.
If something feels off, if a colleague seems quieter than usual, more withdrawn, or simply not themselves, your instinct is probably right. We spend a huge amount of time together at work. We know each other better than we sometimes realise. That familiarity matters.
Use it.
Sometimes all it takes is saying, “You seem a bit quiet today. Are you alright?” That alone can open a door. You don’t have to walk someone through it. You just have to let them know the door is open.
Looking out for each other isn’t someone else’s responsibility. It belongs to all of us.
That’s the kind of culture I want us to build, one where people feel seen, supported, and never as though they have to hold everything together alone.
And if you’re the person struggling right now, this is for you too.
Bad days are normal. Hard weeks are normal. Feeling overwhelmed or like you can’t quite keep up is normal. It doesn’t mean there’s something wrong with you. It means you’re human.
It is absolutely ok not to be ok.
Good mental health is not a “nice to have.” It’s a priority. Full stop.
Supporting each other through difficult moments matters deeply to me, both personally and as a leader. I’ll keep looking for ways to support the people around me. I’ll keep talking about it. And I’ll keep trying to create an environment where none of us feel we have to pretend.
Because the more we talk about it, the more normal it becomes.
That’s the goal. Not one week a year. Every week. Every year.
A few things that genuinely help
01. Show up properly
Put the phone down. Close the laptop. Be fully in the room. Give the person in front of you your attention. It costs nothing, but it means everything.
02. Ask, then ask again
“How are you?” is a starting point. “No, really, how are you?” is where honesty often begins. Follow the conversation instead of rushing past it.
03. Trust your instincts
If something feels off, it probably is. You don’t need training to notice when someone isn’t themselves. Don’t ignore it.
04. Lead with empathy, not solutions
Most people aren’t looking for someone to fix everything. They just want to feel heard. Listening matters more than having the perfect response.
05. Normalise difficult days
If you’re a manager or leader, say it out loud when things have been tough. Saying “I’ve had a rough week” gives others permission to be honest too.
06. Make time, not just space
A passing “you alright?” isn’t the same as truly checking in. Even ten minutes of genuine attention can change someone’s entire day.
We spend so much of our lives communicating through emails, messages, meetings, and updates. But real connection is much rarer.
This week, let’s try to change that, even in small ways.
Be present.
Be human.
Look out for each other.
And ask.
- Claire Daniel-Lepore
