When we did the Amazing Race Health Challenge last year, my colleague Jolene and I would talk about random acts of kindness (something we could get points for in the health challenge). It’s something that I still continue to remember to do- leave a little random kindness for others at work.
So today, I left an anonymous note on my colleague’s desk wishing him a Happy Friday. I have a lot going on personally right now, and it’s been a tough week, so leaving him that note was nice for me too: it made me smile. While I thought I was doing a random act of kindness for my colleague, I never expected that he would return the kindness so quickly:
My colleague realized that I was the one who had left him the note (and somehow, through the grapevine, he had also heard that I was having a tough week). He left work early today. Instead of waiting until Monday, he called me on his way out. His voicemail was such a simple, caring gift: he wanted me to know that he cared, and that we should connect when he returned to the office on Monday.
I thought I had done something for someone else and then I was reminded that we are all interconnected, and that simple gestures can really help one another feel valued and supported. It is in this way that we contribute to the mental health and wealth of our colleagues.
So what do you think? How have you positively impacted someone’s mental health in your workplace?
