Taking the time

Monday 10 October 2022 marked World Mental Health Day, and now more than ever it feels important to focus on time for ourselves, and to check in on others.

According to the World Health Organisation, since the pandemic the world has seen a 25% increase in the prevalence of anxiety and depression, and Mind states that one in six employees will experience mental ill-health each year.

We’re also, dare I remind everyone, in one of the biggest climate crises the world has seen. Watching the news these days is depressing to say the least, and personally I always find it tough having the pull of wanting to be informed on global events, versus feeling drained from the effort.

In this age of information overload, thanks to social media and its constant presence, both in our personal lives and business, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed and so it’s good to be reminded to take a step away if needed. Although I must say that LinkedIn, for the most part, seems to exist as a great platform for building a sense of community in the metal packaging world. Since becoming CanTech editor it’s allowed me to see the humans behind the machines that make the industry successful, and it’s also been a huge help in reaching out to people I would have normally felt isolated from, it being such a colossal sector.

Thankfully it is also an industry which rightfully prides itself on being one of the most forward-thinking and sustainable out there, and over the past few days I’ve seen a lot of companies come forward to highlight World Mental Health Day, and show the support programmes and schemes in place for their employees to protect their wellbeing.

So, make sure you’re checking in with yourself, your colleagues, friends and family this week, and let’s continue to work together to build a better world for all.

• Alex Rivers (she/her), CanTech International editor
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