It’s time for a break: sports, feelings and the right to mental health wellbeing

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Last month Luke Humphries the world number one Darts player, came out stating on X that he would no longer share his feelings in public.

“Considering the comments and people not understanding what I meant, it will be the last time I ever confess my real feelings to the public.” Humphries statement which you could sense was born out of frustration and upset, came in response to him openly discussing the state of his mental health a day before on Sky Sports. In his interview he had been speaking about his work becoming a “chore”, despite winning in the second round of the International Darts Open, against fellow player Dirk van Duijvenbode. As a result, he needed a break to protect his mental wellbeing. His honest revelation was met with some backlash on social media, to the tune of him not being able to complain given how much he got paid.

Such a response towards Humphries takes us backwards in cultivating environments where it’s okay to speak out, especially post-pandemic where people were encouraged to open up regarding their mental health and wellbeing, and where men historically have been stigmatised for talking about their emotions. This conversation however is not just about men’s mental health, and nor is it about just Humphries and other sportspersons alike, however using his experience opens us up to a conversation around how organisations, or different workplace cultures can foster effective employee productivity, and why it matters.

In fact, it was Dr Linda Duffy, the chartered psychologist and former England darts captain said in support of Humphries opening up, that the Professional Darts Corporation (PDC) and the Professional Darts Players Association’s (PDPA), must look after players, otherwise they will suffer from burnout, especially as the sport in this new era becomes more ambitious.

Delving deeper into Humphries statement, the main issue he seemed to be referring to, was around the increased number of matches that he had to play. As a result, playing had become monotonous:

 

“I’m playing too much.

I need to give something away, I need a break.

It’s no good for my mental state.”

 

His account sems to hint to the joy of work being removed from what he was doing, and this understanding had been lost, I believe, in translation. It was Mark Twain who famously said “find a job you enjoy doing, and you will never have to work a day in your life.” 

 

Written by Dr Ope Lori

 

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Handling the darker days

 

Now that we’re really heading towards winter in the northern hemisphere, the days are feeling shorter and darker and everything seems a bit grey and gloomy. In Denmark, they talk about the concept of hygge, and in Sweden, there’s mysig; both concepts basically refer to being cosy and comfy at home, wearing thick socks in front of a fire place, having some tea or mulled wine, reading books or playing board games by the light of a fragrant candle, and snuggling up with those you love. That’s great for the evenings and weekends, but how can you apply those ideas to work? And in general, how should we cope with the winter, when so many people tend to feel lower in mood and when it’s harder to get the vitamin D, fresh air and exercise we need?

A recent article in The Telegraph had a number of suggestions for staying healthy in the darker, colder months. Among other things, Sophie Goddard’s piece recommends that people sit by the window – whether at work or at home or while on a bus or train – so they get sunlight, and that they take some time to get outdoors during the day. It’s believed that that getting vitamin D earlier in the day promotes good sleep as well as mental well-being, so even if it’s chilly, bundle up well and go for a quick stroll. (Having a dog or a child is very useful for this, because you really have no choice but to take them out for fresh air and movement.) Anything you can do to make the most of the few moments or hours of sunlight that we get during the winter months here is well worth it.

The article also mentions that mushrooms are a good source of vitamin D and that leafy greens are very healthy, adding a burst of flavour and nutrition in the winter, so try to cook with them where possible. Stews, soups, pasta dishes or stir-fries are excellent ways of enjoying mushrooms and greens. Goddard also writes about the importance of taking your time with your meals, and not wolfing them down. Savour them and let your body digest, while having nice conversations with family and friends.

Another thing that Goddard notes in the article is that shoes bring in a lot of bacteria and that leaving shoes by the front door is one way to keep the germs from spreading. If you don’t already have a Scandi-style “no shoes” rule at home or a Japanese approach, where you slip into slippers upon arriving home, you could consider that. We are already more likely to get germs in the winter, because of being trapped with other people in enclosed areas with the windows shut, so anything we can do to reduce the likelihood of spreading bacteria is worth looking into.

 

Written by B.J Woodstein, PhD

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Learning from the BBC’s ‘Ludwig’

Last month, a new comedic crime series was released on BBC here in the UK, entitled Ludwig. Newspaper articles are positive about the plot and the acting, but as surprising as it might seem, this TV show also holds a number of useful ideas that we can employ in the workplace.
First of all, what is Ludwig? The brainchild, so to speak, of brainy actor-writer David Mitchell (from Peep Show and Would I Lie to You? among other shows), Ludwig is about a man, John, who is a solitary type who works as a puzzle-setter (he publishes his work under the name of Ludwig, inspired by Beethoven). John, it turns out, has an identical twin brother, James, a detective with the police. After a particularly tricky case, James disappears, and his wife, Lucy, and son, Henry, enlist John to try to figure out what happened. This involves John unwillingly pretending to be his brother, going to work at the police station and solving crimes while attempting to get access to files that might reveal information about James, what he was working on and where he might be. So far, so silly.

But within this somewhat intricate plot with all its complications – who knew there were murders on a daily basis in the quiet, academic city of Cambridge? – there are many important lessons about challenging ourselves as a way of developing and growing, and about the use of puzzles.

Despite being identical twins and despite Lucy’s help in giving John information about James, John can’t quite be James, for obvious reasons. He is himself acting as James, and there are a number of small differences between the two men, which, strangely, no one really seems to notice, despite the fact that John/James is working in, of all places, the police force, where you’d think that people are trained to be observant. Besides their natural variations, John also can’t quite bring himself to completely subsume himself to his role; for instance, he (sensibly!) needs to have a pen or two in his breast pocket, which his brother would never have done, given the nerdiness of the look. Lucy frets about this, but actually, John, in the role of James, gets praised for these small changes. People who knew James believe that this is James and that he’s made a few adaptations to his look, and they like it. This shows us that it’s okay to not stay the same, even if we assume that that’s what other people want from us. Sometimes people might object to the changes, but others will be neutral about them, or even positive, and ultimately, we have to be true to ourselves. John likes the compliments he receives, but more than that, he learns that people can handle change.

Written by B.J Woodstein, PhD

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