World mental health day | Everyday mental maintenance

Small steps towards resilience

In anticipation of World Mental Health Day, our wellbeing team hosted a fantastic workshop alongside the brilliant people at Self Space, that was jam-packed with helpful information on how we can all better understand our mental health, and take tiny but meaningful steps towards resilience. Keep reading to find our highlights, we hope you find them useful!

Mental health is a spectrum

We kicked things off by reframing how we think about mental health—not as something that only matters in a crisis, but as a spectrum we all move along, constantly. Some days we’re thriving, some days we’re just about managing, and that’s okay. Just like physical health, our mental wellbeing shifts depending on what’s going on in our lives.

We were reminded that mental health isn’t static, and it’s not binary. It’s dynamic, personal, and influenced by everything from work pressures to family responsibilities to the news cycle. And recognising where we are on that spectrum is the first step to taking care of ourselves.

Everyday tools for mental maintenance

The heart of the session was all about realistic, doable actions we can take to support our mental health. Here are some of the ones we loved:

Micro-habits & habit stacking

Habit stacking is adding small wellbeing actions to things we already do. Consider taking a few slow breaths while waiting for the kettle to boil, or doing a quick body scan while brushing your teeth. These tiny habits, repeated often, can make a big difference over time.

Grounding techniques

We practised grounding exercises that help bring us back to the present moment—especially useful when stress creeps in. Things like pressing your feet into the floor, rolling your shoulders, or naming five things you can see, hear or feel. These can send safety signals to your nervous system and help you reset.

Managing internal narratives

We shared the stories we tell ourselves - especially the ones that start with “I should…” or “I’m not doing enough.” We encouraged each other to notice and name these thoughts, and gently challenge them. Being kind to ourselves isn’t indulgent—it’s essential.

Control vs influence

One powerful exercise was writing down what’s within our control, what we can influence, and what’s outside of our control. It’s a great way to shift focus away from overwhelm and towards action. These small steps can help restore a sense of agency.

Redefining resilience

We also explored what resilience really means, and what it doesn’t. It’s not about being tough or pushing through no matter what. It’s about awareness and action - noticing when we’re struggling and doing something about it. And that starts with self-compassion.

Resilience is not coping silently. A therapeutic definition of resilience is recognising your state, responding to it, and giving yourself permission to rest, reset, or reach out.

Support at Sainsbury’s

At Sainsbury’s, we’re committed to supporting our colleagues with their mental health, from the Employee Assistance Programme to wellbeing pages and lots of guidance for line managers.

A huge thanks to the team at Self Space and of course to our wellbeing team for creating such a thoughtful, energising and compassionate space.