More Flexability-Less Work-More Pay – A Cure For Mental Illness?

I have always been interested in human psychology.

I got a college degree in the subject after I got out of the Army and I sure could have used it when I was still in uniform because the Army can be a crazy place to be!

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Mental Health Issues Impact Yakima

In fact, I met my ex-wife in an Abnormal Psychology class. (that shoulda been a clue...for BOTH of us!)

Mental health issues are so significant and so important to our happiness and quality of life in the country and in our local communities.  In Yakima, much of the homeless problem, drug and alcohol addictions and even crime, all have a mental health component.

Mental Health is a serious issue in Washington.

Even before the COVID-19 pandemic, poor mental health had reached a crises level in the (Washington) state, particularly among young people. Last year, as in past years, suicide was the second leading cause of death for Washington youth ages 15 through 24, according to the state’s Department of Health.

How Much Money Is Enough To Help Fight Mental Illness

A year ago, Gov. Jay Inslee (D) issued an emergency proclamation declaring a youth mental health crisis and despite $393 million in federal and state funds allocated in the most recent budget for behavioral health spending over the next two years, advocates and politicians say the money falls short in serving struggling low-income and homeless youth.

So while our next generation struggles with mental health issues compounded by a shortage of the necessary funding to help, many of those in the current workforce are feeling pressure and stress threatening their mental health too, and again, money is seen as part of the fix as well.

Depressing Numbers on Mental Health

According to a new study, almost two years into the coronavirus pandemic, nearly 7 in 10 working Americans feel burned out with little distinction between work and life, and a majority (58%) believe their job is their main source of mental health challenges.

How do you feel about your job?  When asked about solutions, workers had a 3-part suggestion for improved mental health on the job

Higher pay, a four-day work week and flexibility to work whenever, wherever were the top three things private and public sector employees said would improve their mental health. Flexibility is important enough for employees that 51% of tech workers and 24% of government workers would be willing to sacrifice 5% or more of their pay to work with control over their hours and location.

Flexibility Helps Us Handle Life's Unexpected Stressers

It's often said that Americans today aren't as mentally strong or resilient as our forebears and maybe that's true.  But it's also true that life today is a lot more complex, a lot more complicated than back-in-the-day.

Almost 60% point to the job as the cause of the mental health problems, so that's a pretty good place to start to look for a national fix.