Prioritize Mental Health: Strategies for Managing Stress in Restaurants

3 Min Read By Mental Health First Aid from National Council for Mental Wellbeing 

Working in a restaurant is a marathon, not a sprint. To get through a long shift, chefs, managers, servers, hosts and waitstaff need to make wise decisions and take care of their health.Whether you work in the front of house or in the kitchen, the stressors of every shift can wear you down. Eventually the weight of it all can take a toll on your emotional and physical wellbeing. If that toll is not addressed, anxiety, depression and other mental health challenges can develop. You might feel tempted or even peer-pressured to rely on substances to deal with the stress.

In a survey conducted by AmericanAddictionCenters.org, one in ten food service industry workers reported that they are under the influence of drugs for the majority of their work shifts, and around one in 20 alcohol.

Factors that can influence unhealthy coping strategies in the restaurant industry include:

A culture that encourages substance use.  Excessive workloads. Expectations to pick up additional shifts. Low…