Most organizations only invest in physical team building activities, but very few focus on activities for mental health. It is something that needs to be given equal, if not more, importance.
Following are carefully handpicked activities that bring a greater impact to the connection among the team members.
1. Mental Fitness Circle: An Open Space to Talk
Schedule a monthly 45-minute meeting in which team members can voluntarily share how they are feeling emotionally without expectation of “fixing” anything about the situation.
Being heard and seen through active listening through this activity creates psychological safety and increases team empathy.
Ground rule: Just listening, no advice given unless requested.
If possible, have a trained facilitator or mental health first aider present for deeper insights.
2. Purpose Walks: Team Walking Meetings With Purpose
Replace one weekly meeting with a group walking meeting outside. However, if the office has limited space, a simple check-in while walking around the building compound, in a nearby quiet space, or even just standing by a window can work.
Assign a thought-provoking question like, “What’s one value you’re trying to live by this week?”
Some other thoughtful questions are:
“What does a good day at work feel like to you?”
“What’s one thing you wish more people understood about your role?”
“How do you usually reset after a stressful day?”
Movement helps release stress, and outdoor settings reduce cortisol levels naturally.
3. Digital Detox Hour
Once a month, initiate a “no notifications” hour across the team during working hours. Sometimes, the body needed this to reset or energize itself better.
Use the time to reflect, journal, or do mindfulness activities together on Zoom (e.g., breathing exercises, guided body scans).
It creates a rhythm of mental rest and collective boundary setting.
4. Group Art Project: A Team Emotional Mural
Get the team to create as a group a physical or virtual piece of work that reflects their emotional terrain. Be creative; it can be done in any way, whether it is on a mural or through other mediums like painting canvas.
CanIt can done over weeks and looked at in the office or online.
Gives a non-verbal way of processing feelings and feeling connected.
For a better understanding of emotions, advice from the experts can help in interpreting the meaning of these emotions.
5. Peer Listening Partners
Pair employees from different departments for 20-minute monthly check-ins.
The concept is not networking but being present for someone other than your group.
It humanizes people beyond their job roles and builds mental resilience in subtle ways.
Final Thought
Mental health team building activities don’t have to be dramatic or complex. What matters is consistency, sincerity, and creating rituals where people feel seen and safe. If you’re leading a team, start with small steps. Even one monthly check-in could shift someone’s week and mental space for the better.
Even better, these kinds of activities can become a part of culture when they are done regularly. This will shape the workplace into a safer place for people to work, not only productive.
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