16 Mental Health Awareness Activities for a Happier Team

Between packed schedules, back-to-back meetings, and looming deadlines, it’s easy for employees to put their well-being on the back burner. Over time, this constant pressure can lead to stress, burnout, and disengagement, making it harder for teams to stay motivated and connected. That’s where mental health awareness activities can be a step forward in tackling workplace stress and creating a more supportive work environment. Whether it’s a mindfulness session, a creative workshop, or a simple team-building exercise, these activities give employees a chance to recharge and prioritize their well-being.

In this article, we’ll share 16 mental health awareness activities that can help your team reduce stress, build meaningful connections, and create a healthier, happier workplace.

Why Host Mental Health Awareness Activities at Work?

Mental health awareness activities give teams a dedicated opportunity to focus on their well-being. Team members get to share conversations about their wellness routines, exchange self-care tips, or even discuss daily challenges that might otherwise be overlooked amid busy work schedules. This can make them feel more supported, valued, and comfortable seeking help when needed.

In fact, a recent wellness study found that about 78% of employees reported feeling much better after participating in a well-being experience. These findings further highlight why hosting calming mental health awareness activities should be on your team’s calendar. It’s perfect to equip teams with tools to prevent stress and remind everyone that their well-being matters.

Mindfulness Activities for Relaxation and Focus

1. Meditation Sessions

Sometimes all it takes is a few minutes away from the workday buzz to feel recharged. With Hooray Teams’ meditation session, teams can slow down and unwind in a relaxed setting. A certified expert guides teams through a series of breathing exercises followed by a calming meditation.

Along the way, they also explore how to practice mindfulness using breathing, stillness, and visualization techniques. You can even tailor the event to themes like gratitude, self-compassion, or resilience for a more personalized experience aligned with your team’s goals.

2. Zentangle Drawing

Zentangle is a mindful drawing technique that involves creating intricate patterns using simple, repetitive strokes. The process encourages participants to focus on the present moment rather than the final outcome, making it a calming addition to your mental health awareness activities. Teams mark a freehand border on their papers and draw curvy lines to divide the sheet into sections. Once done, they fill each section with repetitive patterns and shade them with pencils to add depth.

The idea is to focus on the process rather than the outcome, as every stroke (even the mismatched ones!) contributes to the final creation. You can also play soothing music in the background and set up a digital gallery showcase to further elevate the experience.

Here’s a tip: If you have a remote team, opt for an expert-led Zentangle art workshop from platforms like Hooray Teams for a seamless experience.

Did you know that participants are not allowed to use erasers while drawing Zentangles?

3. Yoga Sessions

Looking for mental health awareness activities for teams that combine both movement and mindfulness? Yoga sessions offer employees an opportunity to stretch, relax, and return to work feeling more refreshed. Through a combination of gentle movement, stretching, and mindful breathing, employees can release built-up tension, improve focus, and take a much-needed break from work. Plus, with a variety of styles to choose from, it's easy to find a format that suits different fitness levels and comfort zones.

Here are a few popular forms (beyond classic yoga) to choose from:

Chair yoga: Gentle stretches performed from a chair, perfect for desk-bound teams.
Pet Yoga: A playful session where participants practice yoga poses alongside their pets.
Yin Yoga: Longer-held stretches that promote relaxation and flexibility.
Hatha Yoga: A beginner-friendly practice focused on basic postures and breathing.

Quick Tip: Encourage team members to participate at their own pace and consult a health care professional in advance if they have any physical limitations.

4. Herbal Tea Tasting

Herbal tea is often associated with relaxation, self-care, and wellness routines, which is why a herbal tea tasting can be a great addition to your mental health awareness activities. Participants sample a selection of herbal teas while learning about their unique flavors, origins, and traditional wellness benefits. Along the way, they share their first impressions, discover new blends, and even exchange their favorite brewing tips in a relaxed setting.

Looking for the best blends that promote relaxation? Try the ones listed below:

Chamomile: for stress relief and relaxation.
Lavender: to calm the mind and ease tension.
Lemon balm: to lift mood and reduce nervousness.
Peppermint: to soothe digestion and refresh the senses.
Rooibos: to support calm and provide antioxidants.

Try This: Have a distributed team? Opt for the expert-led virtual herbal tea tasting event with kit by Hooray Teams to enjoy a calming experience from afar.

Creative Experiences for Self-Expression

5. Terrarium Workshop

Terrarium building combines creativity, focus, and the soothing presence of greenery to create a calming, hands-on experience for teams. With Hooray Teams' terrarium-building experience, participants join a live, expert-led session to design miniature gardens using succulents, moss, and decorative elements. The platform even delivers curated kits with all the supplies, ensuring participants have everything they need to join the session.

If your team wants to try something other than the classic globe terrariums, the platform offers options such as sealed terrariums, geo pyramid terrariums, wall terrariums, moss walls with air plants, and more.

Did you know? Botanist Nathaniel Bagshaw Ward created the first ever terrarium by accident in the 1840s.

6. Clay Modeling

Working with clay offers a tactile way for teams to unwind. The simple act of shaping, molding, and creating something tangible can be surprisingly relaxing. Using easy-to-find supplies like air-dry clay, teams can build miniature objects such as trinket trays, keychains, or desk decor while experimenting with different textures and designs.

For a more structured experience, you can share prompts like ‘sculpt something inspired by nature’ or ‘Design a miniature accessory’ to give teams a starting point. Also, save some time in the end for a mini show-and-tell session to appreciate each other’s creations.

Pro tip: Opt for hosted pottery classes with kits or bring in an expert to guide teams for an insightful experience during your mental health awareness activities.

7. Gratitude Jar

With packed schedules and endless to-do lists, employees rarely have the opportunity to acknowledge what they're grateful for. A gratitude jar activity helps teams pause, reflect, and celebrate the people and moments that make their days better. Participants select prompts from a jar (remote teams can use a virtual spinner) and share what they are grateful for based on the same. By the end, employees walk away with a better understanding of what matters to their colleagues and a stronger appreciation for the people around them.

If you’re looking for prompt ideas, here are a few:

A personal achievement you're proud of this year.
A skill you've developed that has helped you grow.
A moment that made you smile.
A small win from this week.
A workplace benefit you appreciate.

Quick Tip: Let participants share their reflections voluntarily whenever they feel ready, ensuring a comfortable, low-pressure experience.

8. Nature Painting

When was the last time your team took a moment to appreciate nature? Hosting a nature-painting session as part of mental health awareness activities can help teams slow down and reconnect with nature's restorative qualities.

Teams can choose themes like forest scenes, beach sunsets, mountain ranges, or go for something simple like flowers and trees to create their artworks. We recommend using a mini canvas to create the paintings, as it can later double as desk décor and serve as a visual reminder of the calming experience.

Here’s a tip: Share inspo pictures with your team from platforms like Pinterest to make participation easy for all.

Stress-Relief Activities to Reduce Workplace Tension

9. Stress Management Workshop

Workplace stress is inevitable, but giving employees the tools to manage it can make a meaningful difference in their day-to-day experience. A stress management workshop helps teams better understand common workplace stressors and develop practical strategies for handling them. Led by an expert facilitator, the session can cover topics such as setting boundaries, managing workloads, and maintaining a healthy work-life balance. For added engagement, include an Ask-the-Expert segment where employees can ask questions and discuss challenges in a supportive environment.

Include these talking points to make the most out of the session:

Recognizing the early signs of workplace stress and burnout.
Identifying common stress triggers in remote, hybrid, and in-office environments.
Setting healthy boundaries between work and personal life.
Creating a personalized stress-management plan.
Knowing when and how to seek additional support.

Pro Tip: Collect anonymous questions in advance to create a safe space for open discussions.

10. Laughter Yoga

Research shows that activities with laughter interventions reduced cortisol levels by 32% in adults. And that’s why the Laughter Yoga session by Hooray Teams is perfect to create a fun, energizing, and surprisingly effective stress-relief experience for your team.

An expert host guides teams through intentional laughter exercises with breathing techniques that often lead to genuine laughter along the way. The activity helps employees relax and connect through a fun shared experience.

Here’s a tip: Since laughter yoga involves deep breathing and sustained laughter, encourage team members with heart issues or respiratory problems to consult a doctor before joining.

11. Pet Therapy

Did you know that even 45 minutes of interaction with pets can reduce cortisol levels? A pet therapy session can be a fun experience for employees, allowing them to interact with therapy animals in a relaxed environment while enjoying a mindful break.

The event can include meet-and-greet sessions, virtual pet introductions, or even “bring your pet to work (or Zoom)” for lighthearted interactions. For team members who do not own pets, simply learning about a colleague's furry companion or observing interactions with therapy animals can spark lighthearted conversation. This, in turn, can help reduce stress, lift moods, and bring people closer together in a natural, unforced way.

Quick Tip: If someone is allergic to animals, provide alternatives like showcasing a beloved stuffed animal so everyone can participate comfortably.

12. Guided Grounding Exercises

Feeling overwhelmed by a packed schedule or back-to-back meetings? When time is limited, simple grounding exercises can offer a quick mental reset without requiring employees to step away from their desks. Techniques like box breathing, mindful observation, and sensory awareness can be practiced almost anywhere, without any special equipment, and are easy to learn through online tutorials. These exercises are designed to bring attention back to the “here and now,” helping employees feel more centered and in control within just a few minutes.

Common grounding techniques to include:

5-4-3-2-1 sensory exercise: Notice 5 things you see, 4 you feel, 3 you hear, 2 you smell, and 1 you taste.
Box breathing: Inhale, hold, exhale, and pause in equal counts to regulate breathing.
Object focus exercise: Observe a nearby object in detail, focusing on texture, color, and shape.
Color hunt activity: Identify and list items of a specific color in your surroundings.

Here’s a tip: Create a shared resource guide so employees can revisit these exercises when needed.

Bonus: Lighthearted Games for Teams

13. Wellness Scavenger Hunt

A wellness-themed scavenger hunt turns everyday wellness items into clues for a fun and engaging team activity. Teams follow a set of prompts to complete small, wellness-focused challenges within a set time. Depending on your setup, this can be done in-office, remotely, or as a hybrid experience, making it a flexible option for diverse teams.

Check out these prompt ideas to get started:

Find something that helps you relax, like a scented candle.
Find something that makes you feel comfortable, like a cozy blanket
Find something that helps you stay calm, like a fidget tool
Find something that supports your well-being, like herbal tea
Find something that represents “me time,” like a journal
Find something that helps reduce stress, like aromatherapy oils

14. Stress Buster Bingo

Looking for a simple way to make mental health awareness activities more interactive? The Hooray Teams Stress Buster Bingo combines the excitement of a classic bingo game with wellness-focused prompts and trivia questions. A dedicated host shares custom digital bingo cards with the participants, featuring wellness habits or trivia questions, and calls out random prompts during each round. They just need to listen to the host’s call, mark off the matching prompts to create a winning combination, and shout ‘Bingo!’

Here are some sample prompts for your cards:

Takes a screen break during lunch
Drinks 3 liters of water every day
Takes a short walk after lunch
Listens to calming music while working
Declutters their workspace often
Prefers healthy snacks over processed food
Logs off on time
Owns a standing desk
Turns off notifications after work
Practices yoga regularly

15. Guess the Emotion: Emoji Challenge

Understanding emotions is an important part of building stronger workplace relationships, but it doesn't have to feel like a lesson. With mental health awareness activities like Guess the Emotion, teams can explore different feelings through fun emoji-based prompts. Participants observe emoji combinations representing various moods or everyday workplace situations and guess the emotions. It’s a simple yet effective game that helps everyone to express their thoughts in a more relatable way.

Here’s what you can include in your game materials:

😃🎉💼: Excited and motivated at work
😫📅📊: Overwhelmed with deadlines
😌☕🌿: Enjoying a peaceful break
😴💻🌙 : Feeling tired after a long workday
😄🏆👏 : Proud of achieving a goal
😔📉📈 : Ups and downs of a challenging project

Try this: Have your team create their own emoji combinations and challenge others to guess the emotion.

16. Pattern Recognition Puzzles

Pattern recognition puzzles give employees an opportunity to shift their attention away from work and engage their minds in a calming way. Teams tackle cognitive puzzles either individually or in groups, focusing on identifying sequences, spotting differences, and decoding visual or logical patterns. The activity helps everyone slow down, shift attention away from work, and enter a more mindful state without pressure.

For puzzle ideas, check out the list below:

Find the missing shape: Identify the element that completes a visual sequence.
Complete the number pattern: Predict the next number in a logical progression.
Spot the difference: Find subtle changes between two similar images.
Odd one out: Choose the item that doesn’t fit the pattern or group.
What's Next? Challenge: Predict the next item in a visual or logical pattern.
Memory Grid Match: Observe a grid of symbols and recreate the pattern from memory.

Quick Tip: Run timed puzzles (2 to 5 minutes each) so they feel refreshing rather than mentally draining.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What are some good ways to support mental health in workplace?

You can host meditation sessions, stress-relief workshops, gratitude exercises, and team-building experiences to support your team’s mental health at work.

How to pick the right mental health games and activities for workplace?

Choose mental health month workplace activities and games that match your team’s preferences and skill levels. A good mix usually includes calming activities (like mindfulness or yoga), interactive games (like bingo or scavenger hunts), and creative sessions (like art or journaling).

What are some mental health awareness month virtual activities for remote teams?

The best virtual mental health awareness month work activities include meditation sessions, yoga classes, online scavenger hunts, and stress management webinars.