“Case management is never finished… but your wellbeing matters just as much.”

To mark International Men’s Day, Michael Byrne, one of our Senior Case Managers, has shared a powerful and honest reflection on surviving 10 years in case management, while keeping his mental health intact.

From learning to switch off at the end of the day, to embracing physical routines and peer support, Michael’s blog is a must-read for anyone in a demanding clinical role.

Well, this is outside my comfort zone and fairly cringe-inducing but… having survived in case management for 10, often challenging, years, I have had my arm twisted into writing a blog post for Men’s Mental Health Week. Despite my cynicism, this has been a rewarding exercise; we all have our ups and downs and, although reluctant, I can safely say I am fairly well qualified for this, so here it is..!

Understand its never finished

My aim is to focus mainly on the things that help outside of work, but it is important to contextualise the nature of case management first…

If I have learned one thing, it is that case management is never finished. Our clients’ lives don’t stop because we have recruited and trained an excellent new Support Worker, resolved a conflict between family and support staff or held a productive MDT meeting and typed up some great notes. No matter how hard you work and how many things you tick off your to-do list, it is always on to the next thing. Even if a case closes or moves on for whatever reason, there will always be another referral coming your way. Learning to accept and live with this relentless process has allowed me to understand how important it is to…

Stop and switch off

One of the most crucial things at the end of a working day (especially leading into the weekend) is to absolutely switch off from thinking about clients, colleagues, and all the things I still need to do. Compartmentalising work as a separate thing from my family and personal life is one of the most important things to me. I need to let my mind stop going round in circles, worrying about the next action or the next risky situation a client will find themselves in. Actively thinking about work during evenings or weekends when I should be giving my full attention to something enjoyable achieves nothing, so I think it is really important to remind yourself that it is a positive thing to totally switch off once the day is over. I have plenty of interests outside of work, which I won’t bore people with here, but I live by the idea that your professional life is only a fraction of what makes you who you are and there is nothing wrong with not defining yourself by the career you have chosen.

Like, I assume, many others, I am guilty of pushing beyond the 5pm cut off in order to get things finished. However, in order to have a restful night of sleep (more on this below…), your mind needs plenty of time to unwind and relax before you go to bed. It can be tempting get one more email sent or to finish that report but, in the long run, you are not doing yourself any favours by denying your mind time to relax and recuperate ready for the next day. So don’t push it too late!

Use physical actions as off switches

Like many case managers, the majority of my time is spent working from home. Although I could never go back to a daily commute, that way of life did at least used to put some mental and physical space between work life and home life. Having a dedicated space for working in is really crucial; it can be easy to let this slip when there is a comfy sofa calling to me in the next room, but physically moving into a space that has nothing to do with work at the end of the day is a massive aid to being able to switch off mentally, so I really try to keep my work space separate.

Even little actions like actually shutting down my laptop properly, rather than cramming in as much work as possible until the last possible moment before slamming the screen shut, seem to tell my brain that I am not in work mode any more. If its an option, switching off my work phone and putting an out-of-office reply on emails can really make a weight lift from my shoulders. At one stage I used to get changed out of ‘work clothes’ – I have let this slip but writing this is a reminder that it is another useful ‘off switch’ to get back into.

Look after your body and mind

We live in a time where we know what keeps us healthy, yet it’s easy to let things slide under pressure. Building and sticking to healthy habits ensures you have the energy you need.

For me, a 15-minute walk before work (and often at lunch) is essential. Movement doesn’t drain energy—it boosts it. Morning sunlight also helps regulate sleep cycles.

I run or swim a couple of times a week. Find a routine you can stick to long term—you won’t regret it.

I’ve even embraced the occasional 20-minute power nap. It’s not for everyone, but it can turn an exhausting afternoon into a productive one.

Most important of all: sleep. Aim for 7–8 hours every night. Neuroscience backs this up, and Matthew Walker’s Why We Sleep is a great read if you want to understand why.

Healthy body, healthy mind—they really do go hand in hand.

This applies to most jobs, but especially to mine: having at least one trusted colleague is essential.

Someone you can vent to, share experiences (while respecting confidentiality), ask “silly” questions, and find humor in tough moments.

Case Management can be stressful and emotionally demanding, so bottling things up is a mistake, peer support matters.

Clinical supervision is part of this, but if it’s not working for you, act to get the support you need. Peer support from someone in a similar role is different and complements supervision.

Case management isn’t for everyone—I’ve seen many come and go, but following this approach has helped me enjoy it.