(Updated on 13 February 2026)
Living in a hustle city like Hong Kong, most of us have experienced stress from work, fast-paced lifestyle or relationships. There is no exception for domestic workers. Due to the cultural difference and language barrier, helpers may suffer from emotional distress. To help your helpers deal with their mental health, here are some tips for your guidance.
1. Practice meditation
Ask your helper to sit comfortably and follow these steps:
Sit straight. Relax shoulder and face. Gently close eyes. Focus on breathing in and breathing out and nothing else.
This simple meditation technique may help relieve domestic workers’ stress and bring their mind back to the present.
For housemaids, they may sign up FREE yoga class offered by Andiappan Yoga Community (AYC), which is partnered with Anahata Yoga, a non-profit organisation offering yoga classes to people in need.
2. Distract your domestic helper from stress
You may encourage them to distract themselves from stressful situations, for examples, reading books, watching movies or hanging out with friends.
The community group of HelperChoice is dedicated to providing domestic workers in Hong Kong FREE weekend activities, such as hiking, yoga classes and bakery workshops etc. We welcome all Filipino helpers and Indonesian helpers in Hong Kong to join our group. The details can be found on our social media (Facebook: @helperchoice)
3. Get enough sleep
If your housemaid suffers from insomnia, you may encourage them to follow a regular bedtime routine, listening to soothing music. Don’t use their electronics before bed.
According to our last year’s research <<3 Out of 10 Domestic Workers in Urgent Financial And Emotional Support in The Fifth Wave, Employers Rise up to Support>>, 54.1% out of 546 domestic workers in our survey only slept for 4-6 hours per day. Adults aged from 18-60 years old need at least 7 hours of sleep for good health and well-being as suggested by Centers of Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Therefore, employers should ensure that helpers have sufficient sleeping hours every day to maintain good mental and physical health.
4. Write a journal
Encourage your maid to let their thoughts flow on paper. Just feel free to write anything they want. Apart from venting their frustration in the journal, you may also motivate them to write 5 positive things that make them happy and keep their mind on the bright side.
5. Have a healthy diet
Encourage your helper to reduce their intake of highly processed food and beverages and try to eat more whole foods such as vegetables, nuts, beans, fruits and seeds, maintaining a healthy and balanced diet.
6. Do exercise
If your housemaid is inactive, you may encourage them to try jogging or biking that are less strenuous. Doing exercises that they like may help them stick with the practice in the long term. There are easy hiking trails for beginners, like Bowen Road Fitness Trail or the Peak. Read here for more Short Hiking Trails In Hong Kong proposed by Sassy Hong Kong, which can be completed within 2 hours!
7. Deep Breathing
Breathing is always a good practice for calming the mind and nervous system. Inhale through the nose and exhale through the mouth. Breathe in gently and regularly. Then, let it flow out without pausing or holding the breath. Keep doing this for 3 to 5 minutes.
Alternatively, helpers may try counting their breaths by 3-1-3: breath in on 3 counts, hold breath for 1 count and breath out on 3 counts. Repeat this practice several times. After continuous practice, helpers may lengthen the duration of each segment, like 4-2-4 or 5-3-5 depending on their progress and body condition.
8. Connect with others
Encourage your maid not to isolate themselves or keep all their thoughts in mind. Ask them to connect with others like their friends and family over the phone or face-to-face.
9. Listen to music
Music is a good stress reliever because it gives your helper a mental distraction. Start by searching for a playlist for stress relief. Choose light and bright music instead of heavy metal music and let helpers enjoy the me-time moment.
10. Seek for counselling
If the situation is getting more serious, you should encourage your helper to seek for counsellors or therapists’ professional help.
For mental support, domestic helpers may reach out to Help For Domestic Workers, which is a non-profit organisation in Hong Kong aiming to empower domestic helpers and support equal and fair employment.
Another organisation domestic workers may contact is The Zubin’s Foundation, which strives for the mental health among ethnic minorities in Hong Kong and provides necessary mental support for those in need.
In the past, HelperChoice and The Zubin’s Foundation co-hosted a FB live for Mental Health Awareness among domestic workers in Hong Kong. You may click here for the replay link.
Lead with Empathy, Not Just Authority
Supporting your domestic helper through emotional distress is about more than just managing a worker; it is about recognizing the human being who cares for your family. When you prioritize their mental health, you create a culture of mutual respect and compassion that resonates throughout your home. At HelperChoice, we believe that the most successful household partnerships are those built on empathy and a deep commitment to domestic worker welfare. By being a supportive employer, you ensure that your helper can thrive, which ultimately allows your family to thrive as well.
Need A Visa Renewal For Filipino Helpers?
HelperChoice team can process visa renewal for your helper. It will take around 2 weeks to process the visa renewal for Filipino helpers.
How To Contact Us?
If you would like to enquire about how to find a domestic worker on HelperChoice platform or visa process for your helper, please feel free to contact us via Whatsapp or book a 15-min consultation session with us.
Did You Know?
Premium Members (members who subscribed to the paid service on HelperChoice platform) can get a 10% discount on visa package service, including both local hire and overseas hire. Register now!