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This week, as we continue with the focus on wellbeing and mindfulness, we would first like to take a moment to wish everyone a happy Thursday and hope you have had a good week so far!
We all know that wellness is starting to get the attention it deserves within the working environment, becoming a particularly hot topic in relation to remote working, and there is no doubt that it is a great tool to boost productivity, improve team dynamics, and create a better working environment – which we touched on in last week’s blog on organisational wellbeing and how businesses can support their teams both in the remote workplace.
However, it is also important to remember that it plays an essential role in our personal health and happiness as well – especially while we are all trying to stay at home as much as possible and limit our “in-person” social contact with the outside world and loved ones.
So, today we thought we would continue the conversation with Kate Flowerdew – our go-to wellbeing specialist and coach, to delve a little deeper and address wellbeing from a more individual perspective and suggest a few tips that each of us can try to include in our daily lives to help keep us sane, happy and healthy…
So, Kate, first off, a big thank you for coming back and providing us with some more insights!
What do you think we can do, as individuals, to improve our personal well-being in the current climate?
There’s no simple answer to this one as the reality of it is that everyone is experiencing their own set of challenges right now. The parents trying to juggle work and homeschooling might literally have zero time for themselves during the working week. Whilst someone in a flatshare might be working from the corner of their bedroom and have no space to switch off and relax in. Then someone living alone might have an ideal set up for work but feel completely isolated and lonely.
The list of challenges impacting mental, physical and social wellbeing is long and diverse, and we all like to deal with those challenges in different ways. But, there are some overarching principles that we can try to incorporate, so here are five “all-rounder” key tips I would recommend:
1). Create some sort of ritual to mark the start and end of your working day:
Whist few of us like to be squashed on a train with thousands of commuters at rush hour, the daily commute had a purpose in that it signalled the beginning and end of our working day. The blurry lines between work and home are not just about the physical space we’re in but also our headspace.
Whether you go for a walk around the block, set up your office and pack it away, listen to a song that gears you up and another that helps you unwind, or even have a change of outfits to signify the difference between work and rest mode, it’s really important to have a marker, especially at the end of your workday to help you switch off.
2). Give yourself permission for self-care:
For some crazy reason, many of us think we have to endure everything life throws at us without taking a break or looking after ourselves along the way. Maybe we believe burnout can’t happen to us but of course, it can happen to anyone. Why would we want to take that risk? We can all be our most resilient selves when we’ve got plenty of tools in our self-care kits. I recommend the following formula and having something in the toolkit for each:
3). Acceptance:
You don’t have to like the situation you’re in but the more you fight it or resent it, the more your stress escalates and the more out of control you’re likely to feel. By regularly taking a moment to press pause, be present and simply accept the situation for what it is, you will create moments of calm.
Breathing exercises can really help here to help you feel grounded and the best part of this tip is it really only takes a few moments and you still get the benefits.
4). Fresh air:
It’s easy to get stuck inside during the cold months but getting out for a quick walk is the perfect way to blow the cobwebs away. If you can’t see a gap in your schedule, check if there are any internal meetings you could do as a walk and talk.
Connecting with nature is an extra benefit for your mental health so try to take in the trees, plants and birds around you whilst you’re out – you don’t have to live in the countryside to find nature in your neighbourhood.
5). Reach out to others:
You might have concerns over the well-being of a friend, colleague, or family member so make time to touch base, even if it’s a quick message to let them know you’re thinking of them and notice your spirits get lifted in the process.
Another way to add an extra feel-good factor to this activity is to give feedback on something positive you’ve observed in a colleague or show gratitude and appreciation with a thank you card.
Some great advice and definitely ties in with the ethos of the Foundations Team – we love our morning walks to give us that new commute to the “remote office”.
We hope that these tips from Kate help you incorporate more wellness into your schedule, and if you are interested in finding out more about Kate’s coaching or her Free 5 Day Challenge (we will be taking part this week) you can contact her at info@kateflowerdew-wellbeing.com.
Next week we will be speaking with the team at Ebb&Flow – looking into how to stay energised at your desk, as well as some free resources to inspire your personal wellbeing journey.
As always, if you would like to discuss Foundations either personal career development or talent acquisition and growth you can Contact Us to arrange a call with one of our directors.