Wellbeing at work is a particular passion of mine. I know what it is like to experience burnout from working the wrong way. A few years ago, I was working in a consultative role I mainly enjoyed but it was a tough environment and I had a niggling feeling I’d never reach my full potential in that team. I was working silly hours, driving beyond the health and safety guidelines for work, and working with bullying clients. I was drained and counting down the weeks until a break at Christmas.
Eventually my body said no more and I ended up with a rare viral attack of rheumatoid arthritis, affecting every joint in my body. I literally couldn’t dress myself. My illness took me away from work for 2 weeks and it was 3 months (with lots of acupuncture and a serious re think about how I was working) before I was feeling myself again.
Some time ago, I signed up to do Arianna Huffington’s Online Thrive Course in partnership with Oprah no less. The Thrive book is a great book if you haven’t read it and focusses on redefining success and wellbeing at work. It’s pack full of the science that backs up this wellbeing philosophy. The world we work in is definitely changing with information overload, the ability to work through our sleep, demanding expectations, the pull to live an extra ordinary jam-packed life.
It is now more than ever so important to create a working environment and culture that supports both you and your teams’ wellbeing. Research shows that a work environment that supports individuals to do their best work gives you better results as a business.
Happy healthy workers = happy clients and happy profits after all.
Outside of the environment you work in, there are things YOU can do to minimise the risks of burnout. To help you get going, I have summarised Thrive’s top tips for success and how to avoid burn out.
- Meditation for wellbeing – Find time to meditate. If it was good enough for Steve Jobs, it’s good enough for us. It’s no longer an activity bestowed only on the hippydom market. It’s made it mainstream, and the scientific benefits of meditation are finally catching up with what the enlightened crowd have always known to be true. It helps your creativity, it reduces your risk of depression, anxiety, alzheimers and other mental emotional ailments.
If you want to learn meditation the effortless way, one you can do anywhere anytime, with or without your headphones we have our very own meditation teacher, Rev Jo Royle. We can also arrange for group meditation training. To find out more about this drop me an email jennifer@wearefrankly.co.uk
- Sleep – Yep I know some of you young uns think it’s over rated but when you’re working at warp speed, sleep is essential. It is suggested you check into your sleep routine and remove all electronic devices from your bedroom ESPECIALLY YOUR PHONE!! Yes I did just say that. Aim to get half an hour extra than you’re used to. Use a different alarm and leave your phone in the lounge. She also recommends that you have a switch off time in the evening where you stop looking at your device. I have found this immensely liberating. I also turned off my alerts for social media and now allocate two slots in the day ‘to play’. I refuse to be a slave to social media. Being mindful of the temperature (ideally cool) and the light (ideally pitch black) can also aid better sleep, as will following the same routine every night.
- Get outdoors and move – Thomas Jefferson claimed ‘ the object of walking is to relax the mind’. So take your next 121 outside and have a walk. I used to take a lot of my team’s 121’s outside and we’d walk around the campus, sometimes with a take out coffee. A problem faced side by side will always feel more embracing and safe than the intensity of a face to face one. Fresh air, nature, a change of perspective might just unlock those creative juices too.
- Get wisdom – learn to listen to your inner intuition. ‘Intuition not intellect, is the open sesame of yourself’ Einstein. Meditation helps me to do this. A more lighter way of tapping into your intuition is to follow this little exercise. Ask yourself a question with the word Truth at the beginning and then notice if your energy feels lighter or heavier. For example, ‘Truth – should I take on this new client?’ If your energy feels lighter you’re intuition is giving you the go ahead. If it drops…. You might need to dig a little deeper before deciding.
- Let go of that which doesn’t serve you. I think this one needs very little explanation. Life is too short…
- Embrace gratitude – another easy one. Buy yourself a posh pad. Write a daily list of all that you’re grateful for in life. And one day challenge yourself to write 100, I bet you find it easy!
- Experience wonder. This section is all about ‘just being’. It’s about coming back to the moment we’re in. After all, it’s the only one we ever have right? Breathing is a great way of becoming present (are you breathing? I hope so. Slow it down. Deepen it. Notice and release any tension from your body. Better? Good!). Find something which ignites joy and expand with that feeling whenever you need a good check in. And finally be forgiving. Judgements of you and are banned.
- All about GIVING. We’ve been talking random act of kindness in the marketing world for oodles of time but how often do we embrace it for ourselves and those we love? Kindness doesn’t need to cost alot either, a compliment and a kind word can have more value than a physical gift. Take time to notice people, compliment them and give where you can. You will end up feeling more alive and connected.
- And finally – Get a dog/furry friend! Most of you will know I’m slightly dog obsessed. Dogs are a fantastic example of being in the moment and their love knows no bounds. They also encourage you to get out of the house, get some exercise and are scientifically proven to help the release of oyxtocin in humans. Please remember they are for life not just for Christmas!
