Easy ways to improve wellbeing in the workplace
November 6, 2019
3 min read
It’s easy to underestimate how much of an effect our work has on our wellbeing. But it really does impact us hugely – after all, full time workers spend between 8-12 hours a day at their job, which is more than the average Brit spends asleep! And with Stress Awareness Day upon us, it’s important to be clear about the impact our work lives can have on us all. Employers play a huge part in maintaining our wellbeing at work, but there are also a few things we can do as individuals to help support ourselves too.
Practice worktime self-care
Everyone needs a break from concentrating every 20 minutes or so. Use the time to stretch your neck and back, look away from your work and have a drink of water. Keep healthy snacks on hand for afternoon energy dips, and also keep a hand cream at work, no matter your job – when dry skin hits it can be extremely distracting and uncomfortable. Our Orange Flower Hand Repair™ 50ml tube is the perfect size for slotting into a desk drawer or locker.
Try Stealth Meditations
In her book ‘Real Happiness at Work: Meditations for Accomplishment, Achievement, and Peace’ Sharon Salzberg recommends ‘stealth meditations’ to help guide you into a more positive, calmer mindset. Although these tips are geared more towards office jobs, they can easily be adapted for almost any type of work:
- Let your phone ring three times before answering, and use those seconds to take a deep, grounding breath.
- Focus on one thing at a time, and don’t be distracted by emails or notifications while you’re getting something else done. This goes for meetings too – be fully present and listen to what people are saying instead of checking your inbox.
- On days where you’re feeling down or discouraged, find a colleague you can help out, whether it’s with a task, a problem, or just a friendly ear.
- Perform simple acts of kindness every day – something as small as holding a lift door, asking someone how they are, or making a round of tea.
Create a comfortable environment at work
Feeling secure and comfortable at work helps productivity and makes you feel good. Keep your workspace tidy, add a few small personal touches to your desk or in your locker, and if you don’t have your own area at work, why not team up with your colleagues to make your breakroom as homely as possible?
Make good use of your breaks
The key to self-care is to listen to the needs of your mind and body – but you can’t do that if you never take a break from work. As often as possible, spend your lunch break thinking about non-work things, taking care of yourself, and moving around to let your muscles stretch out a bit. A great number of jobs involve doing the same thing over and over again – taking time to make sure you get some variation in your movement and activity levels will really help you to feel refreshed. While there are many factors we can’t control about our jobs, these tips and ideas should help you create an environment where you can feel good about going to work.