FACT: The average person will spend roughly one-third of their lifetime at work – maybe more. Work occupies a good chunk of our time each week and, quite often, the majority of our brain space too…and yet it’s during this time that we are most likely to neglect our personal health and well-being. Danger!
Instead, picture this: A world in which we work and actively take care of ourselves simultaneously. As the Wellness Manager at SRW, my role is to encourage, support and provide opportunities for our ragtag bunch of hooligans to continuously tend to their own well-being during the workday (and beyond). A company culture that cares about its team, promotes balance, health and a whole lotta fun is a place that fosters creativity, increases satisfaction and makes exceptional work.
So, now that you know I’m legit, here are a few hot tips from me to your team, too. These small changes can help everyone, every day:
Listen to your body’s cues – don’t ignore them.
Your body is sending you purposeful signals all day long to tell you what it needs. Stop and listen to them. If it’s telling you that it’s hungry, take a break and eat to give yourself energy for the rest of the day. If you are feeling anxious, give yourself 10 minutes to walk, move or mediate (whatever you need). Beyond even the day-to-day, if your body has been trying to tell you something is wrong for a while with pain or discomfort, this is your sign to finally address it. Don’t let things fester until they turn into issues that you simply can’t ignore.
Hoolie, Becca McClure, out for a midday walk in beautiful Alaska.
Reframe ‘stress’ into something more positive.
What if the word ‘stress’ wasn’t in our vocabulary? What could we replace it with that has a more positive connotation? Try reframing your stressful moments by swapping the word with something like ‘challenges’ or ‘experiences.’ “I’m facing X challenge right now…” We may not be able to control everything that causes us stress but we can control our perception of it, and might even be able to find opportunities within it.
Find joy in small moments.
Did something or someone provide a small moment of joy today? Take that moment – that feeling – and carry it with you for the rest of the day. If you can’t find anything that brings a smile to your face, create it. Step away from the “shoulds” and savor the good.
Schedule a 5-10 min stretching break.
Sitting for long periods of time day after day can be detrimental to our health. It also doesn’t keep the creative juices flowing! For one week, try scheduling a stretching break into each day. Take this moment to reset your energy and move your body.
Take a short break during the day from social media / the news.
If this sounds challenging, start with just minimizing your daily social media consumption by 15 minutes. The scrolling can send us into an emotional tailspin and feed anxiety. Give yourself a break because you deserve it. It’s not going anywhere.
Celebrate the little victories (and the big ones too).
At the end of the day, make a list (or share them with someone else) of your small wins from the day. Had a day that was full of meetings and you feel like you accomplished nothing? You probably achieved more than you even realize so give yourself some time to let it sink in.
Hoolies, Asha Lodhia and Madison Asher, enjoying a walking 1:1 meeting.
Walk. Walk. Walk. Walk. Walk. Walk. (as once sung by Rihanna)
While the weather is nice, get outside and walk as much as possible. It’s such a simple thing you can do for your mental and physical health. Busy day slammed with calls? *Migos voice* Walk it while you talk it! Walking meetings truly get the creative juices flowing and produce some of the best ideas and conversations.
