 Staying well - navigating stressful times
April is Stress Awareness Month - and quite probably we are very aware of stress at the moment! The question is what can we do to help ourselves, our colleagues and our teams through these times of home working, furloughing and lockdown.
Stay infomed and act on what you find
Check out government help available to businesses - and keep looking as the support is regularly reviewed and updated.
Worrying about money is a key source of stress, and now more than ever. Check out our Council webpages for local information, seek help for those in a vulnerable situation, talk to your bank, landlord and mortgage company. Be creative with the challenge of living more frugally.
Concerned for your safety? (or that of someone you know) - start with Womens Aid and if you think you might need it, know how to use the Silent Response - dial 999, stay silent, after a recorded message from the police press 55 and you'll be put through to an emergency team.
Check out the previous 2 Wellbeing@Work Newsletters for more information of working from home, staying in touch with your teams, looking after your mental wealth and health and the many health & wellbeing links on the Wellbeing@Work webpages.
Please share this newsletter widely and encourge your colleagues and associates to join the mailing list
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Be more like your pet...
Animals relax and sleep whenever they can (that is most of the time...)
They eat when they're hungry and drink when they're thirsty. They know when they've had enough.
They live in the present and only worry when they have immediate cause - and then they let it go.
They stretch and exercise. They make us smile and feel loved. They seek to be close to their human companions and offer comfort. They know how to look after themselves - and they do it!
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Accept what you can't change, adapt to what's new and do the best you can (it's all we can ever do...)
We will all be experiencing lockdown differently and some of us will be facing more challenges than others, doing more of the following will help us to adapt and thrive, whatever our situation.
Be Kind - kindness is apparently more contagious than coronavirus and it's good for us physically and mentally. Both giving and receiving kindness release the 'kindness hormone' (oxytocin) that counters the stress hormone (cortisol). Now, like never before, is a time to be kind to ourselves and others.
Stay connected - as managers and organisations, it's important to stay in close contact with your staff, including any who might be furloughed or currently released. Quite apart from it being the right and human thing to do, it will help your team integrate back into the business once this episode has passed.
Set goals and write Do Lists - ticking off creates a sense of achievement, and helps prevent the days blurring together.
Focus on the positives - there are many advantages to working from home (no commute...), but adjusting to the change in work environment is sometimes difficult. Think through how you want to do this with this adapting to working from home coaching exercise.
Count your blessings - science teaches that being grateful for the good things in our lives, however small (the sunshine, seeds growing, a smile, a good book, a conversation) strengthens our immune system and makes us happier.
Take care of yourself physically to look after your whole wellbeing - eating healthily, sleeping well, stretching regularly and moving our bodies all affect how we feel. MyJourney list benefits and opportunities for getting our essential exercise.
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Some sources of inspiration, information, guidance and support
The 3 Cs of leading virtual teams - Communication, Collaboration and Culture
Leapers – supporting the mental health of the self-employed
Be Calm. Stay Wise. Be Kind. Action for Happiness has information, calendars, inspiration and activitie to help you look after yourself and those around you.
Social Health a short blog post from the renowned Robertson Cooper about the often forgotten 4th Pillar of Health (the others being physical, mental and financial. They have free resources on resilience.
Keeping your mind open and active - Fresh Air Fridays write a thought provoking monthly blog and the How To Academy are hosting talks and interviews with influential thought-leaders. And there is always the diversity and wealth of TED talks.
Use the NHS resources to look after and manage your mental and physical wellbeing. The Every Mind Matters app starts with a quiz so you get a personalised response to what you could be doing differently to support yourself and each other.
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