5 ways to wellbeing
Taking notice of my week
You all have those weeks, when it can seem a bit tougher than usual. More ends up in your lap without any warning. As a leader in health we need to be prepared for the unexpected and to be able to look after oursleves in order to look after others.
I recently had one of those weeks - and reflected at the end that I had stayed OK in myself. Interestingly as a team we had decided to track how we looked after ourselves at work for a couple of weeks.
We know in healthcare there will be weeks ‘like this’. Extra jobs will come along, curve balls will be thrown, fires will blaze and people will surprise and need you (usually all at once).
How then do you keep your head above water, keep going, stay OK and be there for your teams and those that need you? I surprised myself this week, being able to keep going and wondered how I managed it. The handy tracker I was fairly thoughtlessly filling in spreads some light on this.
Yes, I worked longer than normal hours this week but I also ticked the boxes for many of the 5 ways to wellbeing. Take a look.
Five Ways to Wellbeing
The 5 ways to wellbeing is a programme supported by the Mental Health Foundation of New Zealand and is a practical list of ‘things’ you can do to maintain your wellbeing at work. Then of course you can spread this to your teams and those you work with.
Connect
Strengthening relationships with others and feeling close to and valued
by others, including at work, is critical to boosting wellbeing.
Give
Carrying out acts of kindness, whether small or large, can increase happiness, life satisfaction and general sense of wellbeing.
Keep Learning
Being curious and seeking out new experiences at work and in life more generally, positively stimulates the brain.
Take Notice
Paying more attention to the present moment, to thoughts and feelings and to the world around, boosts our wellbeing.
Be Active
Being physically active, including at work, improves physical health and can improve mood and wellbeing and decrease stress, depression and anxiety.
Check out the resources and work toolkit that you can download and use.
The things that kept me going have been so simple, taking a few minutes of my time. So often you underestimate the simple or little things you can do to stay well and that can make the difference. Tracking and noting these for the week not only made me smile, it drove home the importance of these little things and how they all added up to me staying well this week. It connected me with what is important for my wellbeing, what works, what dosen't, and where I get the most value.
It’s not long now till Mental Health Awareness Week - check out the additional resources and activities and see how you can let nature in.
