Posted on 12/04/2022 by Charlotte Frank
It has been nearly three years since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic and it’s safe to say we have all experienced heartache, grief, and a general strain on our mental health, due to this.
With lockdown after lockdown and restrictions to follow, accompanied with people’s home’s becoming their workplace and quarantine spaces being put in place, there is no wonder many of us need a helping hand with our wellbeing.
Needing a helping hand, or a reminder to look after yourself, is never anything to be ashamed of yet sometimes is considered a taboo subject. We did some research and have collated the best tips we could find to combat poor wellbeing. Now, before we can give you our tips we need to talk about the main contributor, stress. Work can be stressful. In a recent survey by the South China Morning Post, around 87% of people feel more stressed in their job since the beginning of the pandemic.
Stress can be caused by; high demands, loss of control, lack of support, poor relationships, the type of role you have and poor change management. When you are feeling stressed, it can make you more anxious, makes time keeping hard, you can suffer frequent mood swings, feel withdrawn, find it hard to keep your emotions under control and struggle to find motivation. This in turn, will affect how you are performing at work; therefore, it is in everyone’s best interest to look after your wellbeing.
A great way to monitor your wellbeing is keeping track of it using the list below. ‘PROWELL’, a well-known methodology for assessing employee wellbeing, features a list called ‘7 Dimensions of Workplace Wellbeing.’ The 7 dimensions encompass the 3 major domains of wellbeing; physical, mental, and social, which have descended from Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs. Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs is a motivational theory in psychology comprising a five-tier model of human needs, often depicted as hierarchical levels within a pyramid. According to PROWELL these are the key components of what creates a working environment that embodies positive mental wellbeing:
1. Physical fitness- Physical
2. Physical comfort- Physical
3. Physical nourishment- Physical
4. Cognitive wellbeing- Mental
5. Social wellbeing- Social
6. Emotional wellbeing- Mental
7. Environmental wellbeing- Physical
So, what can we do to hit all seven of these dimensions?
1.Physical Wellbeing
Practice good all-round selfcare: Practicing good selfcare is important not just for your mental but physical health too. Eating well, staying hydrated, regular exercise, a good sleep pattern and a good work/life balance are just some things you can do to keep your mental health in check, making sure your body feels good physically goes a long way in enhancing your mental health. Another great boost is to practice mindfulness and having a positive mental attitude. Although we cannot guarantee that this will be a quick fix, prevention is always better than cure, by trying to stop problems happening in the first place.
2.Mental Wellbeing
Take a break: Sometimes taking a break can feel like a luxury but it is very necessary, if you are feeling overwhelmed you are not going to do anywhere near what you are capable of, overworking can be a recipe for burnout. Take a breather, step away from your screens, get some fresh air. A five-minute break can do wonders, stepping away from a situation, even for a short amount of time can help to rationalise how you are feeling. If you are working from home, it may be slightly harder to step away from the work chaos, a great tip here would be to try and create a separate working space, preferably somewhere you can close the door on and step back into your home comforts.
3.Social Wellbeing
Communication: Utilise the support around you, tell people how you’re feeling, ask for help if need be. You may be familiar with the old saying ‘communication is key’ and in this case, it really is, chances are you are not the only person to be feeling overwhelmed and stressed in a situation. Speaking to colleagues, friends and management will help you to not feel alone and aid you in receiving the help that you need. If you are part of the management team you should be encouraging openness and acceptance in the workplace, a great way to ensure your employees feel as though they can speak to you is having one to one sessions.
The tips above aim to help you keep a well-balanced life and boost your wellbeing even in stressful situations. We hope they help you to amend your workplace wellbeing and remain in a positive mindset even when dealing with stress. If you are looking for further information on any of the tips and advice we have shared, you can visit the references below.
https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3095716/coronavirus-87-cent-hong-kong-employees-suffering
https://www.wellbeingpeople.com/2019/06/21/how-to-improve-health-and-wellbeing-in-the-workplace/
https://blog.smarp.com/employee-wellbeing-definition-importance-best-practice
https://www.innovativeworkplaceinstitute.org/workplace-wellbeing-prowell.php
https://education.nsw.gov.au/student-wellbeing/whole-school-approach/wellbeing-framework-for-schools/cognitive-wellbeing-strategies