In our fast-paced industry, it is important to have a year-round focus on mental health and wellbeing which is why we continue to prioritise mental health at LLPR, not just during World Wellbeing Week.
We have an in-house Culture and Welfare Officer who is a trained Mental Health First Aider and spends dedicated time overseeing the cultural aspects of the business and devising new initiatives to boost team wellbeing.
Shona Byrne explains why desk yoga won’t just be a team fad for World Wellbeing Week (27 June – 3 July) and gives her perspective on why having a continual focus on wellbeing in the workplace is so important.
We all instinctively know what we should do and what bad habits can put us in a bit of a funk, leading to our mental health not exactly being in tip-top shape. So why is it that we sometimes continue to ignore what is good for us and remain in a vicious cycle of bad habits?
At LLPR we empower our employees to make the right choices in the day which are going to benefit their wellbeing the most. For example, we normalise taking multiple screen breaks in the day and encourage our team to make the most of their lunch breaks outside. We do this as it is proven to boost morale, productivity, creativity and reduce stress. Bit of a no brainer, right?
This is why during World Wellbeing Week I wanted to build on these pre-existing initiatives and encourage the team to try a few new recommended mindful activities which could easily be adapted to the working day.
Typically, we begin a working day at LLPR with a morning meeting to catch up on anything non-work related. It is important to have this face-to-face time, so it was easy to use this time during World Wellbeing Week to try a series of mindful tasks.
These activities included desk-based yoga, a free writing session and meditation. I also shared MHFA England (Mental Health First Aid) approved resources which provide the tools and questions needed to check in with yourself and be honest about the current state of your mental health.
At the start of each week, I ensure there is plenty of fresh fruit for the team to enjoy and this week was no different but with a few superfood editions which specifically help combat stress and anxiety.
I hope the takeaways have been impactful for the team and that the week acted as a reminder that being conscious of our wellbeing is so important and is such a priority that we’re asking them to take time out of the working day to focus on their mental health.
The smallest tweaks to your daily routine can have the biggest impact on your mental health and wellbeing, and this is something we will be carrying forward as a team. The free writing session had the biggest reaction from my colleagues, and I am already floating the idea of this being a regular feature in our morning meeting slots.