If I was able to wave a magic wand to establish a priority in all organizations, it would be for wellness! Most might assume that it is due to this ongoing pandemic and while the need for wellness may be more pressing today, it was a growing need long before COVID-19 hit. The importance of wellness in the workplace is increasing as mental health issues, anxiety, depression continue to skyrocket in both adult and children population. If you don’t want believe it is just the right thing to do, then believe very clearly that when your people are not well, your organization does not function at its best.
In Alberta, a number of school divisions have decided to inject some wellness days into their November calendars. Given the commitment to students and their learning by school staffs during this most difficult time, I applaud those divisions for providing this well deserved wellness break. But I’m also quick to point out, through my own experience, that suddenly changing a calendar can be extremely difficult in some communities. So, I would never say anything negative about those divisions who, for a variety of reasons are unable to do the same.
It is nice to see that not only are school divisions trying to focus on wellness but large business organizations as well. For example, the IBM K-12 Leadership Team has hosted a non-work noon social every Friday to check in with their team members since March. As I read some of the comments on social media, it was very evident how important these check ins were to team members. Even as little as one hour, once a week can dramatically impact wellness. There would be many similar organizations who without needing the wave of the magic wand, place wellness as a priority.
But regardless of whether you are in an organization that values this priority or not, wellness is also an individual responsibility. There may be limits on what you can do to enhance your own well being but there are also a great many possibilities that are not directly connected to your place of work.
How many times have we heard a comment about someone’s poor attitude? Your own attitude has a great influence on your own wellness. Anger, frustration, hate are emotions that can sour your attitude pretty quickly. By contrast, those who are hopeful and express gratitude tend to have a rosier disposition. Your well being is not enhanced by a lack of emotion but rather from an increased dose of positive emotions, thoughts and actions.
But, once we’ve “flipped our lid” as expressed by Dr. Jody Carrington or engaged in that social media tirade, its already a little late to positively impact our well being. Increasing our wellness quotient is about prevention, not reaction.
I’ll begin, as I always did when I was a Superintendent of Schools, with a reminder of the importance of faith or spiritual wellness. This is not about a particular religion or even attendance at church, although that sometimes really helps many. It may simply be a connection with nature but, whatever your beliefs, spiritual wellness is an essential component of overall well being. The pandemic has certainly impacted my own ability to attend weekly mass. My wife and I have had to keep our social circle fairly small due to some health vulnerable people in our lives. Weekly mass was a critical part of my own faith life and now without that regularity, I’ve been forced to ensure my own spiritual wellness is still nurtured. Not particularly easy, but I know that without my intentional actions, my spiritual wellness would be gravely compromised. The bottom line is that wellness is greatly enhanced when your faith or spirituality is well intact.
Physical health also contributes to overall wellness. I’ve always been a regular gym attender but that has been taken away due to the pandemic. Being a runner (or a plodder at best) was another activity that kept my mind sharp. I’m not overly impressed with this getting older but a knee injury has forced me to substitute my runs for slower and much shorter walks. It is not perfect but it allows me to get outside for some fresh air and get a little exercise as well. That activity, even as limited as it is, keeps my appetite in check too! Eating healthy, getting good rest and being active all improve one’s wellness.
While there are many ways all of us can take on the challenge of wellness, I would submit one last idea…staying connected! We are wired for connection and although it may be less face to face in today’s scenario, it must still be a priority. We’ve learned through this pandemic to do much of our work virtually. Virtual check ins, coffee dates or a number of those types of opportunities must be taken full advantage of during these times.
I certainly don’t want to minimize the many struggles that people are facing today. Nor do I want to assume that the above suggestions are cookie cutter solutions for mental health issues. I just think that we all need to try to find our own ways to improve our wellness quotient. Organizations need to do their part but so do we!
