Happiness is a word that comes with contest. Philosophers, writers, and artists have been debating its meaning for centuries. Yet only in recent years does it feel we have really begun to assess the relationship between our happiness and our workplace. With a positive shift in the discourse around mental health and wellbeing in wider society, it’s more important than ever to understand how within PR we can balance the needs of our clients, colleagues, and ourselves.
PR is an industry where I am constantly being met with variety; different clients, tasks and opportunities, keep me excited, stimulated and always growing. But like with any career, work/life balance is the key and the time you spend outside of work can not only help you refresh, but also provide inspiration and passion points that help inspire creative thinking.
It goes without saying that the work we do can cause stress, but when 74% of young adults in particular are facing the ‘Sunday Scaries’ it’s clear there’s a culture of mismanaged workplace wellbeing across the UK. If you find yourself suffering from anxiety or mental health issues, we always recommend talking to someone and seeking professional support – you can find a link to resources at the end of this post. But day-to-day there are also simple steps we can take to improve our wellbeing and happiness. I spoke to members of our team to find out their top tips to help balance our professional and personal lives, and support their long-term well-being.
Our personal happiness tips:
To help me think about how I look after my own wellbeing, I asked my colleagues for their tips, tools and personal practices to boost their happiness. Many of us talked about music as being uplifting, especially songs we have nice memories attached to, and definitely those that can be accompanied with dancing. And it may seem obvious but really setting aside time for hobbies, (some of our favourites are cooking, writing and crocheting) where you can be passionate is a form of self-care that doesn’t involve a bath bomb, and can also help separate your home and work life.
Kathryn’s recommended reading:
Another form of pro-active protection of wellbeing involves actively interrogating the current mindsets we have, our lovely Eulogite Kathryn recommends the books ‘The Power of Now’ and ‘When Breath Becomes Air’. She found that these works have transformed her perspective – helping her realise what’s important in life and positively changing her outlook.
Gratitude journaling:
Writer and artist Florence Given is a big proponent of ‘gratitude journalling’ – she advises us all to commit to regularly (if you’re more self-disciplined than me, then try daily!) writing down a list of things we’re grateful for. You might’ve heard that advice before but Given also details why she thinks this is a useful practice for changing your outlook long term. She says, from experience, that keeping a gratitude journal will encourage you to be constantly looking for the small wonders in life which you may have easily ignored before.
Film inspiration:
For fans of romantic comedies, the film ‘About Time’ engages with this similar concept, encouraging viewers to live each day as if they have specifically time travelled to that day to help spot the mundane beauties that trademark our lives. Commit to something small like trying to spot the most eclectic pair of shoes on your morning commute, or even getting off a stop earlier and walking the last leg to enjoy the sun. Noticing the small things that make you smile will encourage you to make the best out of every moment.
#SelfCare app:
In terms of the incremental regular check ins that you can do to help your wellbeing long-term, I am a fan of the app #SelfCare, a free app that takes you to an animated bedroom where you can click on different elements in the room and engage in different mindfulness techniques/activities, like breathing guides and writing prompts. It’s less daunting than having to commit to writing a dedicated diary entry daily, and the guided gamification of checking in with yourself makes it feel easy to put time aside for my wellbeing.
Ultimately, workplace happiness relies on many factors – and largely on finding an environment where you feel challenged, inspired, and supported. Your happiness outside of work will also make a huge difference, so finding a comfortable work-life balance is key.
While these are just a few personal tips from our team, we would always recommend seeking professional support as the first port of call and talking to those close to you. We also have a few recommendations below:
A list of helplines compiled by Mind can be found here, for those who need more urgent and direct help.
Mental Health Matters has helpful resources if you’re looking for support, they can also help you find a service near you if you’d like counselling.
Mind has a dedicated document for businesses who want to implement good mental health standards in their workplace, as well as a guide to the support and services on offer.
And Mental Health UK has shared videos, and downloadable resources on how to value your health and wellbeing.
By I.G.
The post Workplace wellness: What does prioritising your wellbeing actually look like appeared first on Eulogy.