Remember to be Kind to Yourself – Take A Break

Taking a break can be as simple as that cup of tea or coffee in the morning, reflecting on the day ahead…

Embracing your well-being and supporting the well-being of others is a key part of reducing psychosocial (mental health) risks in the work place.

It’s only now that work health and safety frameworks are being developed that can be used to address such risks.

However, the simplest strategy you can use is to take that break, have a cup of tea or coffee whether it’s by yourself or with others and reflect on what needs to be addressed.

This one action alone has the ability to tackle a number of psychosocial hazards. For instance, when you stop and sip that cup of tea you are reducing stress caused by high (or low) job demands. As you reflect, it’s also an opportunity to think about ways to tackle the lack of job control (e.g. burn out, micromanagement, unclear boundaries) you might be experiencing. If you are participating in a group morning tea, it could be an opportunity to discuss with others whether they need further support at work.

Simple solutions work. You just need to be prepared to embrace them 😊

5 Minute Read – The Whitehall Study

As you have your cup of tea, coffee or other beverage this morning, track down the Whitehall Study and how its learnings can be used to create a more equitable workplace. When I first reviewed Whitehall 1 many years ago, it transformed how I looked at stress in the workplace. This study has continued on (Phase 13 has just finished) – its results might very well surprise you regarding its insight into who actually suffers the most stress in the work place.