A happy working and personal life is, as we know, all about balance. So I like to think of myself as having a ‘well-being bank account’. Keep it well in the black and you’re more able to handle one of life’s ‘withdrawals’ any time – big or small.
It’s not about eliminating adversity (because you simply can’t), but ensuring you have the mechanisms in place to deal with life effectively and a large part of that is ‘a robust you’. It’s easy to go into denial – to keep blindly withdrawing, hoping that things will right themselves eventually. But staying in credit isn’t about luck – it takes care, attention and input.
Rather than neglecting yourself in an effort to keep up with your commitments, make an investment in the most valuable thing of all – yourself. If not, you could find that the next withdrawal you make – even a small one such as a difference of opinion with a colleague – may tip you over the edge.
So, how do you keep your well-being balance nice and healthy? What constitutes a deposit? Most important are the basics: plenty of sleep, a nutritional diet, exercise, quality time spent with friends and family, cultivating a healthy mind, and making time to do things you love. We may know this but such basics are surprisingly often neglected or not truly maximised. Also, it’s really important to make time to engage in activities personally enriching to you such as a daily period of quiet reflection, walking in the countryside, backpacking, periodic parachute jumps, sailing…whatever floats your boat (pun intended). Perhaps check in with these ‘five ways to well-being’ – connect, be active, take notice, learn and give – as identified in a famous piece of research by the New Economics Foundation.
It is important to develop an awareness of the state of your ‘well-being bank account. Make it matter. Make you matter. Then reflect on how best to redress the balance if you find yourself ticking along a little (or a lot) below par. It can seem that there is no time for extra well-being inputs, due to commitments to work or family, but a ‘well you’ is the foundation for the healthy and easeful functioning of all areas of your life. We can also become complacent regarding life balance when energy and enthusiasm for work are high and productive – but too much work focus, and not enough rest and leisure, can be detrimental even in such circumstances. Make some additional deposits in your well-being bank account and you could be amazed how your sense of vitality, productivity and robustness increases and, as a result, your overall sense of happiness and peace.
To address well-being in your business, please get in touch via the quick contact form or give me a call on 07876 495 968 We can discuss possible training and coaching interventions, including Tall Spaghetti’s Well-being and Resilience Training. Thanks!