Exercising Self-Care In The Workplace
The thought of being idle can scare some while others would welcome the break of pace in their daily workflow. While we love some downtime as much as the next person, we find our minds on a constant spin looking out for ideas and opportunities to deliver quality content for the masses. Few understand the importance of self-care and taking their foot off the mental accelerator. Fewer still have found the best-fit methods that actually work. Like athletes who need to set aside a period of downtime in order to perform better back in the arena, creatives need to spend time away from their environment to get back to what they do best — conceptualise creative experiences.
As we spend hours perfecting presentations and delivering projects onsite, we know how important it is to spend time resting the mind, body and soul. At the end of our peak seasons, it is the one thing that our team insists on so that we can tackle new projects with a renewed sense of vigour. We dug deep to find out our teams’ go-to methods that help them recalibrate to ensure that they are performing their best.
Be where your feet are
It is easy to get distracted by that never-ending to-do list. It helps in weeding out the most pertinent items in your list but when that list goes on for ages and you seem to be adding onto it more than you are ticking off items, it can become more of a hindrance than a help. Being able to focus on the task at hand, right in front of you, allows you to shift your energy away from all the pending items that will still be there when you’re done.
This applies to areas outside of work.
When we make time for that well-earned R&R, we do our best to make sure that work remains on the backburner and that our teammates are able to support us in our absence. It is a lesson learned over the years that even the busiest bee in the hive needs time to recharge and come back with that vigour that makes our organisation go around.
Work those doubts out
You would think that running and working out would leave us exhausted. But when it comes down to it, setting aside time to exercise helps us in clearing our headspace. The production of endorphins. It has been scientifically proven that the release of such endorphins alleviates symptoms of stress and offers us an outlet that is necessary for a high-stakes environment.
Travel far and travel often
Spending time in another country gives you time to understand new locations and explore a different space while allowing for downtime that you deserve. With each new location, you learn about a new culture but also opens your eyes to the world out there. For those bitten by the travel bug, this method allows them to escape and find themselves. It is a source of inspiration and feeds the soul when you venture out of your comfort zone.
Get organised
Nothing clutters the mind like a cluttered desk or worse a messy calendar. Our solution is to ensure that we map our days out consistently. This means that we can dedicate blocks of time to each area and not lose sight of the tasks at hand.
It takes the pressure off your mind in kicking things off what might seem like an endless list. By forcing your mind and self to allocate a fixed timing for specific projects you also force yourself to spend your energy wisely.
Conclusion:
While there is no best fit method that will suit everyone, it pays to find new ways that provide you with the downtime that your mind deserves. In taking time to exercise self-care, you reduce the amount of anxiety that you might have and allow yourself to achieve outstanding results.