Forget Blue Monday: Top tips to boost wellbeing for 2015

Monday 19th January is 'Blue Monday' - supposedly the most depressing day of the year.  Well, let's not dwell on that.  We prefer to be optimistic.

So for all those in need of some inspiration, motivation and practical advice to sharpen up their health, wellbeing and performance for 2015, here are 9 top wellness tips that will benefit any organisation.  Feel free to share these with your colleagues and if you'd like any help with designing a fantastic wellbeing programme for your business we'd be happy to help.

Be clear on individual objectives and specific deadlines
Most people have vague ideas about what they’d like to achieve with their wellbeing. Providing staff with regular coaching and advice will really help them firm up these vague ideas, get to the heart of why they want to make changes, inject motivation, add accountability, and ensure they put together an effective plan to achieve lasting success.

For dramatic results, be consistent
Remind everyone that even a small amount of daily activity will create a positive mind-set, and that completing just a couple of exercise sessions each week will add up to 100 workouts a year. That’s enough to keep anyone feeling positive about their fitness routine, and achieve great results.

Fuel yourself regularly
Grazing throughout the day on well-chosen meals and snacks stabilises energy levels and is the most effective strategy for weight management. Encourage the habit of healthy choices, little and often.

Make a plan and follow it
Help individuals establish what a specific healthy eating plan looks like for their routine and their objectives, and then provide the resources they need to follow this plan. Simple information on how to plan recipes, prepare a selection of meals, and shop effectively can save staff time, anxiety and money.

Take regular breaks throughout the day
Many people run through their day at a million miles an hour only to find that by the end of it they feel exhausted and have spent valuable time in the wrong areas. Regular review moments ensure attention is focused on appropriate priorities and create time to refuel, recharge and ensure consistent energy. Prioritising time for yourself can minimise stress and maximise effectiveness in all areas.

Set boundaries
Every individual needs to establish what work-life balance means for them so they can plan their schedule and set their priorities. Without an idea of what you’re aiming for with your time management and life balance, you risk a lack of focus and tasks taking longer than they need to. Be proactive in this area. Decide how much time you want each week for yourself, your family, exercise, sleep, hobbies, socialising etc and also be very clear on how much time you feel is optimum for you to spend working. Without a plan work may encroach onto other areas and leave you frustrated. Knowing your boundaries also helps you operate most effectively during your work time and ensures you plan and delegate efficiently.

Take charge of technology
Technology can make our lives easier or it can take over our routine and eat time. It’s up to each individual to design an approach to making the best use of their phone, email and the internet. And remember, there is an off switch!

Prioritise sleep and recovery
Our mind and body need recovery time so rather than stealing time from sleep to pack more into each day, prioritise your rest and recovery. You’ll become more efficient at using time wisely when you’re well rested rather than tasks taking longer than necessary because you feel fatigued.

Make fitness a resolution for the year, not just for January
For busy workers it’s far better to be realistic and complete 1 or 2 quality workouts per week, every week, than to aim to exercise 4-5 times a week and then end up squeezing activity in when you’re distracted, wasting energy on ineffective training time, or feeling that you’ve let yourself down if you don’t manage to fit in everything you planned. Bear this in mind when thinking about New Year resolutions and plan to feel great for the entire year, not just for the first two weeks of January! 

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Wellness & Personal Performance Made Easy: Part 2

I wrote this article for HR Zone...

We continue our journey towards great personal energy, efficiency, productivity and enjoyment of both our personal and professional lives, by examining more simple lifestyle changes that are tried and tested and proven to result in people feeling great and performing to the best of their abilities.

Prepare yourself for a good night’s sleep every evening

Let your mind and body know that a restful night is approaching with rituals and routines that calm you and prepare you for good recovery. For most people, this means a period of winding down, leading carefully towards falling asleep. Listening to relaxing music and reading are popular strategies. Deep breathing or meditation is becoming very popular. Whatever you choose, make sure you set aside sufficient time for sleep preparation.

Close off the day

Unfinished business is something that keeps many people awake – things can pop into your head to prevent you from dropping off or, if you’re unlucky enough to wake up in the night, these thoughts can come flooding into your head and prevent you from falling asleep again. Each evening, put your concerns to bed before you put yourself to bed. Take a few moments to note down anything that’s on your mind and either write a practical action to resolve it, or schedule a time to tackle it the next day. Ideally, do this in the early part of the evening so you can spend the latter part of the evening on things that you enjoy and that you find relaxing.

Give personal meaning to healthy eating by setting clear objectives

Much time is wasted by people deliberating over every choice they’re faced with throughout the day. Things like, ‘should I have another coffee?’ or 'will I have chips with my lunch today?’  Whether you eat for health, energy, mood or weight management, this decision-making is made far easier if you stay focused on your overall healthy eating objectives at all times. Then, simply ask yourself if what you are about to choose will get you closer to your objectives quickly, or will it get in the way of you achieving your goals sooner rather than later.

Create habits that work for you

Be very clear when it comes to the quantity and timing of your meals, snacks and drinks. If you decide to have two coffees per day, choose the time at which you’ll have them. If you’re planning to moderate your alcohol intake, select specific days off and decide how much you’ll be drinking on your ‘on’ days. Pick optimum times for your AM and PM snacks and use them to ensure good fuel and great energy for the morning and the afternoon.

Watch the clock

Remember that you should never let four hours pass without eating or drinking something to boost your energy. Past this point you feel physically sluggish and mentally you might have trouble focusing. This is why being prepared with snacks is so important.

The secret to exercise success

If you’re not clear on why you really want exercise to be in your life, you’ll come up with some great ways to fill your days to the point where there’s no time left for getting active. On the other hand, those who make exercise work for them identify specific, personal and compelling exercise goals. These goals may relate to completing particular events, fundraising initiatives for charity, team commitments, weight management targets, social interaction, increasing energy levels and maximising enjoyment of life.

By giving some careful thought to the purpose of exercise within your routine, you’ll be able to plan and execute your ideal solution, boost energy, increase effectiveness and save time. Welcome to the world of wanting to exercise rather than feeling as though you ought to.

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