Mental Health Awareness Week, 15-21 May 2023

This years' theme for Mental Health Awareness Week is anxiety, which like stress is a normal emotion in us all, but if we struggle to manage this feeling it can become a mental health problem.

Stress can be defined as our emotional response to an actual stressor, for example taking a look at your to do list at 3pm in the afternoon and realising your not even halfway through it - this can cause you to feel overwhelmed, and may be accompanied by thoughts such as not being able to cope as there is too much to do. Anxiety has similar symptoms to stress, but the key difference between the two is that anxiety is future focused, it's a threat that we anticipate, rather than one that is present.

Here are my top tips to deal with Stress and Anxiety at work:

1. Mindset 🤯

Firstly it's the mindset that we carry into any situation. We all have this train of thought, and either we look at things from an optimistic or pessimistic perspective. So, it’s all about our approach and what set of lenses we choose to look at our difficulties. Shakespeare once said " there is no good or bad, but thinking makes it so".

2. Me-time ⏰

Each day carve out some time just for you, whether that's for 5 or 50 minutes. I wake up each morning and the first thing I do is some breathwork, followed by yoga and a cold shower before breakfast. This leaves me feeling calm, focused and motivated to take on the day ahead. Fill your cup first, because you can’t pour out of an empty one!

3. Set boundaries ⛔️

This means learning to say no sometimes, and focusing on what is actually important - because if everything is important then nothing is important.

Switch off unnecessary notifications on your tech devices.

4. Journaling ✍🏾

Journaling is simply writing down your thoughts and feelings to understand them more clearly. It can also help you to gain control of your emotions and improve your mental wellbeing.

Anne Frank once said "paper is more patient than people!"

5. Talking 🗣️

As a society we are too polite and don't want to burden others with our difficulties, but people can be quite empathetic to your needs and talking can help release the weight you are carrying around. You can talk to a loved one, a close friend, a colleagues, a professional or the Samaritans on 116 123.

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We are all unique, so experiment to see what tools work best for you.

If you would like to find out more about our online and in-person talks on Managing Stress and Anxiety, or the other courses we offer, please contact us here/email hello@thewellnessmovement.co.uk.

Financial Wellbeing - Sarah's Top Tips for Dealing with Debt

The increased cost of living has resulted in a financial struggle for many people. Add to this the January financial hangover from Christmas and increase in mortgage payments as interest rates rise, there’s no doubt times are tough. For many, the line between debt discomfort and debt crisis is worryingly thin. When people are stressed about money this can impact their sleep, personal relationships and even their ability to concentrate at work which is why financial stress is the biggest cause of workplace absence.

And with an increase in energy bills due in April, the increased debt and financial worries will remain for many. Here are ten top tips for dealing to help get finances back on track:

1.       Get to grips with how much you owe - The first thing to do is to understand the full extent of your debts. For each debt you have, try writing down how much you owe, the minimum payment you need to pay each month, the interest rate you’re paying on the debt and when you need to pay it by. It may seem scary at first but putting your debts down on paper will be the first step in taking control and working out a plan of what to do.

2.       Prioritise your debts - Rearrange your list of debts into priority order by putting those debts with the most serious consequences for not paying and the highest interest rates at the top. This will help you to identify which debts you should concentrate on paying off first (see 8 below).

3.       Stop borrowing - It may sound obvious, but it will be harder to deal with existing debts if you keep adding to them. Try to cut unnecessary spending and avoid the temptation of advertised loans which often come with very high interest rates which make it harder to pay back. Breaking the cycle will help to put you in control of your money.

4.       Work out your budget – Use a budget planner (Budgeting & Saving - Better With Money) to work out your income and outgoings each month. Include your debt repayments as outgoings. This will help you to identify if you have a shortfall to address or whether you have some money leftover that you could pay towards reducing debt. If you live with a partner and are dealing with your debts together, fill in your budget together.

5.       Reduce Outgoings – See if there are any non-essential subscriptions or direct debits you could cancel or whether you could save money on your bills or insurance by shopping around. Could you prepare a food planner and buy only the items you need or use vouchers to reduce your grocery spend? Reducing your outgoings will free up more money to decrease debt.

6.       Reduce the cost of debt – Do you have savings that you could use to pay off debt? Could you consolidate debt by moving it to 0% credit cards or cheaper loans? Have you considered re-mortgaging to pay off your debt and spread the cost across the term of your mortgage? When applying for cheap loans or credit cards, use an eligibility checker first, available on most lenders’ websites, to see which cards you’re likely to be accepted for based on your circumstances. If you’re turned down for finance this could negatively impact your ability to get credit in future.

7.       Maximise Income – Are you claiming the state benefits you’re entitled to (www.entitledto.co.uk), are you eligible for any charitable grants? (www.turn2us.org.uk). Are you receiving the correct tax reliefs? (Claim tax relief for your job expenses - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk). Maximising your income will enable you to pay off debt more quickly.

8.       Pay off priority and high interest debt first – Once you know what you can afford to pay on debt, don’t split your money between your debts equally. Pay at least the minimum required on all but pay as much as you can on the priority and most expensive debts first. When these are repaid, shift focus to the next highest rate debt and continue this until you’re debt free. This way you’ll pay the least amount of interest.

9.       Set up direct debits - Direct debits can help to simplify your finances, helping you to budget and ensure your credit cards and loans get paid on time. Missing payments can have a detrimental effect on your credit score which could negatively impact your ability to get credit in future and may push up your rates on insurance products too.

10.   Ask for help if you need it - If you have spiralling debt and can’t make the minimum repayments or don’t feel mentally strong enough to deal with your finances, don’t feel as if you have to struggle alone. You can contact one of the non-profit debt counselling organisations shown here BWM_Debt_CharitiesV2 (betterwithmoney.com). They have qualified debt advisers whose job it is to help you for free regardless of the amount of debt you’re in. 80% of people who seek help for debt feel more in control and happier after doing so.

Dealing with your debts may sound difficult or feel uncomfortable but no debt problems are unsolvable. Following these tips will put you in control of your money and reduce the stress of debt.

The Wellness Movement provides financial education in the workplace to bring money matters to life in an interesting and accessible way. We provide employees with the financial knowledge and tools to budget, reduce outgoings, make cost savings, prioritise payments and maximise income, to better manage debt and insulate themselves against problems in the future.

If you would like to find out more about the “Tackling Debt” webinar or the other courses we offer, please contact us here or email hello@thewellnessmovement.co.uk

Random Acts of Kindness Day

Today is Random Acts of Kindness Day, and I firmly believe that kindness starts with ourselves because if we can be kind to ourselves we are better placed to help others.

Studies have shown that acts of kindness are linked to increased feelings of wellbeing. Helping others can improve our support networks and encourage us to be more active. This in turn improves our self-esteem.

Please see below for some of my tips on how we can be kind to ourselves and others.

Being kind to ourselves:

Prioritise some me-time, so you can relax and reflect on how you are feeling and how your week has been so far ⏰ 

Turn off from your social media channels for a day, or even a week 🫠

Treat yourself to something small, such as buying or planting some flowers 💐 

Do something you enjoy, like listening to your favourite song or dancing in the shower 🎶 🚿 

Spend some time in nature, which is good for your mental health 🌳 

Small acts of kindness can make a big difference in someone else's life:

Have a conversation with a colleague you don't usually talk to 👋🏽

Start a book swap club in your department or team 📚 

Write a postcard or secret note to a friend or a loved one and tell them what they mean to you ✉️ 

Smile at a stranger 😊 

Check-in on a vulnerable neighbour 🏡 

Send a hand-written thank you card to someone who has done you a good turn recently 🖊️ 

Pay for coffee for the person behind you in the queue ☕️ 

Try listening more than speaking today 👂🏽 

Hug your pet 🐶 

I hope you find these tips useful and I would love to hear what acts of kindness you have engaged in today.

Be kind! 🥰

Sha Hussain

Founder of The Wellness Movement

On Valentine’s Day.. what does sleep have to do with relationships?

At a time when we traditionally think of romance (or a lack of it), it’s a good reminder that our relationships with people have their ups and downs.

This is not only the case for romantic partners.. friends, family, colleagues at work - we all have times when we feel more in sync and supported, and other times when minor things irritate or frustrate us.

Research suggests that the amount and quality of sleep we get can have a profound effect on our relationship with others, yet we may not consciously realise it.

Studies show that we rate strangers as less physically attractive, and less appealing to socialise with, when they’ve had a sleepless night than when we see well-rested photos of the same person. 

Facial cues of tiredness can be quite subtle, and yet we can pick out a tired face in seconds: pale skin, swollen eyelids, narrower eyes, or dark circles under the eyes are all reasons to swipe right.

From an evolutionary perspective, this makes sense – our brains instinctively gravitate towards those perceived as healthier, happier and more secure, since they are more likely to support our own survival. Being sleep deprived gives off a signal that something is not quite right.

In fact, sleep deprivation is cue to our own brains and bodies that they may be in danger. If you deprive someone of sleep, the parts of the brain involved in detecting threats become more sensitive, while the ‘pro social’ circuits which promote social interaction are inhibited.

A sleepy person is more likely to choose to stay further away from other people. In fact, one study that tracked mood, sleepiness and social contact over 3 weeks found that a change from feeling very alert, to very sleepy, decreases the odds of social contact that day by 70% (Holding et al 2020).

Sleep deprivation makes us less optimistic and sociable, and worse at understanding and expressing emotions. We feel more irritable, anxious and low, making it harder for us to empathise with others.  Couples who are both sleep deprived are more likely to argue. In the workplace, sleep deprived leaders are rated as less charismatic than their sleep-enabled counterparts.

Studies have found that a sleepless manager is more prone to bullying and hostile behaviour. This has a knock on negative impact on their teams who are more likely to become disengaged, and to neglect sleep themselves. Sleeplessness at work can therefore be contagious.

Fortunately, the remedies for tackling poor sleep are straight forward once you make sleep a priority, and you understand the science of how sleep works.

Here are a few ideas to promote positive relationships at work or home this week..

1. Protect time for sleep - ideally for a minimum of 7 uninterrupted hours in bed. Stick to the same wake up time as often as possible to improve sleep quality.

2. Get outside for at least 15 minutes in daylight in the morning. Bright light tells the brain that it’s day time, and improves alertness, mood and concentration. If you can’t get outside, at least work by a window. One study found office workers with a window slept for 46 minutes longer than those in a windowless room.

3. Move your body; 30 minutes of physical activity can improve the depth of your sleep the same day.

4. Have a warm bath, shower or sauna before bed. Warm water not only helps to relax your muscles, but the body compensates for the external heat by lowering your core body temperature, which helps prepare you for deep sleep.

5. Put the day to rest. If thoughts often keep you awake in the early hours, get into the habit of writing them down during the day, so that you download them long before you get into bed. Set aside 15 minutes at the end of the work day, or after dinner, to write down what you’ve achieved and what’s coming up tomorrow. Keep a notebook by your bed so that if new thoughts pop up you can write them down.. and then you’ll know it’s safe to let them out of your mind.

This week’s journal post was written by Sleep Evangelist, Dr Sophie Bostock - if you would like to learn more about our sleep offering please click here or drop us an email at hello@thewellnessmovement.co.uk.

Our latest sleep topics include:

• Fighting Fatigue: how to manage your energy when you’re under pressure

• Sleeping with uncertainty and change

• Managing your energy 24/7: how can sleep science help us adapt to shift work

• Sleep for Peak Performance: how sleep works, and how to make the most of yours

Financial Wellbeing - Sarah's Tips for Dealing with Debt

Sarah Steel is our Head of Financial Wellbeing, an experienced financial professional and a Fellow of the Pension Management Institute.

The rate at which prices are rising in the UK has dropped back slightly, but inflation remains near a 40-year high. In response, the Bank of England has increased interest rates to 4%, the highest level for 14 years. There’s no doubt times are tough. For many, the line between debt discomfort and debt crisis is worryingly thin. When people are stressed about money this can impact their sleep, personal relationships and even their ability to concentrate at work which is why financial stress is the biggest cause of workplace absence.

And with an increase in energy bills due in April, the increased debt and financial worries will remain for many. Here are my ten top tips for getting your finances back on track:

Ten top Tips

The increased cost of living has resulted in a financial struggle for many people. Add to this the January financial hangover from Christmas and increase in mortgage payments as interest rates rise, there’s no doubt times are tough. For many, the line between debt discomfort and debt crisis is worryingly thin. When people are stressed about money this can impact their sleep, personal relationships and even their ability to concentrate at work which is why financial stress is the biggest cause of workplace absence.

And with an increase in energy bills due in April, the increased debt and financial worries will remain for many. Here are ten top tips for dealing to help get finances back on track:

1.       Get to grips with how much you owe - The first thing to do is to understand the full extent of your debts. For each debt you have, try writing down how much you owe, the minimum payment you need to pay each month, the interest rate you’re paying on the debt and when you need to pay it by. It may seem scary at first but putting your debts down on paper will be the first step in taking control and working out a plan of what to do.

2.       Prioritise your debts - Rearrange your list of debts into priority order by putting those debts with the most serious consequences for not paying and the highest interest rates at the top. This will help you to identify which debts you should concentrate on paying off first (see 8 below).

3.       Stop borrowing - It may sound obvious, but it will be harder to deal with existing debts if you keep adding to them. Try to cut unnecessary spending and avoid the temptation of advertised loans which often come with very high interest rates which make it harder to pay back. Breaking the cycle will help to put you in control of your money.

4.       Work out your budget – Use a budget planner (Budgeting & Saving - Better With Money) to work out your income and outgoings each month. Include your debt repayments as outgoings. This will help you to identify if you have a shortfall to address or whether you have some money leftover that you could pay towards reducing debt. If you live with a partner and are dealing with your debts together, fill in your budget together.

5.       Reduce Outgoings – See if there are any non-essential subscriptions or direct debits you could cancel or whether you could save money on your bills or insurance by shopping around. Could you prepare a food planner and buy only the items you need or use vouchers to reduce your grocery spend? Reducing your outgoings will free up more money to decrease debt.

6.       Reduce the cost of debt – Do you have savings that you could use to pay off debt? Could you consolidate debt by moving it to 0% credit cards or cheaper loans? Have you considered re-mortgaging to pay off your debt and spread the cost across the term of your mortgage? When applying for cheap loans or credit cards, use an eligibility checker first, available on most lenders’ websites, to see which cards you’re likely to be accepted for based on your circumstances. If you’re turned down for finance this could negatively impact your ability to get credit in future.

7.       Maximise Income – Are you claiming the state benefits you’re entitled to (www.entitledto.co.uk), are you eligible for any charitable grants? (www.turn2us.org.uk). Are you receiving the correct tax reliefs? (Claim tax relief for your job expenses - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk). Maximising your income will enable you to pay off debt more quickly.

8.       Pay off priority and high interest debt first – Once you know what you can afford to pay on debt, don’t split your money between your debts equally. Pay at least the minimum required on all but pay as much as you can on the priority and most expensive debts first. When these are repaid, shift focus to the next highest rate debt and continue this until you’re debt free. This way you’ll pay the least amount of interest.

9.       Set up direct debits - Direct debits can help to simplify your finances, helping you to budget and ensure your credit cards and loans get paid on time. Missing payments can have a detrimental effect on your credit score which could negatively impact your ability to get credit in future and may push up your rates on insurance products too.

10.   Ask for help if you need it - If you have spiralling debt and can’t make the minimum repayments or don’t feel mentally strong enough to deal with your finances, don’t feel as if you have to struggle alone. You can contact one of the non-profit debt counselling organisations shown here BWM_Debt_CharitiesV2 (betterwithmoney.com). They have qualified debt advisers whose job it is to help you for free regardless of the amount of debt you’re in. 80% of people who seek help for debt feel more in control and happier after doing so.

Dealing with your debts may sound difficult or feel uncomfortable but no debt problems are unsolvable. Following these tips will put you in control of your money and reduce the stress of debt.

The Wellness Movement provides financial education in the workplace to bring money matters to life in an interesting and accessible way. We provide employees with the financial knowledge and tools to budget, reduce outgoings, make cost savings, prioritise payments and maximise income, to better manage debt and insulate themselves against problems in the future.

If you would like to find out more about the “Tackling Debt” webinar or the other courses we offer, please contact us here or email hello@thewellnessmovement.co.uk

World Laughter Day - Sunday 7th May, 2023

Everybody knows that laughing feels good, but few realise how valuable these simple tools can be in improving our everyday wellness and wellbeing. Laughter cannot heal or solve anything, but it can help to heal and dissolve everything. That’s what World Laughter Day is for! It’s a day where people can relieve some stress and laugh. Discover a new happiness workout and learn about what happens during World Laughter Day!

History of World Laughter Day

World Laughter Day is an annual event celebrated worldwide to raise awareness about laughter and its many healing benefits, as well as about thousands of community groups around the world who regularly practice comedy that promote wellness and overall well-being. World Laughter Day is celebrated in most large cities around the world. Hundreds of people gather worldwide on that day to laugh together. It has been celebrated in Los Angeles since 2005 and has since spread all over the world as a way to express people’s love for comedy and laughter.

World Laughter Day is celebrated also by a congregation of laughter club members, their families and friends in their city like big squares, public parks or auditoriums. Laughter clubs usually have a variety entertainment program of music, dance and laughter contests. Winners are those with the most infectious, natural and effortless laughter. Laughter club members during this day participate in a peace march and carry banners and placards such as “World Peace Through Laughter, The Whole World Is An Extended Family, Join a Community Laughter Club – it’s free!” etc. During the march all chant “Ho Ho, Ha-Ha-Ha” and “very good, very good, yay!” clapping and dancing. This is known to be one of the best ways that laughter clubs help you have a good time and join a laughter club for special benefits.

Health benefits of laughter

Is there any better feeling than a deep-rooted belly laugh? Not only does it help us to connect with those we’re laughing with, but there are a number of health benefits that are associated with laughing as well. This includes the following…

Produces a general sense of well-being – One of the main benefits associated with laughter is that you’re generally going to feel better! If you laugh a lot, you’re going to be more of a positive person, and this can impact your life in so many different ways.

The release of endorphins is triggered – Endorphins are the natural painkillers within your body. They are released when you laugh. This can help you to feel good all over while easing chronic pain at the same time.

Boost T-cells – Laughter can also boost T-cells. These are specialized cells in your immune system, which are simply waiting to be activated. When you laugh, T-cells are brought to life, and they can help you to fight off sickness. So, next time you feel like you have a cold coming on, why not add some

giggling and chuckling to your prevention strategy?

Improve cardiac health – Laughter is an exceptional cardio workout, particularly for anyone who is not able to do other types of physical activity because of illness or injury. It will get your heart pumping, enabling you to burn around a similar amount to the calories you would burn while walking at a slow to moderate pace.

Work your abs – One of the advantages associated with laughter is that it will tone your abs. The muscles in your tummy begin expanding and contracting when you’re laughing. This is similar to when you exercise your abs intentionally. At the same time, the muscles that are not in use when you are laughing will get the chance to relax. Is there any better way to get a toned stomach than having a good laugh?

Reduce stress hormone levels – Aside from this, a reduction in your level of stress hormones is another benefit! This helps to cut the stress and anxiety that impacts your body. Moreover, the reduction of stress hormones can cause a higher immune system performance.

Lowers blood pressure – Last but not least, laughing can lower your blood pressure. This can reduce your risk of a heart attack or a stroke..

The Wellness Movement offers Laughter Workshops both online and in-person, click here to learn more...

Time to Talk Day

Time to Talk Day is the nation’s biggest mental health conversation. Happening every year, it’s a day for friends, families, communities, and workplaces to come together to talk, listen and change lives.

We are pleased to announce Time to Talk Day 2023 will take place 2 February 2023, The Wellness Movement is encouraging workplaces to come up with ideas on how they can make space for a conversation about mental health this Time to Talk Day and on a regular basis moving forwards.

We know the more conversations we have, the better life is for everyone. Talking about mental health isn’t aways easy, but a conversation has the power to change lives. Explore this site for ideas on how to take part in Time to Talk Day, from organising an event in your local library or hosting a lunch and learn session to simply sharing information on social media or texting a friend.

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Our Founder and Award-Winning Welllbeing Consultant, Sha Hussain shall be hosting a mental wellbeing check-in on Time to Talk Day, and you are invited to join - click here for details and to register.

If you are looking to start the conversation around Mental Health in your organisation, please click here to learn about our Safe Space sessions or here for an overview of mental health solutions offered, alternatively you can drop us an email at hello@thewellnessmovement.co.uk and we shall get back to you within 48 hours.

Breathing For Stress

Stress is the killer in our Western society – all that thinking, going into overdrive, making deadlines. They really are dead lines! Stress deregulates our system. You can tell if you are stressed by counting how many times you breathe in a minute. Try it now with a timer. If you are breathing between fifteen to twenty times a minute you are stressed.
 
What the “Ice Man” AKA Wim Hof recommends for stress control is one minute of humming and breathing. This can work wonders for you. It taps into your parasympathetic nervous system – where the peace is inside – and calms down your hectic sympathetic nervous system. And it’s like a massage for your spine from within – all the way up to your brain stem and to the corner of your head. It brings you directly inside your body.
 
Wim Hof Breathing Method 🌬
 
1. Set a timer for one minute
2. Settle yourself somewhere comfortable
3. Breathe in deeply
4. Breathe out with a sound like “Hum”, “Ah” or “Om.” Make whatever sounds make you happy.
5. When you run out of air, breathe in deeply and let it out with another “Hum.”
6. Continue until the timer stops.

How many times did you breathe in a minute of humming? Maybe four, five, six times? Nice.

Now reset the timer and see how many times you breathe normally, the theory is it should be significantly less if you were breathing 15 or more times initially.

The Focus Myth

What we know - and what we believe to know - has an impact on our daily actions. That’s why we tend to act according to certain beliefs that have become deeply ingrained in our heads over the course of our life. We refer to those beliefs as “myths” here. Just as a racoon secretly goes into your attic and gnaws away at the insulation day after day, untruths can implant themselves unnoticeably in your head as well. It’s up to you to discover the uninvited intruder and reclaim your attic. The same principle applies to certain misconceptions that sabotage your focus and therefore your success. As soon as you realise how those misconceptions are unconsciously pulling you in a direction that isn’t doing you any good, you can put an end to them and actively convince your mind the opposite. This way you get rid of personal blockades regarding success and clear the path for the next steps in the right direction. Now… enough talk, let’s take a closer look at the myth about focus.

Focus MYTH

“Everything is important!

And they prioritised happily ever after.

The word "priority" means "the most important or primary thing" and it was used exclusively in the singular form for more than 500 years. It was only in 19th century when the plural form "priorities" found its way into the dictionary. Although there can clearly only be one thing per day, per area of life which is indeed the most important thing, the introduction of the plural is ultimately reflected in our everyday lives. There's no longer one priority, but projects are regularly sorted according to priority 1, 2, 3, sometimes even up to 9 or 10.

As a direct consequence, several things are simultaneously deemed "the most important or primary thing". If this spins out of control, in the end, everything and nothing is of importance to you. Without noticing it, we live in an "Everything-is-important-myth-world".

Why do we think that “everything is important”?

Are you familiar with that feeling of being swamped with tasks? The feeling that you’re working hard while simultaneously new commitments overflow you like metre-high waves? Before the water gets so high that you drown, you try to swim against the waves. You fight against giant to-do lists and endless floods of emails not to mention your private obligations and your social or sporting ambitions. The truth is, however, that this struggle is pointless, because some tasks and obligations always fall by the wayside. you’ll never be able to deal with everything you actually want and need.

Nevertheless, that’s exactly what we attempt to do. Because everything feels important, we want to do just about everything and end up being hecticly industrious bees. Most of the time, we act reactively and tackle whatever comes our way, rather than proactively planning and acting accordingly. The problem with this is that the tasks that draw the greatest attention to themselves are almost always urgent, but only rarely important. However, the tasks that will be decisive for your personal success in the future are rarely urgent today. Knowing that our behaviour is determined by outside forces to some extent, it’s all the more important to proactively establish goals and stay focused on them.

If we always behave reactively, we may well be constantly industrious and active, but we’ll not really be productive. We’re fighting a hopeless battle against the waves of tasks that are incessantly flowing towards us. With this in mind, the mindfulness expert Jon Kabat-Zin said, “You can’t stop the waves, but you can learn to surf.” We can train ourselves to deal with our tasks and obligations differently: Instead of fighting the waves that are coming, we can mindfully observe how they’re approaching us and decide which ones we want to break against the shore and which ones we want to surf on.

Reactive vs. Proactive

- Are you still re-acting or already acting?

This is where the wheat is separated from the chaff. It’s the point at which successful people take the time to find out which priorities will truly make a difference to their lives. And the point at which those who are always fighting the waves have “no time” to breathe because the next wave is already moving towards them. People often fail at being successful not because they lack the will or ability, but because they don’t know how to prioritise. And beware: Prioritisation is about setting one single priority and not sorting several from 1-10. Setting this one priority for each area of life is probably one of the most underestimated skills of all. In the future, there might well be only two different types of people. Those who are reactive and primarily allow their attention and therefore also their priorities to be controlled externally, and those who are able to proudly call themselves proactive and focused.

If you enjoyed this article and would like to learn more about focus and how to be successful, check out “The 6-Minute Success Journal”, available on Amazon.

Attitude of Gratitude

When you cultivate an attitude of gratitude, something wonderful happens. You experience a greater sense of wellbeing and contentment, and you start to notice the abundance in every corner of your life.

Whether you are spending time in nature, with your friends, family, colleagues, or community, or pursuing sacred hobbies, interests, your studies or career, or the simple fact that you have good health, a roof over your head and food on the table.

Studies have shown that when we practice gratitude we take better care of ourselves. People who kept a gratitude journal for a week reported fewer physical problems, ate healthier, exercsied more often and got regular check-ups. Being grateful also makes you kinder, more generous, less materialistic, more forgiving and better able to deal with the stresses of life.

When I started to cultivate an attitude of gratitude in March 2020, I noticed that I became more mindful and present to the moment and spent much less time on autopilot. This has helped me to become calmer, more relaxed, energised, motivated and focused on the things that matter in my life. The most important gift I have received from practising gratitude is that I am able to give my full attention when it matters, instead of being easily distracted by my phone for example.

The net effect of all these benefits is that gratitude can add upto 7 years to your life if practiced regularly and this is a scientifically proven fact.

So, why does gratitude equal so much positivity?

Well, according to a study carried out on the brains of Buddhist monks, it was revealed that when we think positive thoughts of kindness, gratitude and optimism, we activate the right side of our prefrontal cortex (the brains executive centre that play a central role in cogntitive control functions), releasing happy hormones into our body, which in turn elevates our mood in the short term and strengthens our immune system in the long run. Conversely, when we think negative, angry, or pessimistic thoughts we activate the right side of our prefrontal cortex, flooding our body with stress hormones, sending us into flight or flight mode, depressing our mood and supressing our immune system.

In other words, how we choose to think affects how we feel, and being grateful can make us feel great!

Gratitude Jar Exercise

Each day write down three things that you are grateful for on a scrap of paper, no matter how small they seem and put them in a jar. This could be anything from receiving a smile from a stranger, a promotion at work or a postcard from an old friend. Even on days when it feels like nothing has gone well, we can almost always find something that we are grateful for.

Finding three positive things about each day is a great mindset to be in and on a bad day you can reach inside your jar and pull out a note to bounce back to a positive frame of mind.

Why Harp Therapy is good for our Mental Wellbeing

The Wellness Movement's certified harp therapist Julia Mitchell reveals why this ancient practice is good for our mental wellbeing – and how it can boost productivity.

For Julia, playing the harp is not just about creating wonderful music. It's about helping people access a state of calm and inner peace. The certified harp therapy practitioner offers to help people relax, rest and create beautiful images in their minds. Harp Therapy has numerous benefits, from improving sleep to relieving pain. It can even boost productivity in the workplace. In these difficult and uncertain times, that's music to our ears.

What is harp therapy?

Harp therapy uses the sound of a harp to help people in a variety of ways – from a relaxation to help maintain a healthy mind to playing for an anxious patient before an operation. Music is a universal language that can speak to people in deep and profound ways.

Soon after Julia joined corporate wellbeing specialists The Wellness Movement, the Covid -19 pandemic hit and she changed her sessions so they would work online. She invested in high quality audio equipment, and added spoken relaxation exercises and visualisations to the music to enhance the experience.

The result is a highly effective preventative therapy session that helps healthy minds stay beautifully relaxed and yet active. 

How is it different from a regular performance?

The key difference between therapeutic playing and a concert is that with therapeutic playing the focus is on the listener instead of the performer. Usually the attention is on the harpist and their skill, but here the most important person is the listener. It’s about how they are feeling and responding to the music.

What are the main benefits of harp therapy?

1. It reduces stress and has some great physiological benefits, such as relaxed muscle tension, increased oxygenation, lowered blood pressure and slower heart rate. It offers a period of stillness – no matter how busy you are, you stop what you’re doing, so your body and mind can rest and relax. The power of music makes it hard to feel stressed at the same time. It’s a powerful form of self-care.

2. It’s creative. The visualisation allows your mind to draw on imagination and memory. So despite being relaxed, you’re also using your mind.

3. It can improve your sleep. Studies have shown that harp music can promote deep sleep.

4. It can help with pain management and anxiety. In the USA, harp therapy is frequently used in hospitals and hospices. Research has found bedside therapeutic harp music to be beneficial in reducing pain and anxiety (because of the endorphins it produces), as well as stabilising vital signs.

5. The benefits can last long after the session has ended. The images your mind creates through visualisation remain at the front of your mind, so they are quick and easy to access when you need something to relax you. In lockdown, if you live in a city and can’t visit your favourite landscape like the sea or countryside, then your mind can take you there instead.

How does it make you feel while you’re playing?

Calm and inspired. When I play, I create my own pictures in my mind. Afterwards, things feel achievable. I feel relaxed and capable.

What is it about harp music that makes it so effective in therapy?

This type of therapy isn’t new – the harp has been used for thousands of years for therapeutic purposes. In the Bible, David plays his harp for Saul. The harp was also used therapeutically in Ancient Egypt and in medieval monasteries in France. It has a long history of being used to calm the mind. Most people don’t come across the harp that often, so there’s something about it that’s different and intriguing. The vibration from each string somehow gets right into you and is deeply soothing.

How can harp therapy be used in the workplace?

In non-Covid times I would take my harp to a company and play live. These days, the sessions are live streamed over Zoom. All you need is a comfortable space, a phone or a laptop and maybe some earphones. The sound quality is surprisingly good, and other family members can also take part. Companies can run the sessions when they like. At the end of the day, it leaves staff in a relaxed state. But it can also be good as a 30-minute relaxation during the day.

Sessions begin with a few notes played quietly and a guided relaxation. Then there is a series of visualisations, where I encourage listeners to imagine a place where they feel secure and peaceful – perhaps a snowy landscape or beach – and explore it. It ends with jauntier, familiar music – something like Here Comes The Sun – and some stretches so people feel wide awake and energised. 

Can it boost productivity?

Studies have shown that power naps can improve your productivity, as well as lowering your chance of developing heart disease. A good quality, rest at lunchtime benefits how the brain works later in the day. It also leaves people feeling happy – the most common feedback I receive after a session is “bliss”.

Mindfulness

Whenever we get so upset that we say or do something we later regret (and who doesn’t now and then?), that’s a sure sign that our amygdala - the brains radar for danger and the trigger for fight-or-flight response - has hijacked the brain’s executive centres in the prefrontal cortex. The neural key to resilience lies in how quickly we recover from that hijacked state.

The circuitry that brings us back to full energy and focus after an amygdala hijack concentrates in the left side of our prefrontal area, says Richard Davidson, a neuroscientist at the University of Wisconsin. He’s also found that when we’re distressed, there’s heightened activity on the right side of the prefrontal area. Each of us has a characteristic level of left/right activity that predicts our daily mood range - if we’re tilted to the right, more upsets; if to the left, we’re quicker to recover from distress of all kinds.

To create more of a tilt to the left of the prefrontal area, it is scientifically proven that by practicing mindfulness you can achieve this goal.

Practicing Mindfulness. The instructions are simple:

1. Find a quiet, private place where you can be undistracted for a few minutes. For instance, close your study/room door and mute your phone.

2. Sit or lie comfortably, with your back straight but relaxed.

3. Focus your awareness on your breath, staying attentive to the sensations of the inhalation and exhalation, and start again on the next breath.

4. Do not judge your breathing or try to change it in any way.

5. See anything else that comes to mind as a distraction - thoughts, sounds whatever. Let them go and return your attention to your breath.

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If you suffer from anxiety, stress, or depression and practice an average of 30 minutes of mindfulness a day for 8 weeks, you can expect your ratio from titled toward the stressed-out right side to leaning toward the resilient left side (of your brain’s prefrontal area). What’s more, it’s been proven that you are likely to be reminded of you what you love about your work/interests and get you in touch with what brought you energy in the first place.

To get the full benefits of mindfulness, a daily practice of 20 to 30 minutes works best. Think of it as a mental exercise routine. It can be very helpful to have guided instructions, but it’s key to find a slot for the practice in your daily routine.

This excerpt has been taken and adapted from HBR’s Emotional Intelligence Series ‘Mindfulness’.

MAYOR OF LONDON AWARD

Our founder Sha Hussain was recognised for his exemplary work supporting employers to achieve the London Healthy Workplace Charter Award by Mayor of London ‘Sadiq Khan’ and Chief Officer of the GLA ‘Mary Harpley’ on Monday 19th November 2018.

Sha has played a pivotal role in assessing and motivating several organisations in 2018, most notably Central and North West London NHS Trust and Hackney Council, who were both awarded the Excellence Level Award on the same evening.

Sha is employed by the London Healthy Workplace Charter in association with the Mayor of London’s Office. He is employed as an Expert Wellbeing Consultant supporting the charter on verification days.

His role is to evaluate objectively against the charters 8 standards, identifying strengths and development areas, recommending solutions and options to enhance the corporate lifestyle, culture and communication for health and wellbeing in the workplace.