|
|
Welcome to the February edition of Well Now - your monthly newsletter for staff wellbeing and development.
In this month's edition, we want to encourage people to make taking care of themselves and 'Self-care' a greater priority in their day-to-day lives. It sounds simple, looking after yourself. After all, don’t you do that every day? But self-care is often more complex than people expect. While keeping busy and socialising may work for some people, others may benefit from some much-needed alone time.
For some people, even something that can appear to be the simplest action is in actuality an act of self-care that can take tremendous courage, stamina and personal resources.
'Self-care' has been a staple of modern medical, nursing and mental health practice for much longer than the recent fad retailers have peddled to sell face-masks and colouring books.
'Self-care' can be defined as a series of desired attitudes, behaviours and techniques meant to help maintain and improve, through their own autonomy, a person's overall wellbeing. This can be applied to the many different factors that make up a person's wellbeing too; physical, mental, social, financial, environmental, etc.
|
|
|
How can I be better at self-care?
|
|
|
Understand what matters to you
For us to exercise self-care, you need to have the best understanding that you can get of what matters to you. You need to understand:
- What is important to me? (career, family, home, fun, friends, physical health, experiences, etc.)
- What do I have that fulfills what is important to me? (a job I enjoy, good relationships with my family, etc.)
- What am I missing that would help what is important to me? (more time spent doing hobbies, more money to go travelling, etc.)
From there, it is easier for you to set SMART goals and behaviours that help you achieve better self-care.
Setting boundaries and learning to say 'No'
The modern world asks a lot of us and our career and family responsibilities consume most of our time, energy and motivation. This has resulted in a lot of people denying their own needs and made to feel selfish when they do prioritise themselves.
That said, there are productive and positive ways of setting boundaries such as discussing priorities with your family and colleagues at the outset and setting boundaries through mutual agreement, rather than slamming down a 'No!' when you are already overextended and feeling burnt out.
Talking to others and getting help
We can't do everything on our own. Sometimes we need to turn to others, including professionals for help. Accepting help when it is needed is a big part of self-management. Help can be in the form of asking a friend to check in on you from time to time if you have been a difficult period on your own, joining a local or online community for advice and support and asking a professional for their expertise.
Asking for help is an act of self-care.
-
If you would like to learn more about other ways you can practive self-care, please click on the link below to the Counselling Directory's Guide to "Self-Care at Work"
|
|
|
|
Wellbeing advice for homeworking staff
|
|
|
|
With the majority of University staff working from home, the University Wellbeing & Engagement Group, Organisational & Staff Development Services Team and Mental Health Taskforce have all worked together to develop comprehensive guidance to assist staff in adapting to homeworking and helping to maintain staff wellbeing.
The new wellbeing advice for staff webpage includes information and advice on:
- staying safe
- working environment
- physical wellbeing
- mental wellbeing
- staying social
- further external resources
Working remotely during the coronavirus has its own separate webpage with specific information and advice on:
- successful homeworking
- working communications
- environment and equipment
- wellbeing in isolation
The new Home Workplace Equipment Policy has been created to support employees in creating a safe and effective homeworking environment through the reallocation and procurement of office equipment for the home workspace.
These webpages are being regularly updated with new advice, information and resources as they become available. Please check these webpages frequently for any new information.
|
|
|
This forum provides information regarding the experience of flexible working for academics
|
|
|
The forum, which took place on Thursday 11 Februrary, aimed to provide information regarding the experience of formal flexible working for people working in academic schools, and the opportunity to ask colleagues who work in academic schools who have flexible working arrangements.
Attendees had the opportunity to hear experience of obtaining formal flexible working arrangements, how flexible working has changed their work/life balance and advice on how to go about getting flexible working.
The panellist included:
- Anna Brown (EDI Lead, Arts & Divinity)
- Gillian Brown (EDI Lead, Science & Medicine)
- Julie Harris (Psychology & Neuroscience)
- Rita Tojeiro (Physics & Astronomy)
Val Insch (HR Business Partner) was present to provide policy and procedure information about flexible working at the University. This forum was aimed to engage all staff of academic schools, both academic and professional staff.
A recording of the forum, without the Q&A session, is available to be viewed via the link below:
|
|
|
Breakthru App
-
Introducing microbreaks in Microsoft Teams
|
|
|
|
Breakthru, a new wellbeing tool for in Microsoft Teams, is available for staff and students to use throughout the working day.
The aim of the tool is to combat sedentary behaviour and build new restorative habits as we work remotely. The Breakthru app guides you through a two-minute immersive microbreak as a lighthearted way to recharge between tasks.
You can call on the tool as needed individually or type '@Breakthru' into a private, group or meeting chat to gift a two-minute break to your colleagues.
|
|
Free Online Courses from FutureLearn |
|
|
|
|
FutureLearn is an online education provider that offers online courses from many UK and international universities, institutes and other organisations. Many of the courses are free but courses are only available for a limited time. FutureLearn courses consist of prerecorded video lectures and readings that you can work through on a weekly schedule or when it's convenient for you. They also have student discussions on every page of the course. Some have online practice quizzes, homework or assignments. Official tests or exams are only available for students who pay for certification.
Some of the wellbeing courses you can take are:
To access the courses, you need to make a FutureLearn account on their website and then select a course to sign up. For the full range of available courses, and application process visit their webpage via the link below:
|
|
|
Free Online Courses from Skills Network
|
|
|
|
|
The Skills Network are offering University employees places on distance learning qualifications which are fully funded by the government’s Adult Education budget.
These courses are available at no cost to the employee or University. These courses are taken on a voluntary basis, and you can study in your own time. Support is provided by a subject specialist tutor and a learning support advisor who will assist you with your learning and assessment questions.
Some of the wellbeing courses you can take are:
For the full range of available courses, and application process visit the dedicated webpage via the link below:
|
|
Andy's Man Club is moving online to run their weekly groups.
If you are interested in attending, please email:
info@andysmanclub.co.uk
|
|
|
|
Black Minds Matter UK is an organisation that is helping to make mental health support accessible to all black people in the UK.
They aim to enable black individuals and families access specialist, professional mental health services and have created a fund to help cover the costs.
Go to the Black Minds Matter UK website to learn more about the services they provide via the link below:
|
|
Wellbeing with Waterstones |
|
|
The Wellbeing with Waterstones Book Giveaway is now offering digital copies of its monthly selected title.
Successful applicants for the book will receive an email with the details of how to access your eBook.
|
|
|
|
This playful baby food cookbook helps parents prepare a culinary adventure for the newest eater in the family. Baby food chef and founder of the beloved blog Baby FoodE, Michele Olivier, shows you how to make delicious, healthy food for your baby and toddler—regardless of how much time you have (and how little sleep you’re getting). From first purées to toddler finger foods, these dishes have everything your little foodie needs to grow into a grown-up palate.
|
|
|
|
Eating can be one of life's greatest pleasures. Food nourishes our bodies, helps us celebrate our successes, cheers us up when we're down, introduces us to new cultures and - when we cook and eat together - connects us with the people we love.
In Eat Up, Ruby Tandoh celebrates the fun and pleasure of food, taking a look at everything from gluttons and gourmets in the movies, to the symbolism of food and sex. She will arm you against the fad diets, food crazes and bad science that can make eating guilt-laden and expensive.
Filled with straight-talking, sympathetic advice on everything from mental health to recipe ideas and shopping tips, this is a book that clears away the fog, to help you fall back in love with food.
|
|
|
|
This book is a celebration of food. By food, Michael Pollan means real, proper, simple food - not the kind that comes in a packet, or has lists of unpronounceable ingredients, or that makes nutritional claims about how healthy it is. More like the kind of food your great-grandmother would recognize.
In Defence of Food is a simple invitation to junk the science, ditch the diet and instead rediscover the joys of eating well. By following a few pieces of advice (Eat at a table - a desk doesn't count. Don't buy food where you'd buy your petrol!), you will enrich your life and your palate, and enlarge your sense of what it means to be healthy and happy.
|
|
|
|
Maximising Personal Effectiveness
|
|
|
|
|
Personal effectiveness deals with success, goals, and strategies to deal positively and confidently with others to continue building effective working relationships.
Maximising Personal Effectiveness is a fun course, useful for everyone including those taking on new roles & responsibilities or other changes.
The course will enable participants to:
- Devise tools to enhance your personal effectiveness
- Examine Interactions working confidently and flexibly with others
- Boost confidence and resilience
- Focus on achievement moving forward with confidence
- Maintain personal effectiveness across all situations.
|
|
Interested in coming along?
Friday
12 March
9:30 - 12:30
|
|
|
|
Creating Positive Outcomes
|
|
|
|
Join Dr Simon Haslam from FMR Research for a practical insight into succeeding with difficult conversations
-
This workshop draws on practical concepts from the areas of conflict management, mediation and influencing. We will focus on the following areas:
- The characteristics of conflict in the workplace, its contributions and challenges
- Understanding personality differences and how to handle them in difficult conversations
- The grief cycle and its impact on difficult conversations (Kubler-Ross)
- Peoples natural styles when faced with conflict (using the Thomas Kilmann five strategy framework)
- How to apply push pull influencing in the pursuit of effective dialogue
- Good practice techniques when dealing with difficult conversations
|
|
Interested in coming along?
Thursday
18 March
10:30 - 15:30
(Break, 12:00 - 14:00)
|
|
|
|
|
Join David Longstaff for a practical and informative workshop to help you take control of your busy life.
-
Staying on top and in control of our work in this fast-paced world is becoming increasingly difficult. This can leave us feeling overwhelmed and have a knock on effect to our personal life.
This course has been developed to help effectively manage a hectic and complex workload and support us as we focus on the important, plan our work effectively and attack it with confidence.
Agenda
- Session 1 - Perspectives
- Session 2 - Workflow
- Session 3 - Systems
This unique course, which is not traditional time management, is highly acclaimed by busy professionals and proving extremely popular in this climate of 'doing more with less'.
|
|
|
Interested in coming along?
Session 1 - Tuesday 23 March (10:00 - 12:00)
Session 2 - Wednesday 24 March (10:00 - 12:00)
Session 3 - Thursday 25 March (10:00 - 12:00)
|
|
|
|
Join Louise Martin,
Organisational Psychology Trainer, for an introductory workshop in the science, art and practice of Mindfulness and its benefits
-
Mindfulness practice teaches us to stay in the present moment: paying attention, on purpose, to the present without stress provoking negative judgments. By becoming more mindful we can see more clearly the patterns of the mind and as a result find we have more choice and skill in how we respond to the challenges of our lives.
Mindfulness is less about gaining something new than becoming more in touch with what is already here. Many people find becoming mindful helps to reduce stress and emotional upset, deal with life’s challenges more effectively and enhance feelings of joy and contentedness.
This introductory mindfulness session will cover:
- An overview of what mindfulness is
- The scientific evidence for how it works
- Trying some experiential practices and short guided meditations
- Questions and discussion
Note: Individuals with a history of trauma or those who are currently experiencing mental health problems should check with their GP or therapist about their suitability to attend such a session prior to signing up to the course.
|
|
Interested in coming along?
Tuesday
20 April
13:00 - 16:00
|
|
|
This month's ingredients:
*Cabbage, Chicken, Turnip*
|
|
|
|
|
|
