Self care at work: Achieving the balance

We’re delighted you are here — because self care doesn’t start and end in any one environment or situation. It is an ongoing endeavour to keep your needs and wellbeing in check, especially in the workplace. We broke down important points to keep you in balance and avoid needing to counteract weekday strain. Bring these tips with you to any working environment, prioritise your wellbeing and live your best (productive) life.

Memo: Self care isn’t selfish

One thing we want to emphasise: you deserve to live optimally. We don’t mean excessively or indulgently, but rather aware of your needs. The reason – apart from being in charge of your life – no one else can gauge your thoughts, physical experiences or emotional state other than you. Sure, you can raise a flag when things go wrong, but the objective of self care is to lead a better life to avoid addressing a problem later on. Prevention is better than cure and will always be the key to maintaining your wellbeing, wherever you go. 

To understand wellness and wellbeing, read our guide on doing a personal check-in. Our tips on physical, mental and emotional health, diet and rest all interlink to fuel a great day at work and beyond. And whether you work from home or in the office, we have some great ways to make sure you are taking care of your needs to remain as productive as possible.

Four notes to pencil in 

Wellbeing and self care stretch across many disciplines, but we honed in on the four main areas to help you throughout the workday.

Proactivity (be a pro at your activity)

Taking initiative at work goes a long way. While it is not typically on your top priority in terms of being on your self care checklist, it helps to structure it. By this, we want you to not only keep on top of organising your desk, notes and calendar but also be proactive with your daily and long-term direction. Ask if your attendance at the meeting is necessary so that you can plan your work accordingly. Regularly check in with your resources or team leader for feedback and improvement. Schedule time to read articles relevant to your field and work on building up a new skill to add to your CV. These little steps keep your job secured, keep you prepared and are more likely to help you get a promotion or salary increase. You can thank us later.

Do more than munch at lunch 

Apart from using your lunch break for the obvious, consider it a restorative period. Use it to pause, refresh and breathe. A proper break does creativity and focus wonders. Try going for a walk around the office, a quick gym session and shower, visit the café or zone in with meditation. Maybe even soak up a little bit of vitamin D you have been missing indoors all day. Allow yourself the break needed to get the job done under the right conditions. 

Reach out and hang out

Investing in the relationships at work helps make the workday better. Creating a positive bond with your team is a winning formula for great team spirit, better brainstorming sessions and developing a positive space to look forward to every day. Some ways to help start this? Simply greet your work family in the morning and check in with them. Peak around the cubicle and make a connection with a story or a question. Chat at the coffee nook or even get out of the office. After work drinks, anybody? We’ll cheers to that.

Minor reminders, major rewards

Make sure to work in self care throughout the day. Add these to your routine and soon they will become part of your habits.

Hydrate 

Stay hydrated by keeping a large bottle of water on your desk or working space and make a goal to finish it by the end of the day. You’ll be less inclined to replenish your coffee cup and you’ll manage cutting down on sugar and caffeine jitters.

Move (for body and mind)

Get up from your desk for a little walk to aid the flow of circulation — and ideas. A walkabout doubles as team check-in as well as a personal reboot session.

Screen your monitor and monitor your screentime

Take breaks from your screen to rest your eyes. Write a list or an outline for the meeting in your notebook. Here, we also suggest considering adjusting your screen’s brightness, colour tone (if not doing colour sensitive work) and using blue light glasses. This simple tip will help reduce eye strain and work fatigue. 

Separate the office from your oasis

Lastly, set boundaries. Avoid checking emails after hours, turn your phone to silent or off, and make sure to set a healthy distinction between home and work time. Keeping it all in balance will help you feel more in control of your time and wellbeing overall.

Keep calm and take care

Once you have all of these self care habits locked into your daily diary, work will become much more manageable and rewarding. For more ideas on living your best life, explore our blog or consider a fun trip away to self-catering accommodation and contact us.