In 2019/20 stress, depression or anxiety accounted for 55% of all working days lost due to work-related ill health[1].
Amid the pressures of the pandemic and an increase in employee absences, those left standing have been dealing with increased workload pressures, tight deadlines and too much responsibility — are all contributing factors to staff burnout.
National Self-Care Week (15th to 21st November 2021) focuses on embedding support for self-care both within the workplace and at home.
Here, Natalie Rogers, Chief People Officer at Unum UK, one of the leading employee benefits providers, has shared some top tips to help encourage employees to take time for themselves to stay engaged and happy in both their work and personal lives.
- Give yourself clear breaks
Too many of us don’t factor in enough breaks throughout the working day, often working through lunch or skipping the chance to step away from our desks until late in the evenings. Try the 40:20 rule: For every 40 minutes you sit, spend 10 minutes standing or moving followed by 10 minutes of stretching. This helps reduce the pressure and strain on your joints caused by desk-based work.
- Get active
By reducing stress and increasing energy, physical activity makes us feel more alert and can help us sleep better [2]. But you don’t need to spend hours exercising — there are so many benefits from just taking a little time out of your daily schedule even for a short walk. In the colder months, it’s a good idea to try and exercise at the start of the day so you can benefit from the sunshine and vitamin D before you sit down to work.
- Be Mindful
Mindfulness is the practise of paying more attention to the present moment — not only to your own thoughts and feelings but also the world around you. Key benefits from checking in with yourself include better sleep, nutrition, mood and even a more positive outlook at work or home[3]. Whether you use your downtime to pick up your favourite book, catch up on sleep or spend some time meditating, there are a lot of free resources available to help guide you.
- Don’t underestimate the value of ME-time
Carving out a few minutes during lunches or breaks to do something fun and personal to you can alleviate stress and make the working day more pleasurable. There are so many ways you can engage in self-care — just find what works best for you. Massages, fitness classes or retail therapy are a few options, but you can also carve out time to catch up with friends and loved ones or simply get some peace and quiet to enjoy alone time. Remember, there’s no rule when it comes to investing in yourself.
- Use external resources and support
Many employers offer their staff access to an Employee Assistance Programme for 24/7 confidential support and advice. Unum also offers employees covered by our Group Income Protection access to our Mental Health Pathway, a fast-track channel for employees struggling with their wellbeing to get comprehensive mental health support.
During the pandemic, we also introduced our employee Wellbeing Checks offering early intervention for those struggling with their wellbeing and a personalised 1-2-1 session from our rehabilitation team.
Natalie Rogers, Chief People Officer at Unum UK, says: “There’s no right or wrong way to do self-care, which is one of the things National Self-Care Week remind us. Self-care is anything you feel will benefit you both mentally and physically and is incredibly important to reduce stress and the risk of burnout. Find what works for you and take the time to do something you love — you may even find it increases your output at work and allows you to be more present when spending time with those you care about.”
[1] Work-related stress, anxiety or depression statistics in Great Britain, 2019 (hse.gov.uk)