Wellbeing explained: what you can do to improve your wellbeing at work

Wellbeing is one of those things that is talked about increasingly more often, but is sometimes misunderstood. People have differing views on what wellbeing is, why it’s important and how you can improve it. And in fairness, it does mean different things to different people.

Wellbeing is centred around how you feel and is linked to our health, happiness and prosperity. With so many things contributing to wellbeing, how can you ensure that you’re doing the right things to maximise each aspect?

The Oxford dictionary states that well-being is the state of being comfortable, healthy, or happy. In this article, we’ll delve into each aspect and also investigate the angle of wellbeing at work.

Being Comfortable

Generally being comfortable is associated with money and your current financial situation. It’s about being able to afford the necessities in life without having the stress or worry about not paying the bills on time or not having enough money to save. The level of income also influences how you define being comfortable. Generally, if you earn more money, you are able to afford other things like holidays, new clothes, and meals out; things that you want, not necessarily need. This all influences how your feel and your level of comfort.

Being Healthy

Health is more than just your physical being. It is a complex mix of mental, physical, social and emotional aspects of your life. When one is out of kilter, the others often start to change as well. It’s important to have a balance across all of these aspects. You need to give your body what it needs for each. For mental health you need stimulation, social interaction and ways to cope when things don’t go to plan. Physical health can be determined by diet, nutrition and exercise. There’s no one thing that makes you healthy. It’s a combination of events and actions that build up to your health.

Being Happy

Happiness is a cumulative effect of everything that makes up who you are and how you live your life. It’s a sense of joy and contentment which is linked to a variety of different things.

Wellbeing in the workplace

With the average person spending nearly 80,000 hours of their life working, it’s hugely important to make sure you have positive and healthy work environment. This doesn’t just include the physical environment, but also how you feel about your day to day job, the people that you engage with and the type of company you work for. Again, there are a number of things that contribute – according to The Mental health organisation, there are 5 things that you can do to help improve your wellbeing at work.

• Connect

This is about building strong relationships with people within your immediate and wider team. Connecting with people and feeling valued is important. The same goes for outside of work – call up a friend, chat to a neighbour and visit family.

• Keep learning

A curious mindset is important for positive mental health. This is about doing things that stretch your mind and help you learn new skills. Put your hand up to do something different or take on a new project.

• Be active

Depending on your job, it’s quite easy to get into the same routine, especially in office environments. Take a break and go for a walk or step outside. Being active reduces stress and can help clear your mind.

• Give

Helping others can increase happiness both for yourself and the person your helping. Do something nice for a friend or teammate. Even a thank you goes a long way.

• Take notice

Sometimes it’s important to take a minute and be present in the moment. Pay attention to what you’re thinking, feeling and what you’re grateful for. This can help boost your wellbeing.

There are many great resources online about wellbeing and different techniques to improve your own. If you work for Hirestaff and have any questions about your own health and wellbeing, please get in touch.