blooming minds MAY 2018
issue 9
STOP TALKING ABOUT MENTAL ILLNESS
IN A WINTER FUNK?
A WHOLE LIFE APPROACH TO PERFORMANCE
FIND YOUR WELLBEING PATHWAY WITH A JOURNEY
STUCK INTO SUBSTANCES
WORKPLACE
Wellness IS YOUR ORGANISATION MERELY TICKING THE MENTAL HEALTH BOXES?
our resources BLOOM! MENTAL HEALTH AND WELLBEING BY TASHA BROOMHALL
Available in paperback or ebook format. This book debunks some of the common misunderstandings around mental health and mental illness and provides practical strategies for you to use to support your own mental health as well as support those around you.
$22 INC GST
BLOOM! AT WORK! A MENTAL HEALTH GUIDE FOR LEADERS BY TASHA BROOMHALL
Available in paperback or ebook format. This book will provide knowledge about the relevance of mental health issues, a brief overview of common mental health issues and possible functional impacts and a range of proactive strategies and resources that may assist both the employee and the organisation.
$25.00 INC GST
A YEAR TO BLOOM – 52 WEEK JOURNAL Feeling stressed? Overwhelmed? In a funk? Need some support for your mental health?
This guided 52 week journal will give you practical ideas and guidance to enhance your wellbeing through two strategies. Each week a new journal activity will encourage you to continue actively enhancing your mental health over the next 52 weeks. You can choose from two different formats – a printed a5 journal or weekly emails delivered straight to your inbox.
LIVE CONSCIOUSLY AND BLOOM – SELF REFLECTION JOURNAL The personal reflections journal provides a guiding hand in reviewing your values. Based on these values you will then set daily intentions and cultivate your gratitude. Carrying out those two simple steps each day can make an incredible difference to your life.
$24.20 INC GST
$17.60 INC GST
Mental Health in the Workplace for Leaders, ONLINE COURSE This course delivers an overview of common mental illnesses, reasonable adjustments, privacy requirements and balancing people needs with business needs. This course is delivered as four online assessed modules selfpaced with individual assessment of learning. Each module has videos, recorded lesson, support notes and an assessment.
Workplace Mental Health & Wellbeing Campaign You can develop your organisation’s mental health culture through a targeted information program that includes integrated articles in your newsletter, informative posters, information on your intranet to develop awareness, and skills to recognise and respond to mental health issues in the workplace. The pack is designed around a 12-month campaign to raise mental health awareness in your organisation and focusses on building the individual resilience of your employees.
Let’s Talk About It Video Series Educational videos for your intranet about how to have appropriate workplace conversations in relation to mental health and wellbeing.
Workplace Information Pack This pack includes short guidelines suitable for inclusion on your intranet. Titles: • What is mental health and mental illness • General impacts of mental health issues in the workplace • How to respond if you have concerns about a colleague or employees mental health • Strategies for managing mental health issues with an employee • Responding to an employee or colleague who may be at risk of suicide • Resources and supports for looking after your own mental health and wellbeing
past issues bloomingminds e-magazine N OV E M B E R 2 0 1 5
ISSUE 1
J A N UA RY 2 0 1 6
ARE YOU A HUMAN BEING OR A HUMAN DOING?
CREATING A CULTURE OF POSITIVE MENTAL HEALTH AND WELLBEING
IT’S TIME TO REFLECT
BY DRIVING CONSCIOUSLY YOU NOT ONLY MINIMISE ACCIDENTS BUT ALSO CAN HELP KEEP YOURSELF CALMER IN THE PROCESS
HOW TO PROVIDE POSITIVE LEADERSHIP IN CHANGING TIMES
NICK MAISEY - BEFRIEND SHANNA CRISPIN- HI THERE GORGEOUS BETTY KITCHENER - MHFA ALICIA CURTIS - 100 WOMEN PETER SHARP & JAE WEST - THE LIBERATORS
CQ BEING CULTURALLY SMART IS THE NEXT BIG THING
A BLOOMING GREAT 2016
AGEISM IN THE WORKPLACE
5 SIMPLE STEP TO ASSIST YOU IN ENHANCING YOUR MENTAL HEALTH AND WELLBEING
“OVER 25% OF AUSTRALIANS AGED OVER 50 EXPERIENCED SOME FORM OF PREJUDICE“ MAREE WHACK DETAILS 7 STRATEGIES TO REDUCE AGEISM IN THE WORKPLACE
ONE STEP AT A TIME WITH JULIE MEEK
APPRAISING PERFORMANCE
APPLYING THE 4 STAGES OF CHANGE TO CREATE THE RIGHT HABITS TO BETTER PERSONAL PERFORMANCE
DEALING WITH THE STRESS OF PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT REVIEWS WITH NARELLE DI TRENTO
HORTICULTURAL THERAPY
A MENTAL HEALTH STRATEGY MAP FOR ORGANISATIONS
RENEE GARDINER DISCUSSES NOURISHING THE MIND, BODY AND SPIRIT THROUGH GARDENING
INCLUDING: AWARENESS RAISING, SKILL BUILDING AND BEHAVIOURAL INTEGRATION
QUIZ
SOPHIE BUDD’S
ARE YOU STRESSED OR BLOOMING? A PERSONAL SURVEY TO “CHECK-IN” WITH YOURSELF
SIMPLE MANGO MOUSSE
YOUR MENTAL HEALTH AND WELLBEING IS NO LAUGHING MATTER...OR IS IT?
FOOD FOR THOUGHT: SNACK RIGHT WITH NUTRITIONIST AND DIETITIAN, JULIE MEEK
CHRISTMAS KINDNESS ADVENT CALENDAR
OVER 6000 LAUGHTER YOGA GROUPS AND CLUBS WORLDWIDE ARE PROVING LAUGHTER REALLY IS THE BEST MEDICINE
J U LY 2 0 1 6
CONSTRUCTIVE MENTAL HEALTH
KHANH NGUYEN, THE GENERAL MANAGER AND DIRECTOR OF CIVCON, CIVIL AND PROJECT MANAGEMENT, EXPLAINS HOW A YOUNG AND RAPIDLY EXPANDING COMPANY IN THE CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY IS ADDRESSING THE ISSUE OF EMPLOYEE MENTAL HEALTH AND WELLBEING.
PLUS...
RANDOM ACTS OF KINDNESS TO STRANGERS, LOVED ONES AND OURSELVES
CHEF SOPHIE BUDD’S RAW INDULGENCE
ISSUE 3
LEADING POSITIVELY THROUGH CHANGE
ARTICLES AND INTERVIEWS WITH TASHA BROOMHALL
SO NOW THAT WE’RE ALMOST IN DECEMBER, HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT THE LIFE YOU HAVE LIVED THIS YEAR?
DRIVING UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF... ATTENTIVENESS
APRIL 2016
AGENTS OF CHANGE
FINDING 4 NURTURING AND NOURISHING THINGS THAT YOU CAN DO FOR YOURSELF EACH WEEK
WE TALK TO AN INTERNATIONAL WORKPLACE RELATIONS EXECUTIVE, ANDREW DOUGLAS, WHO IS LEADING HIS ORGANISATION BY EXAMPLE
ISSUE 2
1
ISSUE 4
1
O C TO B E R 2 0 1 6
1
ISSUE 5
J A N UA RY 2 0 1 7
ISSUE 6
AM I OK?
AN IMPORTANT QUESTION TO ASK, NOT JUST DURING MENTAL HEALTH WEEK.
GETTING HELP A PERSONALISED WELLBEING PLAN
TO TELL OR NOT TO TELL ...
EMPLOYEE DISCLOSURE: YOUR RIGHTS AND RESONSIBILITIES
BRANT GARVEY I N T E R V I E W
AUSTRALIAN WORKPLACE SURVIVAL GUIDE
RIO OLYMPICS BOUND ATHELETE TALKS ABOUT ATTITUDE AND RESILIENCE
COMMON ISSUES PEOPLE FROM CULTURALLY AND LINGUISTICALLY DIVERSE BACKGROUNDS EXPERIENCE IN AUSTRALIAN WORKPLACES
FINDING YOGA
GROUP YOGA TO HELP YOU DEAL WITH MENTAL PAIN
GROWING CHANGE BY RENEE GARDINER
THE BUDDY SYSTEM JULIE MEEK
OVERCOMING BARRIERS @ WORK BY PETER DHU
LETS TALK ABOUT IT
Q & A WITH BLUEBIRD
The Small Things A FAMILIES DEDICATION TO INCREASING SUICIDE AWARENESS
INTERVIEW WITH AMANDA STEPHENSON
POLICY & PROCEDURE
HAVING THAT IMPORTANT CONVERSATION ABOUT SOMEONES MENTAL HEALTH AND WELLBEING; BM DISCUSSES THE 3 VITAL ASPECTS
CREATING A CULTURE OF POSITIVE MENTAL HEALTH
one day seminar
MAKING REASONABLE ADJUSTMENTS IN THE WORKPLACE
MENTAL ILLNESS in the workplace
WORKPLACE MENTAL HEALTH FOR LEADERS SEE PAGE 16 FOR DETAILS & REGISTRATION
SHOW SUPPORT AND MEET YOUR OBLIGATIONS AS LEADERS
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HOW CAN WE REDUCE THE EFFECTS OF STRESS?
1
1
Issue 9
ON THE COVER
Pauline Tarrant EDITOR-IN-CHIEF:
Tasha Broomhall PROOF READER:
Barry Mannolini-Winwood WRITERS:
Tasha Broomhall Sophie Budd Julie Meek Peter Schupp Pauline Tarrant PHOTOGRAPHERS:
Craig Broomhall As labelled DESIGNER:
Craig Broomhall www.bloomingminds.com.au
Blooming MindsŠ 2016 All Rights Reserved. We encourage you to share the content of this e-magazine with others who you think may be interested. However to comply with copyright please ensure that information is only shared in its full form and with the credit given to the authors. The information, opinions, suggestions and ideas contained in this publication are based on the experience of the contributors and research information which is believed to be accurate but not infallible. All effort has been made to render this information free from error or omission. Whilst written and presented in good faith, Blooming Minds and the contributors assume no responsibility or liability for any loss or damage caused directly or indirectly from this information. The material cannot substitute for appropriate professional opinion, which would take into account individual factors, specific situations, environmental conditions or circumstances likely to influence actions taken or avoided at any time. Please be advised, this presentation provides general information only, and should not be seen as professional advice specific to any particular situation, problem or person. If you require assistance for mental health issues please contact your medical practitioner or call Lifeline on 13 11 14.
Contents
8 STOP TALKING ABOUT MENTAL ILLNESS 12 IS YOUR ORGANISATION MERELY TICKING THE MENTAL HEALTH BOXES 16 IS YOUR ORGANISATION BLOOMING 18 A WHOLE LIFE APPROACH TO PERFORMANCE 20 IN A WINTER FUNK? 22 FIND YOUR WELLBEING PATHWAY WITH A JOURNEY 24 RETREAT & BLOOM 26 STUCK INTO SUBSTANCES 28 RESPECT 30 HEALTHY WORKPLACES 32 WORKPLACE WELLNESS - PUMPKIN SOUP 34 WORK WHILE YOU WALK 36 INCREASE YOUR CULTURAL INTELLIGENCE (CG) FOR A HEALTHIER ORGANISATION
Photo: Annie Spratt
Tasha’s Update
As we move into the middle of another year, winter settles in again for those of us in the southern hemisphere. Many people report that they find their mood and energy levels are affected by the arrival of winter. If this is you, have a read of our article about managing your winter funk. In this edition we focus on the common issue we are seeing with many organisations, and our community in general, still focusing on trying to reduce the stigma of mental illness. We still have work to do in this area, however we also need to start focussing on mental health and wellbeing. There is a significant body of research now that identifies how we can improve mental wellbeing for individuals and also how this can be applied into the workplace. We also have a feature article on the insidious creep of alcohol, from using it as a coping mechanism to it becoming a problem of dependence. And we have a bunch of brilliant articles from our regular contributors, Julie Meek, Sophie Budd and Peter Schupp. As always, I would love to hear your thoughts on the articles in this edition. Email me at info@bloomingminds.com.au Want some more ideas for how to help yourself bloom? Watch here. Best wishes,
Tasha
Photo: Ryoji Iwata
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ng i k r o w y h t l a ch e i h h w “A n i e n o s i t n e e c m n n e o s b r a i n a env y l n o ot t n u s b i s e n r o e i th it d n o c l fu m h r t a l h a e f h o of e c n a d s� an abun e n o g n promoti isation gan r O h t l a e W o rl d H
Photo: Jessica Knowlden
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Stop talking about mental illness By Tasha Broomhall We need to stop talking about mental illness. When I first studied undergraduate psychology twenty years ago, mental illness was still a socially taboo subject. When I first began working as an employment counsellor 18 years ago, stigma, stereotyping and at times blatant discrimination, was rife. In that time we have seen targeted awareness raising programs in Australia which have helped improve our collective mental health literacy. That is not to pretend there’s not still more to do, that there’s not some people who still hold on to antiquated notions. Some do. But, many people now understand that mental health is an integral part of health. They understand that so many of us will experience mental illness in our lives (1 in 5 of us in a year, and close to half of us in our lifetime). We now hear people talking more openly about mental illness in families, communities and workplaces. However, it is time to stop talking about mental illness and start talking about mental wellbeing. Seriously.
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Our society generally approaches mental health from an illness model. We focus on diagnosis, medicalisation and clinical services. We don’t have enough of these services. For example, Victorian research indicates alarmingly increased levels of young people seeking emergency treatment for mental disorders, with a 46% increase in recent years. There are people in dire need of treatment and care, families who are distressed and isolated and not able to access support. We do not have enough services to meet the current demands. People are dying and it’s not only patients and their families who are struggling. We have many dedicated health professionals working in these systems who are burnt-out and straining to meet the complex needs of their patients in an under resourced system. For some of these professionals, it is to the detriment of their own mental wellbeing. Photo: Cole Keister
A recent report from Mental Health Australia and KPMG indicates we have seen increased funding of mental health services, and yet no decrease in the prevalence of mental illness. Rates appear stable. There is no denying that in our communities there are some brilliant services, working positively to enhance the experience of those living with mental health issues and their families. We have community based service providers who work tirelessly with limited resources to help people living with mental illness recover and engage in roles that are meaningful to them. But, this is not enough. If we only focus on either mental illness treatment or on awareness raising, we are missing the opportunity to actually reduce prevalence, to reduce harm, and to save lives now and into the future.
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We currently take a Band-Aid approach to address mental illness, dominated by a short-term view of controlling symptoms. Instead we need a revolutionary change to a preventative model. We now know enough about the human and economic costs of staying on the current path. We know about the multitude of risk factors, some of which can be targeted in proactive interventions. We know about some of the effective preventative approaches we can employ. Yet, we limply try to put a plaster on this cavernous need and wonder why the crisis is not healing. We need to prioritise mental wellbeing. Here’s three steps we could take immediately to make a positive change: 1. Start young. We need to educate our kids about the importance or mental wellbeing – just as we do with food pyramids and the benefits of physical activity. The government has committed some funds to new programs but more needs to be done. 2. Business and industry needs to play a part. Employee mental wellbeing needs to become part of the culture and fabric of every Australian workplace. 3. Parents and carers need more support and education about mental health and wellbeing. We need to make this a sexy election issue so it gets properly funded. Although, it’s not even as simple as that. We can’t idly wait for governments to fund proactive mental wellbeing programs. We need to take steps to build mental wellbeing in our workplaces, in our communities, in our families, and most significantly, within ourselves. If we don’t begin focussing on, funding and personally prioritising mental wellbeing, we will never reduce the rates of mental illness. We need to start today. References Mental Health Australia and KPMG Report: Investing to Save. May 2018 ABC Health & Wellbeing, 07.05.18 http://www.abc.net.au/news/health/2018-05-07/youth-mentalhealth-emergency-departments/9728918
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MENTAL MENTAL MENTAL FITNESS MENTAL FITNESS FITNESS FITNESS SUMMIT SUMMIT SUMMIT SUMMIT
2018 2018 2018
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WHAT EXPECT WHAT TO TO EXPECT
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individuals, including resilience, fulfillment hostedinnovators by leadinginpractitioners, and the field, this thought Summit leaders is sure to empower individuals, including resilience, fulfillment Proactive approaches to mental fitness can innovators in the field, this Summit is sure to empower Bringing together an exciting day of better. informati you to change your working environments for the and improved wellbeing. Bringing together an exciting day of info Proactive approaches to mental fitness can you to change your working environments for the better. and improved wellbeing. benefit organisations as well, contributing hosted by leading practitioners, thought lead
benefit organisations as well, contributing hosted by practitioners, Held atinnovators the iconic Mandoon Estate in the Swan Valley, to improved company culture, innovation in leading the field, this Summit isthought sure to Held at the iconic Mandoon Estate in the Swan Valley, to improved company culture, innovation the Summit will be on Thursday, 19 July 2018. innovators in the field, this Summit is su Proactive approaches to mental fitness can and organisational development, leading to the Summit you toonchange your will be Thursday, 19 working July 2018.environments fo Proactive approaches to mental fitness can and organisational development, leading to you to change your working environmen productivity and an engaged benefit organisations as well,workforce. contributing Set in a wow location, you will be able to step out of the productivity and an engaged workforce. benefit organisations as well, contributing a wow location, you iconic willyourselves be able to on step out of thebanks atimmerse the Mandoon Estate in the Sw to Held day and the serene to improved company culture, innovation Set inday day to day and immerse yourselves on the serene banks Held at the iconic Mandoon Estate th The inaugural Mental Fitness Summit 2018 the the SwanSummit River. will be on Thursday, 19 Julyin to improved company culture, innovation 201 and development, leading toof theofSwan The organisational inaugural Mental Fitness Summit 2018 River. is themed Creating Mentally Fit Workplaces. the Summit will be on Thursday, 19 July and organisational development, leading to is themed Creating Mentally Fit Workplaces. productivity and an engaged workforce. Set in a wow location, you will be able to ste productivity and an engaged workforce. No other conference in Australia offers a a wow location,yourselves you will be t daySet to in day and immerse onable the se No other conferenceapproach in Australia offers afitness in comprehensive to mental The inaugural Mental Fitness Summit 2018 of day the Swan to dayRiver. and immerse yourselves on t comprehensive approach to mental fitness in the workplace. The inaugural Mental Fitness Summit 2018 of the Swan River. isthe themed Creating Mentally Fit Workplaces. workplace. Dr Jenny Brockis Tasha Bloomhall John Poulsen,
SOME OF SPEAKERS OUR Attendees come away from the No other in Australia offers armedconference with meaningful andSummit practical tools a to armed withconference meaningful and practical tools to comprehensive approach toimplement mental fitness in FOR 2018 ensure they can adopt ideas aSPEAKERS No other inand Australia offers ensure they can adopt and implement ideas in their lives and in their workplaces. FOR 2018 SOME is themed Creating Mentally Fit Workplaces. OF OUR Attendees come away from the Summit the workplace. their workplaces. comprehensive to mental fitness in in their lives and inapproach the workplace.
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Health & Wellbeing Expert Passion & Performance Tasha Bloomhall John Poulsen, Organisational Mental Health & Wellbeing Expert
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in their lives and in their workplaces.
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Is your organisation merely ticking the mental health boxes? By Tasha Broomhall
Many organisations now have a focus on workplace mental health, however, how do you ensure that your initiatives are meeting their objectives and not just a Band-Aid approach? As the groundswell of movement focuses our attention on workplace mental health, there is a risk of throwing resources at a problem not knowing if you are achieving meaningful outcomes. It’s common for workplace wellness programs to be transactional – they simply ‘do stuff’; but, do they ignite and support positive change in your workplaces, changes in attitudes, knowledge and behaviour? How do you ensure that they transform workplace practices and culture? If you haven’t been living under a rock, you will have heard of the importance of workplace mental health and wellbeing. Much of the focus is on mental illness, and there are some good reasons for this:
Photo: GraphicStock
• 45% of Australians experience mental illness in their lifetime; • Mental health issues in the workplace cost the economy $12.8 billion every year; • For every dollar organisations spend on appropriate action (such as training leaders), there is on average a $2.30 return on investment. As well as the human and economic costs, there are legal requirements for employers to focus on workplace mental health and wellbeing. Employers are legally obliged to: • not discriminate against an employee with mental illness (including at recruitment, during employment and during any exit from the organisation – this may at times include designing and implementing reasonable adjustments); • ensure health and safety (this includes creating a psychologically safe workplace, and managing duty of care to all employees and members of the public as relevant);
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• ensure privacy (this includes around disclosure of mental health issues and the implementation of reasonable adjustments); • avoid adverse actions. However, on average, only 43% of managers understand this area. Many organisations entire approach to employees’ mental health and wellbeing is to simply provide an Employee Assistance Program (EAP). Tick. Some go further and have a range of wellbeing initiatives such as yoga classes, quiet or chill out zones, lunchtime mindfulness and meditation session. Tick. The area of workplace wellbeing has grown significantly over the last few years with some very innovative strategies and applications. Yet, what is the return? EAP services can be instrumental in crisis management and support; wellbeing programs can stimulate motivation and encouragement for people to make changes in their wellbeing, which may ultimately increase their capacity to perform optimally in the workplace. However, when these programs are done in isolation, when they are implemented amidst a culture that is already negative and dysfunctional, it may be difficult to gain employees trust to engage with the services in the first place. So, how do you build a culture of positive mental health and wellbeing that is more than just
Photo: Glenn Carstens
transactional? The first step is to acknowledge that mental health is an important part of general health and as such you will have employees who are affected at times. Understand that not all employees with mental health issues will be impacted in their work functioning. But, if they are, it is important that they feel safe to disclose their issues. This is necessary so that you can work together to meet your obligations to them, and other employees, by providing appropriate support whilst still managing the organisation’s needs. A positive change that we are seeing is the move from having a Peer Support Program, with designated Peer Support Officers, to having a Culture of Peer Support – where all employees are encouraged to care for each other. Not that those employees are asked to intrude into other’s personal business, but that anyone who observes someone struggling has the skills and confidence to engage with that person appropriately to give support. When done well this can foster and encourage a culture of positive mental health and wellbeing. Another positive change we have observed is organisations moving away from a bandaid approach of simply having an EAP as a crisis response service. Many EAPs also have Managers Assist Helplines to aid leaders in better supporting and managing employees. They also encourage employees to not wait until a crisis evolves to connect with their EAP service, but to do so proactively.
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Why is creating a mentally healthy workplace important? Employers must provide a safe and healthy workplace. This includes mental health. Creating a mentally healthy workplace not only benefits the health and wellbeing of the workforce but builds trust and respect between workers. A culture of care enhances an organisation’s reputation as an employer of choice, and improves motivation, engagement and job satisfaction. Mentally healthy workplaces also help organisations to: • meet their legal responsibilities to manage safety and health risks and to provide timely and durable return to work systems; • decrease disruptions and costs resulting from work-related harm; • reduce worker turnover, absenteeism and presenteeism; • reduce work-related injuries, illness and lost time; • improve productivity. Investing in mental health and wellbeing at work is consistently demonstrated to generate a positive financial return on investment. When a mentally healthy workplace is achieved, and workers are protected from harm or injury and other potentially negative impacts, they can also benefit from the typical health benefits of employment, including routine, social contact, remuneration, identity and regular activity. How do you achieve this? Leaders must know: • roles and responsibilities to respond; • functional impacts of common mental health issues in the workplace; • how to minimise risks; • appropriate conversations; • appropriate workplace adjustments.
own skills, such as stress management, dealing with difficult behaviours in others, and building their own mental health buoyancy. When implemented, appropriate and targeted strategies can greatly improve an organisation’s culture of mental health and wellbeing. This helps to foster an environment where employees feel safe to disclose any mental health issues
and get the support that they need, as well as the conscious attention to personally improve their own mental health. How effective is your organisations mental health and wellbeing strategy – is it meeting your needs?
P
P P
P P P P P
Photo: Dylan Nolte
References Mental Health Australia & KPMG - Investing to Save Report 2018. PWC & Beyond Blue - Creating a mentally healthy workplace: Return on investment analysis Achor, S, 2010 http://executiveeducation. wharton.upenn.edu/thought-leadership/ wharton-at-work/2014/03/positivityhabits#sthash.ioFfMbxr.dpuf Source: Worksafe WA
Having well-articulated values about mental health and wellbeing defines the architecture of positive behaviour. Develop skills in your leaders around recognising and responding early when mental health concerns arise. Finally, provide opportunities for employees to develop their
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W E N
BLOOM BASKET
As the weather continues to cool, have you noticed more employees huddling around inside at break times? Do any of them get lost scrolling through their newsfeeds? Time out and getting a mental break during the work day can be critical. But often people are seduced by their phones and other devices as there seem to be no other alternatives. One strategy you could consider is to create space for mindful moments during the day, so that those employees who want to, can engage with tools to positively support their mental wellbeing during their breaks. Our Blooming Baskets can assist.
Each basket is designed specifically for your workplace to provide resources to support positive mental wellbeing for individuals and to help you develop a culture of positive mental wellbeing. Each basket contains a range of items such as: • workplace posters customised to promote supports your employees can access, • activities that can be used by employees to foster mindfulness and manage stress, • information to develop skills for supporting own and others mental wellbeing, • curated positive mental wellbeing magazines, • positive mental wellbeing books for your lunchroom. Fee: three sizes available priced from $300$500
Photo: Annie Spratt
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Is your organisation blooming? By Tasha Broomhall
Many organisations are deliberating between the various options of mental health training for their leaders, and broader employees. If we focus on giving leaders the specific workplace skills to meet their obligations and to balance both the human needs of their employees, with the businesses operational needs, this is the best investment of their time. Our one-day program is based on international best practice evidence and guidelines. Over the years it has been run, it has been refined to maximise the outcomes leaders can take back into their work roles. Leaders get the benefit of ongoing access to our membership site and the resources we have developed to help them integrate the skills learnt into improved future behaviours. To meet your obligations as an organisation can you risk your leaders not having the necessary skills in this area?
Blooming Minds provides organisational education services through both group training and organisational consultancy. We guarantee that by engaging our services, participants will better understand the impact of mental health issues in the workplace and develop tools to minimise the human and economic impacts of employee stress, anxiety and depression. In partnership with your organisation, Blooming Minds will develop a Workplace Mental Health & Wellbeing Program so your managers and supervisors can develop the skills and capacity to recognise and respond to mental health issues. By engaging with all tiers of your organisation, we get everyone on the same page regarding the discussion of mental health. A three-fold approach is employed to ensure the information presented is incorporated into daily routines for maximum benefit and ROI. Our approach to mental health training is based on 3 core elements:
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1
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CUSTOMISED COURSES FOR PEOPLE LEADERS
CUSTOMISED COURSES FOR ALL FIRST RESPONDERS:
Workplace Leaders Extension Program
Mental Health First Aid
Combines the two day Mental Health First Aid and a half day people leader’s extension program (2 ½ days). This is the optimum program if you are in a leadership role to ensure you can recognise and respond to mental health issues, as well as understand your obligations around reasonable adjustments, privacy and balancing people’s needs with business needs. This is particularly relevant for people in positions responsible for raising concerns regarding mental health issues, responding to potential crisis, and designing and implementing ongoing reasonable workplace adjustments.
For all first responders (such as First Aid representatives, Peer Supporters, HSE and OSH employee / representatives, HR professionals) to ensure that they have the knowledge and skills to respond appropriately to any mental health crisis that may develop.
For more senior managers the best options are: Mental Health in the Workplace for Leaders An overview of common mental illnesses, legal obligations to employees, designing reasonable adjustments, privacy requirements and balancing your people needs with business needs.
For Exec Managers the best option is:
3 CUSTOMISED COURSES FOR ALL EMPLOYEES: Lunch and Learn One hour sessions on a range of mental health topics, designed to assist interested employees in developing more positive awareness of mental illness and strategies to promote mental wellbeing for themselves and others. Building Buoyancy Increase personal capacity to proactively manage stress and, therefore, support mental wellbeing.
Executive Briefing Session – Organisational Mental Health Strategy Strategic level overview of the business case for fostering a culture of positive mental health and wellbeing, which encompasses a framework for implementation.
Dealing with Difficult Colleagues Equips all employees with strategies to manage difficult relationships with colleagues and focuses on self-management.
Leading Positively Through Change
Mental Health Awareness Module for your Intranet Evidence based mental health information for your employees to access through your intranet.
Assists leaders to positively support employees through times of change with a focus on the emotions of change, rather than just the WHAT and HOW of change.
Photo: Samuel Zeller
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mance for
A Wh ole
er
pproach to A e f P i L
wellness @ work By Pauline Tarrant
While writing a paper on the future of work two years ago, I found myself wondering how we humans will survive the turbulent period of change ahead of us. The loss of job roles as the ‘robots’ take over, the constant need to perform, and the demand of constant upskilling, will take its toll. It is apparent that looking after our personal wellness, with a whole of life approach, is as important as the acquisition of new knowledge or skills. To be at our best we need to prioritise self-care. We need to take time to eat well, sleep well, exercise well and monitor our wellness on an ongoing basis. With top performers in organisations outperforming other employees by up to 40%, the benefits expand well beyond an individual, and can have a significant impact in an organisation. In time I can see that we may be wearing devices that will trigger an alarm if the cognitive ability
of a group hits a certain level, so people can take a break, meditate, rehydrate or whatever they need to do to be at their best. A step towards these performance insights is already here on the WellKom platform. A profiling tool is completed by employees before full dashboard access is opened to them, including their personal wellness scores. The platform includes a toolkit of highly personalised resources proven to help individuals understand and act on the areas that will bring them the biggest benefits, both mentally and physically. For the employer, the ratio of high capacity people can be boosted by 50% and the low capacity ratio reduced by 25%. What’s more, such investments have been proven to significantly improve levels of engagement and motivation. In using a profiling tool such as this, the organisation receives valuable data to assist with
Pauline Tarrant has a passion for people performance and has spent her entire working life helping organisations, teams and individuals be at their best.
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planning and strategy. For example, with WellKom, a comprehensive report is generated, including detailed information on employee wellness scores across 9 areas: • Satisfaction with Lifestyle • Coping with Pressure • Wellness Behaviours • Managing Personal Health and Work Issues • Attitudes towards an Active Lifestyle • Mental Well-Being • Pace of Life • Physical Health • Stress When selecting a profiling tool of this nature there are five key questions to consider: • How is individual confidentiality maintained? • How can the information be benchmarked? • How can you track progress over time? • What reporting functionality is available to identify trends in different work locations, teams or demographics? • What wellness priority areas should my organization focus on? Organisations using tools of this nature report significant reductions in absenteeism and presenteeism, along with a lower risk profile for workplace stress and reputational damage. The personal and organisational improvements are sustainable through the development of certified wellness people within the organisation. Over the years ahead we will continue to see more applications of technology in the wellness space including data from wearable devices and greater insights from artificial intelligence to help you and your people to be their best.
LINKS www.paulinetarrant.com http://www.wellkom.org/ https://www.linkedin.com/company/wellkom-internat ional/?originalSubdomain=au
Photos courtesy of Pauline Tarrant
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In a winter funk? By Tasha Broomhall
It is really common to experience a bit of an emotional funk at times. A flat mood, where we may be a bit listless or sad, or feel a bit underwhelmed by life, or feel stuck in a situation that we don’t like. Many people tell me they are more prone to this funk in the winter months. Often what they are describing is not a diagnosable mental health condition, such as Seasonal Affective Disorder, but more a state of feeling unmotivated and out of sorts, tied to the winter months. I remember when I first moved to London many years ago, I was living with a Doctor and after a few weeks she commented that I hadn’t done much sightseeing yet. I told her I was waiting for the weather to improve. It was late January and bitterly cold, with plenty of rain. I remember she laughed at me and told me that if I was waiting for better weather then I would be waiting a long time. She said that I should dress for the weather and get out and enjoy it. One of the things I notice here in Australia, especially in the southern areas, is that we are a bit more prone to living to the season. We tend to recreate, exercise and socialise more in the warmer months, and hibernate a little in the winter months. If this is you, and you notice that it does have a negative impact on your mood, then approach this winter with a new plan. Maintain your exercise, self-care, and socialising habits. You may need to move activities indoors, or get better prepared with all-weather equipment, But don’t hibernate. There is so much evidence that we can positively improve our own mental health and wellbeing. Develop a plan to look after yourself proactively this winter: Photo: Unsplash
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PICK ME! PICK ME! Are you in a funk? Get out quick! You are the only one who can change how you spend your days. Choose a bit more activity; a bit more sunlight; a bit more interaction with others who nourish your being; Keep a daily list of the things you are grateful for really help you to see life and events with a positive perspective); Listen to music that you love; Volunteer your time to help someone in your family, community or through a charity. BUILD UP THE GOOD STUFF IN YOUR LIFE AS BEST YOU CAN
Photo: Denise Johnson
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Find your Discover your wellbeing pathway with a Health and Wellness Retreat. With the click of a mouse button you could be jettisoned off across the globe on a journey, with an intention to learn and grow, a health and wellness retreat could transform you. This April 2018 I headed to The Bali Spirit Festival in Ubud, Bali, Indonesia. The Festival immersive of yoga, meditation and music, was to be my own transformational journey to learn and share with the best instructors and facilitators, from all over the world. This included presenters from Indonesia, USA, Japan, Canada, Mexico, Scotland, Portugal, Nigeria, Venezuela, Brazil, China, Jamaica, Switzerland, Germany and of course their closest neighbour, Australia.
Photos above courtesy of Peter Schupp
Photo: Geran De Klerk
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wellbeing pathway with a journey By Peter Schupp
In the middle of 2017, Bali’s sacred mountain Gunung Agung awoke and reminded us all how energetic and powerfully alive this planet truly is. The Festival for 2018 was given the theme Return to Source. For me, that means focusing on the breath and enlivening my own core for energy boosting, power and mindfulness. The opening party was a great way to feel the group dynamic of the 1500 or so people that would frequent the festival, and I looked upon these smiling faces wondering what friendships and connections over the coming week would transpire. Vandana Hart, from the Netflix series We Speak Dance, choreographed a celebration of Balinese culture which was awe inspiring and set the tone for the calibre of the presenters that were to follow. The following days were a plethora of choice. Everything from Laughter Yoga, Blindfolded Anusara, Rocket Vinyasa, Wonderflow, Shamanic Yoga Flow, Kundalini to Embodied Dance, Qi Gong, Sacred Cacao Elemental Dance, Dancehall, Hoop Love, Integral Grounding and Breathwork. So many options and so many exciting styles of yoga, dance, meditation sound healings, and as the days turned to nights, music. I found myself heading to the various yoga sessions early in the day to follow my usual routine. At 10 am daily, a Breathwork session in the main pavilion was always on my to do list, as the Breath is my most loved aspect to yoga and life. There were so many aspects to these Breathwork sessions that had me inspired and transformed. After such an epic energy outpouring, the rest of the day was a search for a gentler respite. Sound healing and meditations, lectures and healings, elemental dance, cacao ceremony, or a rest by the stunning pool and soaking in the tropical climate. Refuelling with amazing, organic vegetarian food, found at the food court that was a hustle and bustle of famished foodies. Stunning musicians from across the globe playing as you devoured your kilojoules and
connected with your people. The ebb and flow of the festival lifestyle was something out of a poem. Heartfelt sincerity, with a knowing of what we all shared as a tribe. The evenings were filled with Kirtan chanting, devotional medicine music, soulful roots to tribal rock and Global Dance. If you had any energy to get up and boogie, you were indeed a hero of epic danciness, or you had no intention of doing yoga at 8 am in the morning. Personally, I was washed out and found getting my groove on early in the week nearly impossible to fathom, until the last nights. There was no energy to conserve and the musical beats stepped up a BPM or 30. One stand out Tribal Rock band was Amaru Pumac Kuntur, who was truly a Peruvian, shamanic, rock god and my new favourite EDM producer in Ben Temple Step. The presenters were world class, the festival was incredibly well run, and it was easy to navigate the 3 or 4 hectares of beautiful space that sprawled in its tropical richness. I recommend you look into this festival or any health retreats you can find. Health and wellness retreats are all the rage these days and for very good reason; you can cram so much into a short space of time. With the right facilitators and session plans, along with a beautiful setting, you truly find yourself escaping your perceived reality and coming home with a brand new one.
Peter can be found at his Kaizen Wellbeing Laughter Yoga Club every Tuesday night at 5.15pm – 6pm during school term. The club is located at the Citiplace Community Center, Upper Concourse, Wellington St Train Station, Perth City.
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Retreat & Bloom! By Tasha Broomhall
You’ve probably heard of the benefits of meditation and the importance of improving your mental wellbeing. But does this feel elusive? Do you think you’re too busy to meditate? Or that you don’t know how to do it? Does it feel as though your mental wellbeing happens to you, as though you have no control of influence over it? This weekend meditation retreat in the gorgeous surrounds of historic York, will provide you with the perfect setting to build your meditation muscle, whether you’re a novice or an experienced meditator. It provides you with a circuitbreaker if you’re feeling like you’re trudging along on the treadmill of life, and will enable you to be still, to regenerate and to emerge with renewed focus. Immerse yourself in a weekend of reflection, relaxation and rejuvenation. This is not the kind of retreat that you attend, have a great time and then
forget about two weeks later. You will learn practical techniques you can take home and continue to use, with strategies to integrate your renewed calm state into daily practice. Your weekend will include daily meditations, sessions to reflect and recalibrate on your current state of mental wellbeing, a fun group class playing with clay, free time to relax, an individual session with Tasha, and if you really want to indulge: optional massage and beauty treatments are available (fees apply). All meals are included in the fee except for one lunch out at a local cafe where you pay for your own consumption. This is a small group retreat, with only 3 rooms available.
Friday 10th – Sunday 12t h Augus t 2018 Ho pe Farm Guest Hou se, York W.A.
Photos courtesy of Hope Farm
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“Meditation Can drive positive neoplastic changes That can also reflect mental and physical Wellbeing such as greater emotional Balance, compassion, and genuine Happiness, as well as a potential Buffering of stressful and Traumatic experience when it does occur.” John Kabat-Zinn Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction Workbook
Tasha Broomhall is the Director of Blooming Minds and has partnered with organisations and communities to develop cultures of positive mental health and wellbeing for the past 17 years. Her work focuses on helping individuals and teams to improve their mental health and wellbeing using research and tools from positive psychology. Tasha is an accredited meditation and mindfulness instructor, currently holds an Adjunct at Notre Dame University, Fremantle, is a Principal Master Facilitator with Mental Health First Aid Australia and is currently completing a Masters of Science Psychology. Tasha has authored the following books and journals: • Bloom, Mental health and wellbeing (listed in the SANE Australia Top 5 Mental Health Books of 2014)
• Bloom at Work, A mental health guide for leaders • A Year to Bloom journal • Live Consciously and Bloom, self-reflection journal • Are you Blooming? (a work in progress where Tasha is interviewing global political and industry leaders) to develop robust models for mental wellbeing. Tasha’s work has been recognised with the ICCWA Suicide Prevention Award in WA and recently as a finalist in the national LiFE Awards for Excellence in Suicide Prevention, for initiatives in workplaces. This retreat is not clinical treatment for people who are experiencing mental illness or distress.
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I’ve never met a person who woke up and decided to become addicted to a substance. For many people who do develop an addiction, it started as a coping mechanism, as an escape, or social use that became unmanageable. However, we don’t always recognise the maladaptive use until it has spiralled out of control and is now dominating our lives. For some, this will be a private use, and they live with secrecy and shame. For others it’s big, and loud, and public. Many people in our society use substances – in some industries and community groups it’s almost a rite of passage. However, just because someone uses substances, doesn’t mean that they have a substance use disorder. Substance use disorder is where a person: • is using substances in a way that causes harm to their physical or mental health, • has dependence on the substance (physically or psychologically), and • where their substance use negatively affects their functioning.
Photo: Robert Matthews
By Tasha Broomhall
This can include legal substances (such as alcohol or inhalants), illegal drugs, or over the counter and prescription medication that is being misused. In many areas of our society it is socially acceptable to use substances and sometimes it is almost expected. This can lead to people using increasingly more and more while not necessarily aware of the patterns and effects of their use. Substance use disorders often co-occur with anxiety and depressive disorders – sometimes the person with the anxiety or depression is using substances to self-medicate, and at other times the overuse of substances can lead to or exacerbate anxiety and depression. It is important that if a person is experiencing these disorders cooccurring, they should get treatment for all of the conditions to optimise their chances of recovery.
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We often don’t pay a lot of attention to a person’s substance use until it is starting to affect their behaviour. Especially if that behaviour, or their choices, are then affecting us! There is a lot of stigma around substance use issues and people often judge someone as having a weak character or being “a junkie” or an “alco”. It is very easy to see the problem and no longer see the person. Particularly if their substance use is negatively affecting their relationships, and their capacity to care for themselves, or to work and live their usual life. We don’t often show a lot of compassion for a person with substance use issues. It can be complicated because their use really can have such a devastating impact not just on them but also on those around them. If you are supporting someone with substance use issues it is so important to have strong boundaries and supports around yourself. If you choose to you might be able to do this while maintaining empathy and compassion for your loved one who is caught up in their addiction. There are various withdrawal and treatment programs available, as well as support groups to assist people who are trying to change their substance use patterns. Treatment might consist of rapid detox and withdrawal by going cold turkey from the substance, or it might involve medications to assist with this process. The goal of the treatment might be to abstain from using the substance altogether, or to use harm minimisation strategies which focus on reducing the frequency or quantity of the substance that the person uses, as well as the method of using the drug or the location that the person uses.
Photo: Greta Scholderle Moller
There are three broad benefits of counselling for substance use issues. The therapist can: 1. help the person to explore the underlying triggers or cause of their substance use; 2. explore with the person how ready they are for change; 3. assist the person (and their supports) to determine what type and level of professional and personal support is required to change their substance use. Many substance treatment programs use the Stages of Change Model of behaviour change. This recognises that people may be at any of the six stages of the change process at any given point and can move in and out of the different stages on the road to their recovery. When someone relapses, instead of thinking that the situation is hopeless, and that the person will never recover, look for what they have learned from the relapse. Have they learned that they can make changes, even if just for a short time, and feel that next time they can try to beat the addiction? Have they learned what the triggers were that led them to relapse – if so, can they better manage these triggers in the future? Can they identify if they are using a substance to manage other issues (such as depression, anxiety, loneliness), and therefore develop proactive positive strategies to manage these other issues in the future? Edited excerpt from Bloom, Mental Health and Wellbeing, by Tasha Broomhall. Order your copy here.
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There are three broad benefits of counselling for substance use issues. The therapist can: 1. help the person to explore the underlying triggers or cause of their substance use; 2. explore with the person how ready they are for change; 3. assist the person (and their supports) to determine what type and level of professional and personal support is required to change their substance use. Many substance treatment programs use the Stages of Change Model of behaviour change. This recognises that people may be at any of the six stages of the change process at any given point and
There has been significant media attention recently about levels of alcohol misuse, especially amongst women. In my work I observe many men and women report using alcohol as a coping strategy for the stress that builds up managing their multiple roles, and as a way to get through the week. Individuals and organisations can tackle this for themselves, by developing healthy coping strategies proactively. If you have found your substance use may have crept a little higher than you
can move in and out of the different stages on the road to their recovery. When someone relapses, instead of thinking that the situation is hopeless, and that the person will never recover, look for what they have learned from the relapse. Have they learned that they can make changes, even if just for a short time, and feel that next time they can try to beat the addiction? Have they learned what the triggers were that led them to relapse – if so, can they better manage these triggers in the future? Can they identify if they are using a substance to manage other issues (such as depression, anxiety, loneliness), and therefore develop proactive positive strategies to manage these other issues in the future?
realised, why not participate in Dry July. This is not a treatment program, so if you are experiencing substance dependence or addiction then you need specialised treatment – go see your GP and get a referral to a service near you. However, if you just wish to reduce your use and do some good at the same time, this might be just the opportunity for you. More information can be found at the official website: https://www.dryjuly.com/
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION & RESOURCES: Australian Government Alcohol Guidelines http://www.alcohol.gov.au/internet/alcohol/publishing.nsf/Content/guide-adult Alcohol and Drug Foundation (lists state and national services) htts://adf.org.au/help-support/ Western Australia Network of Alcohol and other Drug Agencies (lists services in other states) http://www.wanda.org.au/about/australian-aod-peaks-network.html National Drug & Alcohol Research Centre (some excellent free webinars available) https://ndarc.med.unsw.edu.au/ Alcohol & Drug Foundation (information about drugs and their effects) https://adf.org.au/ FOR COUNSELLING & SUPPORT IN WESTERN AUSTRALIA: Holyoake https://www/holyoake.org.au/
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“I speak to everyone in the same way, whether he is the garbage man or the president of the university.” Albert Einstein
There is significant focus on diversity in workplaces at present. I have lost count of how many conversations I’ve heard about how ‘we need to tolerate differences”. Is tolerance our highest goal as a society? In our families? Our friendships? Have you heard also the statements about how we need to be more tolerant of each other? How we must tolerate other cultures? Other belief systems? Other ways of life?
thrust of the hip. But is this really the best that we can do when we notice differences between ourselves and others? Instead of tolerance, could we try respect? Respect for our differences? Respect for their choices. Respect for them. Can’t we see ourselves as being separate enough to be allowed to have our own identities and therefore make different choices? And yet realise that we are similar in that we are all just working through life, doing the best we can to be true to ourselves, just as they are?
To me it always sounds so patronising and disrespectful to assume that someone is so far beneath my own moral or social standing that I merely “tolerate” or put up with their existence. I always imagine that this “tolerant” attitude is accompanied by intense eye rolling and a sideways
Their differences are not about you. How they live their life, what they believe in, who they pray to, or who they go to bed with is not about you at all. So, don’t get all up inside someone else’s business. Be mindful of your own business and respect whatever life others have chosen to live for themselves.
“There are some people who always seem angry and continuously look for conflict. Walk away; the battle they are fighting isn’t with you, it is with themselves.” Unknown
Edited extract from Bloom mental health and wellbeing, purchase here (add link)
Photo: Tiago Felipe Ferre
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By Julie Meek Photos: Unsplash
Healthy Workplaces
We all know that it is our personal responsibility to manage our lives but what happens at work can greatly assist in enabling healthy life choices. The home of the boxing kangaroo (aka Australia) is now sitting at 4th on the global obesity leader board, and it’s not the ideal list to be featured on. Individuals aside for the moment - there are plenty of things that we can do in the workplace as a whole that could fit well into your workplace including: • Removing the lolly jar and the sneaky mint bowl from meeting rooms. It is easy to grab a handful of lollies but when four lollies equals a slice of bread, the calories add up! • A prominent fruit bowl • Avoiding the installation of a vending machine • Discouraging chocolate and other junk food fundraising • Encouraging stand-up meetings • A healthy lunch club • Promoting short energy breaks every 90 minutes to reduce sitting time • Allowing flexibility in work schedules to fit in exercise • Larger scale changes including the provision of lockers, showers and bike racks. • Small changes really do make a big difference. Now, back to you. One of the essential tools required to boost health and well-being is organisation. Packing your own healthy snacks and meals is the best way to manage energy levels during long days and save money. This might mean doing a regular shopping trip and getting things ready the night before to avoid rushing in the morning.
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Don’t forget breakfast – eating breakfast will not only get your metabolism buzzing and keep you fuller for longer but will ensure your brain is raring to go when you arrive at work. Some ideas for a healthy breakfast include: • Porridge, Bircher muesli or a high fibre cereal with fresh fruit and milk or yoghurt • Poached eggs on wholegrain toast • Fruit smoothie • Wholegrain toast with smashed avocado and sliced tomato Pack a healthy lunch Be prepared with some healthier choices including: • Sandwiches or rolls with lean cold meat, cheese or egg and salad • Pasta, rice or noodle dishes with a tomato base sauce or stirfry meat and vegetables • Salad dishes with meat, chicken or fish that haven’t been drowned in dressing • Chicken or meat skewers (try for a side of vegetables or salad if available • Sushi (without the crumbed or battered fillings) • Soup and bread/roll Do your best to avoid deep-fried and battered items such as crumbed sausages, schnitzel, chips, fried chicken or fish, pastry products such as pies, pasties, sausage rolls and quiche and those gigantic muffins and cookies! Get up! Sitting is indeed the new smoking, so make sure that you move at regular intervals to get your body and brain working productively. Get up and grab a drink, a quick walk around the office or get some fresh air every 90 minutes at least.
A nutritionist and dietitian, Julie Meek is one of the most respected sports dietitians in Australia with over 15 years’ experience in public, sports and corporate nutrition. www.juliemeek.com.au
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Workplace Wellness It’s easy to get stuck in the day to day ‘business as usual’ and not take time to check in with your staff to see how they are. In fact, we are so used to saying ‘how are you?’ - ‘yeah good thanks’ - but really, if you say good, are you being authentic? If the answer is no then take a guess, are your staff answering ‘yeah good thanks’ when actually they are not good at all! I always ask ‘how are you really?’ - opening up a space for an authentic conversation. This soup is perfect as the cold days draw in and kids love it!
Pumpkin Soup You will need (serves 4) 1 tbs olive oil 1 brown onion, coarsely chopped 2 tsp ground cumin 1.2 kg butternut pumpkin, peeled, seeded, coarsely chopped 1L (4 cups) chicken or vegetable stock Dollop of natural yoghurt 1 garlic clove Bread to serve
Sophie Budd
Sophie Budd is chef and owner of Taste Budds Cooking Studio. She is passionate about teaching people to cook and feeding people! Her resume includes working for both Rick Stein and Jamie Oliver.
Method 1. Heat 1 tbs olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Cook onion, stirring, for 5 minutes or until golden, then the garlic. Add cumin and cook, stirring for 1 minute or until aromatic. 2. Add pumpkin and stir to coat. Add stock. Simmer for 20 minutes or until the pumpkin is soft. Set aside to cool slightly. Use a stick blender to blend until smooth. 3. Ladle soup among serving bowls. Top with a dollop of natural yoghurt. Serve with the bread. Photo: Pexels
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ong r t s y r e is v e r e h t thy l t a a e h h t d n py an “ G iv e p a h ss t e a n h t i s e u c b n for d evide o o g e r a well s n e u e y t a o l h emp nd t a , rces y u t o i s l e i r b a n rai d p r o f it o t e v and n ser y a t c i s l e i e b y o f it a r emplo p iness e s c u u b d d e o r and es go k a m t i u e .� , s y s t i i v s i i t h ore t n produc g i t o n sense to
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Work while you walk By Tasha Broomhall
Have you noticed how long you sit during a day? You’ve likely heard all of the reports in recent years about the perils of sitting for long periods. I thought that given a key element of my work is based on standing while presenting at conferences and courses, that it wasn’t relevant to me. However, I am currently focussed on increasing my physical health and fitness and have been more conscious of how much I’m moving every day. I recently counted up the average hours in a week that I spend sitting at my desk (course prep time, research, watching lectures online for the Master’s degree I am studying, emails etc etc), time spent sitting in bed writing fiction late into the night, or time spent in my studio working with clay. I realised maybe time spent sitting is an issue I needed to consider. The idea that sitting for extended periods of time has a negative correlation with health outcomes is commonly accepted. However, what is also significant is that leisure time activity does not sufficiently compensate the relationship between sedentary behaviours and poor health outcomes. So, if you are sitting for extended periods, you can’t just fix it by doing some exercise. Rather, ideally, you should try to reduce the time spent sitting.
Photo: Alex Kotliarskyi
In reviewing my activities associated with extended periods of sitting, I realised that much of it was either unavoidable (work and study) or time I didn’t want to avoid (time spent on writing and clay work). I realised I was going to need to approach this issue creatively. Where possible I started inviting clients and colleagues to engage in walking meetings, instead of sitting in an office or a café. In an average week this doesn’t add up to enough change for what I was trying to achieve though. Many of my clients have adopted standing desks in recent years and there is plenty of research that supports the benefits of this for many individuals. However, as my goal was to not only sit less, but to move more, I looked further for more options. And that was when I read an interview with the brilliant neuroscientist Norman Doidge where he talked about working, at least in part, from a treadmill desk. My initial reaction was, hmm… I know multitasking can be a serious stress inducer for me and many others, and can be counterproductive. Yet, in the interview, Norman Doidge said that when we walk fast it triggers both brain growth factors and new cells in the brains memory system.
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Research supports that both standing desks and treadmill desks can be effective at reducing levels of sedentary behaviour, and do not appear to have a negative impact on productivity. Each of these options though does come with risks and occupational health and safety protocols in workplaces may mean that treadmill desks (which have more potential benefits, but also more potential risks relating to possible accident and injury) do not become widespread in the workplace. I spoke to some people from around the world who use treadmill desks and they all raved about the benefits they’ve reaped. And they all advised to start at a slow walking pace and build it up as you get used to combining the two activities; with most suggesting that it takes about three months to get used to the set-up.
While overall, further research is needed in this area, it is certainly working for me as a way to increase my movement, decrease sitting time, and hopefully with other changes, will assist in improving my general physical health. Could standing or walking while working be of use to you?
Encouraged by the research and these recommendations, I set about purchasing a treadmill desk and it was surprisingly difficult to find one that could allow a reasonable walking pace to be of real benefit. I eventually purchased a treadmill and got a local metal framer to make me a desk frame to go over the top of it, to use as a desk. I then wall mounted my monitor behind the desk.
The Impact of Active Workstations on Workplace Productivity and Performance: A Systematic Review
References https://www.dumbofeather.com/conversations/ norman-doidge-opens-our-minds/ A systematic review of standing and treadmill desks in the workplace (attached) Effect of Active Workstation on Energy Expenditure and Job Performance: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis
Adding any exercise to the day has often been a challenge for me and so I knew that the best way to adapt a new behaviour is to try to map it to an existing behaviour. I will often spend time in the morning reading research or watching lectures online, so I made a commitment to myself that instead of doing that on my phone, or while sitting at my desk, I will now do it while walking on the treadmill. And so for the last couple of months I’ve been doing this. So far, it has been a great way of increasing activity in my day. I am relatively uncoordinated, so I have learnt pretty quickly to not try to do anything involving typing while I’m walking, but I have managed to master using the mouse to navigate around the screen while I still walk.
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Increase Cultural Intelligence (CQ) for Healthier Organisations
We may have a shrinking world, but it seems that people are less connected. We still hear daily stories of people just not fitting in. There are thousands of studies demonstrating the overall benefits for organisations when you have happy staff. People who feel they belong and have a purpose. Yet, many organisations are driven by strategy. Peter Drucker coined the famous phrase: ‘Culture eats strategy for breakfast.’ I can assure you it also eats strategy for every other meal. This does not mean strategy is not important, it goes hand in hand with culture. But, if you can’t get the culture right, you may just as well not bother with the strategy. Nowadays, with the power of technology around us, we have constant change. Change is the new normal. Change is not so much top down, but we can see change being influenced from all directions. You can say we now influence from a change economy. Power of the people can have amazing impacts. Note I said, ‘the people.’ Not politicians, world leaders, but ‘the people.’ We live in a world of crowdfunding and co-creation.
Our organisations have been turned inside out, by our tweeting employees. We can’t afford to not have an inclusive culture. Let’s face it, change is hard. It is easy to fall into our comfortable ways. It seems the older we get, the less we bounce, but change is constant! How do we create collaborative change? Culturally inclusive change is crucial for the wellbeing of staff. We already know happy employees are productive employees. So, what does this look like? It is not just about how you do things, it is also important to look at what is happening under the surface of the water. Why are you doing it – the why is reflected in our cultural assumptions and beliefs. All change is driven from our cultural beliefs and assumptions. Are you leading by example? Getting back to your organisations strategy… Has this clearly been communicated? Is it evident in all departments and facets of the organisation? How do you do this? What is your culture? How do you actually do things around here?
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There is a clear gap for further research (and ultimately a blue print) to improve diversity and inclusion in the workplace. In WA the current workforce is 52.7% Australian born. Cultural diversity in organisations often causes conflict and potential misunderstandings in the workplace. We can’t learn the rules for every single individual culture. By growing individual cultural intelligence (CQ) and ultimately organisational CQ, you will no doubt have a healthier organisation.. Research tell us that the bigger the organisation, the bigger the gap between current and preferred culture. What is CQ? CQ is an individual's ability to function effectively in culturally diverse settings and is a globally recognised way of assessing and improving effectiveness for culturally diverse situations.
www.redheadcommunications.com
Why is CQ important? CQ predicts readiness for working and relating effectively with people from different backgrounds – gender, ethnic, generational, organisational. With higher CQ you will more likely gain new opportunities and successfully navigate today’s diverse world. What impact will this have on your company? Broadly speaking, CQ outcomes influence highquality decision making, trust, cooperation, negotiation effectiveness, creativity, innovation, adjustment and resistance to fatigue/ burnout, work performance and leadership effectiveness as well as profitability and cost savings. Research demonstrates several consistent results for individuals and organisations that improve CQ, including more effective crosscultural adaptability and decision making, enhanced job performance, improved creativity and innovation, increased profitability and cost savings and enriched situational awareness. Photos: Patrick Tomasso
Tanya Finnie runs a boutique management consulting firm, specialising in cross cultural communication. She is currently conducting a thesis project to measure CQ of managers. The key research question will examine the impact of increased cultural intelligence (CQ) of upper and middle managers in technical organisations.
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TESTIMONIALS I would like to express our gratitude and appreciation to you on a job well done…your presentation was informative, thought provoking and interesting. Students who attended the course were impressed by your professionalism and knowledge. Comments such as, “you have no idea how much this has helped me”, “I learned how to handle stress more effectively and how to recognize it”. These comments attest to your level of ability in delivering the material. Students were left with a lasting impression that they will take into their future careers. Thank you A. Watkins, Notre Dame University
I was hooked from the beginning to end. I was continuously learning new stuff about how I can help others and myself.
Very practical and informative course. Excellent way to upskill front line leaders in mental health management in the workplace. Received feedback from other participants that this should always be offered to new supervisors. Great job. J. Bruce, Human Resources, Cliffs
Practical tools and advice to identify and manage mental illness in the workplace in a way that supports the individual and the business needs. Excellent presentation, good examples, entertaining. C. Bam, Manager, Department of Commerce
F. Mitchell, CSO, Workpower Inc.
Meet your obligations for managing mental health in the workplace. Blooming Minds partners with your organisation to:
Build AWARENESS Teach SKILLS Change BEHAVIOURS Training Programs that Save Lives.
Talk to us today about how we can help you: www.bloomingminds.com.au
Photo: Marco Bianchetti
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