7 Steps To Improve Wellbeing And Confidence At Work
Welcome to Be Your Own Date…you definitely belong here! Perhaps you are new to my self-care and wellbeing blog, enjoy dipping in from time to time, or are a loyal subscriber. Thank you for your support.
This blog post is all about practical ways to improve employee wellbeing. Maybe you work as part of a small or large team, lead a department or organisation, or identify as an entrepreneur, startup founder or business owner. The need to take good care of ourselves is universal; we ALL deserve to be well.
Full disclosure: I have benefitted from all of the steps below, positively impacting my personal and professional life. Some of these ideas may resonate with you more than others, and that’s OK. Most importantly, I hope to encourage you to consider different ways to help boost your wellbeing and confidence at work. Whilst some things are not within our control, we can feel empowered by our choices and the actions that we decide to take.
TL;DR
TL;DR: 7 steps to improve wellbeing + confidence at work | Graphic by Amy-Jo Lynch
What is wellbeing?
Wellbeing is personal. For me, wellbeing means feeling content, happy and satisfied with my life. It is, therefore, connected to my self-awareness and self-confidence, including how I feel about myself and my abilities. I am not in pursuit of perfection - though, admittedly perfectionism is something that I have grappled with. Instead, I am committed to staying in tune with my mind and body. This means taking the time to regularly reflect on my thoughts, feelings and behaviours, so that I am increasingly aware of small changes that might negatively affect my wellbeing (and mental health) now and in the future. What does wellbeing mean to you? Let me know in the Comments below.
I also think that it is important to acknowledge that there are different aspects of wellbeing, from emotional and social to physical and financial - all of which are linked. Therefore, prioritising our wellbeing at work has far-reaching benefits. Not only for our own productivity and how we feel about ourselves, but also for how we relate to and treat our colleagues, as well as manage and lead people more effectively.
Pause: How often do you take the time to prioritise your self-care and wellbeing?
Maintaining wellbeing is key, so I remain open to different strategies that may assist me when I am in a good place and to develop professionally. In fact, this is what sparked the idea for me to write this post. I feel as though there is a lot of talk about what to embrace when we are NOT in a good place, and perhaps not enough emphasis on looking after our self-care and wellbeing on a regular basis.
On top of that, it can be difficult to open up and share our struggles at work since it can make us feel vulnerable to some extent, depending on the individual, and perhaps we also fear the ramifications of disclosing our concerns. Be assured that I have given this a lot of thought, which is why I am sharing strategies that are easily accessible, including supportive services that should be confidential and personalised to meet your wellbeing needs.
7 steps to improve wellbeing and confidence at work
In no particular order, here are some clear and effective ways to help enhance your wellbeing and confidence in the workplace, particularly beneficial for emotional wellbeing:
1. Access the Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) 🤝
Make the most of the Employee Assistance Programme if you have access to this service at work. An EAP typically offers support 24/7 via a helpline, so consider reaching out to them as soon as you start to notice some of the early warning signs that your wellbeing might be deteriorating, or if you simply feel good and want to continue doing so with additional support, as mentioned earlier. Are you unsure if this employee benefit is available at your workplace? Check out your employee handbook or contact your HR/People team for more information. If an EAP is not available, it is worth exploring whether your employer provides a similar service.
For entrepreneurs and business owners who are part of a business membership organisation, such as the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) or the Institute of Directors (IoD), it is possible that there are wellbeing resources available to you. Give them a call to find out more.
2. Use your personal Learning and Development budget 📚
This budget exists to promote your personal and professional growth, so use it! I’m talking about access to a plethora of books, journals, courses, videos, articles and even coaching! If you don’t have access to this or you work for yourself, for example, I can immediately think of a few ways to get around this:
a) visit your local library or the nearest bookstore
b) download an e-book or audiobook via your local library’s virtual service - my personal favourite!
c) share existing resources with your colleagues and networks
d) explore videos covering a range of topics on YouTube
Take a look at some of the resources that I have personally used on My Favourite Things page.
3. Invest in 1:1 Wellbeing Coaching (with me, of course! ☺️)
My commitment is to empower ambitious professionals and entrepreneurs to look after their wellbeing, gain self-confidence and deal with self-doubt through 1:1 Wellbeing Coaching. To find out more, book a free discovery call for an informal chat over video. Online coaching can be so flexible, especially if you have a busy schedule and would still like to put some time aside to take meaningful steps towards reaching your personal and professional wellbeing goals. You are also welcome to drop me an email at amy-jo@beyourowndate.com. I got you!
Aside: I have always been a people person and that is what sparked my passion for Psychology from an early age. That and a fervent interest in the criminal mind - but that is for another blog post 👀. So much so that I worked with mentally disordered offenders earlier on in my career, providing individual and group interventions, which was extremely rewarding!
Back to Wellbeing Coaching…whoever you choose to work with, take the time to connect with a Coach that you feel comfortable talking to, as this will help to provide a good foundation to build a trusting coaching relationship. My approach is to provide a safe space to support and challenge you with compassion. Have a read about what my clients have to say on my Testimonials page.
Tip: Explore whether you can use your Learning and Development budget (step 2) for your personalised coaching programme.
4. Talk to someone you know 🗣
Lean into your support networks and talk to someone you know and trust. It doesn’t have to be someone at work - this is important if you are a leader within your organisation and there is not an obvious person to turn to, or if you mostly work alone running your own business. That said, there might be an informal employee group dedicated to wellbeing (or wellness, or belonging etc) that you can tap into, which might sit under the Equality, Diversity and Inclusion workstream. Speaking to someone you know and are familiar with may feel more comfortable and less daunting to talk about what you are going through.
Conversely, if you would rather share what is on your mind with someone who is external to your situation, to get a fresh perspective, also consider steps 1 and 3 above.
5. Take a deep breath 🧘🏾♂️
This is a technique that you can do immediately. Take three deep breaths to re-centre yourself and to be present in that moment. Counting 1-2-3 for your inhale and then 1-2-3 for your exhale can be really helpful. I like to call this 'mindfulness at your desk' and it doesn’t have to be time-consuming. You can even place your hands on your desk (or kitchen table or ironing board if working from home) to help brace yourself and literally feel more grounded. I find this particularly useful when I need a moment to myself or make an important decision with a clear mind.
6. Repeat positive affirmations ❤️
You may find that this is a great way to start your day and focus your mind. Let’s start as we mean to go on! As long as these positive and intentional statements are meaningful to you, they can motivate positive self-talk and actions, and can therefore be extremely powerful. Why not get a little artistic and create your own affirmations, discover a quote that you find particularly useful, or reconnect with something that someone said to you that really resonated with you at the time.
Tip: Now is the time to finally put those colourful post-its on your desk/in your drawer to good use! Better still, stick them to your laptop screen or monitor for a helpful daily reminder.
One of my favourite affirmations by Intelligent Change | Photo by Amy-Jo Lynch
7. Write it down / draw it ✍️
Bottling things up may actually serve to chip away at your confidence and resilience, as well as exacerbate your stress levels, worry and exhaustion (burnout). Instead, consider writing your thoughts and feelings down somewhere safe, like your journal. Alternatively, how about you write and post a letter to yourself, create a note or notification on your phone if pressed for time, or simply use a piece of paper lying around if that is what you have to hand. It doesn’t have to be fancy! The main thing is that you have the opportunity to acknowledge and note what is going on and you can always revisit this later. I LOVE this step because it allows us to express our creativity, especially if you are a more visual person. For a paperless option, consider my digital Wellbeing Planner for daily support.
Pause: What will you do to look after your wellbeing at work today?
Final thoughts
My biggest takeaway from this post is that it is important to be heard - sharing thoughts and feelings - to improve our wellbeing in the workplace, which invariably has a positive effect on our wellbeing at home too. Through the Be Your Own Date platform, I am on a mission to make self-care and wellbeing content more accessible. This is why I have shared these practical ideas that you may wish to consider and even incorporate (and adapt) into your own self-care and wellbeing routine to flourish at work. My intention is for these strategies to lift you up if you are doing well or not so well. Simple, yet powerful!
I would love to know which of these steps have worked well for you, or perhaps you have an idea to add to the list. If you feel comfortable sharing your experiences, let me know in the Comments below. You never know who else might benefit from your wise words!
Be kind to yourself. Be Your Own Date.
~ Amy-Jo ☀️
1:1 Wellbeing Coaching ☀️
I am delighted to share that I can support you with online coaching. Achieve more fulfilment and success in your life and work with 1:1 Wellbeing Coaching.
Curious to know more? Read about my unique approach, personalised coaching programme and what to expect while we work together.
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Disclaimer: The content of this blog is provided for general informational purposes only, and does not constitute professional advice. For that, you will need to speak to your GP and/or local health provider.
