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In today’s world wellness is typically equated to physical exercise and what kind of workout regimen a person keeps. However, from my perspective, this is an overly simplistic definition. To have a well rounded approach to wellness we must consider mental, emotional, spiritual, and physical well-being. Yes, all of these directly impact our day-to-day work place and overall life experience. In part one of this three part blog we will cover Mental/Emotional well being.
Mental/Emotional Wellness
People who are mentally and emotionally healthy maintain control of their thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. This can be the toughest task a person can face throughout their life, let alone their career. I have found that the following practices help me keep this in check.
Get good Rest
There has been significant research done regarding sleep and the appropriate amount a person should get depending on their age. This is great to use as a starting point. But in the end it is more important to understand yourself and what you need and be okay with that. Some need 8 solid hours of sleep. Others thrive with 4-6 hours. In either case, as long as this is part of your daily routine both people can be equally productive and maintain mental stability. I love how Mark Buchanan, associate professor of theology at Ambrose Seminary, puts it, “Most of the things we need to be most fully alive never come in busyness. They grow in rest.”
Understand your Triggers
A trigger is something that can “set you off” emotionally or lead you down a path that is exceptionally negative. Understanding what these things are so you can see them coming is very important. So, learn what your triggers are for things like stress, frustration/anger, and joy/happiness. Search out joy and leave the others behind.
Know who you can Lean On
It is very common for a person that is having a rough day to just keep things bottled up. We have a feeling that we are inconveniencing someone if we need to talk. This is one of the worst things you can do for your emotional well being. We are relational beings and it is important that we have at least one person that we can connect with when times are tough. Whether that connection is talking, writing, emailing, texting, instant messaging, etc identify that person in your life.
Accept that Mistakes Happen
Everyone falls, it’s those that get up that grow. There are far more intelligent people than me that have gone through failure and I love what they have to say on the subject. Bill Gates, founder of Microsoft, puts it this way, “It’s fine to celebrate success but it is more important to heed the lessons of failure.” Rick Warren, founder and senior pastor of Saddleback Church, advises “We are products of our past, but we don’t have to be prisoners of it.” Lastly, the great Winston Churchill stated, “All men make mistakes, but only wise men learn from their mistakes.” Failure is inevitable in life. We move into success when we understand this, learn, and don’t dwell there.
These four keys to mental/emotional wellness will help improve the emotional aspect of your life and will get you on your way to a holistic approach to your workplace wellness.
