Mental Health Awareness Week is upon us, and Dr Dougal Sutherland has five ways to wellbeing to offer, plus some potential work-related activities. 

Take Notice – get together a bunch of people at work for daily or weekly mindfulness or yoga sessions – if you’re lucky, work might pay for them. 

Give – give time, or money or resources —good example is volunteering: sports coach, church youth group, charity shop, meals on wheels— lots of evidence to show this not only helps the community but also is good for personal wellbeing. 

Be Active – schedule in some activity every day —make it like any other meeting in your diary— just do it – might be something you could do with others at work as having a buddy helps with accountability and makes you stick at it. 

Connect – really important in this age of hybrid working —virtual connection is good, but nothing beats face to face— is there a way to encourage everyone to be in the office on certain days and then when they are there making connecting with each other a top priority. 

Keep Learning – keep going from te wiki o te reo Māori —or learn a new skill at work— do some professional development. 

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