Author: Jaclyn Lutanco-Chua

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Featured

Putting Employees First

MindNation is running a series of articles about how the finalists for the Workbean Employer Brand Awards are building exemplary work cultures and making health and wellbeing a true organizational priority. 

Winners will be announced on March 2, 2023.

MindNation is the official judging partner for the Workplace Health Advocate Award.

Home Credit is the Philippines’ leading consumer finance company. They provide world-class financial inclusion, lending, and other similar services to customers, often first-time borrowers. 

MindNation: In what ways is the company’s leadership team prioritizing mental health, and how is it incorporated into the overall business strategy?

Home Credit: At Home Credit, we understand that an essential part of our employees’ success and productivity is their mental health and overall well-being. We actively work to create a work environment where everyone feels safe and supported.

Aside from providing all our employees with enhanced mental health care benefits through our HMO, we also empower them with proactive approaches to caring for their well-being. We’ve combined our Sick Leaves and Vacation Leaves and transformed them into Wellness Leaves, so they have more flexibility to take care of the things that matter to them. On top of that, we acknowledge that celebrating birthdays with family and loved ones is important, so we have added a Personal Holiday that our employees use during their birthdays. In addition, we have monthly engagement activities to give employees a break from their daily activities. Finally, we’ve brought back our hobby clubs where employees can socialize with other employees with similar interests and advocacies.

Over the years, we have been actively working to make employee health and well-being not only an essential part of our business strategy but embedded into our everyday employee experience.

MindNation: How does Home Credit promote a culture of open communication and support for employees experiencing mental health issues?

Home Credit: One of our Home Credit Leadership Qualities is People Centricity which in part reads, “Create an inclusive environment where everyone is respected, can be themselves and strive to be their best”, and this is something that we really take to heart. We have a lot of open lines of communication available all the time to our employees. Managers are encouraged and trained to regularly have 1:1 conversations with each team member to support them not only on their work tasks but also on employee wellbeing. Employees are encouraged to maximize their wellness leaves, and if needed, utilize the mental health support through our HMO.

Over the years, we have been actively working to make employee health and well-being not only an essential part of our business strategy but embedded into our everyday employee experience.

MindNation is committed to supporting companies in creating a workplace culture that prioritizes the mental and emotional well-being of their employees. With the help of our team of experienced mental health professionals, we can guide you in building a culture of empathy, inclusivity, and mutual support that can help you create a workplace culture that is not only healthy but also fulfilling and meaningful. For more information, email us at [email protected]. 

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Employee Wellness Featured

Leading The Way

MindNation is running a series of articles about how the finalists for the Workbean Employer Brand Awards are building exemplary work cultures and making health and wellbeing a true organizational priority. 

Winners will be announced on March 2, 2023.

MindNation is the official judging partner for the Workplace Health Advocate Award.

Omni Channel Solutions is an organization based in the Philippines with Omni-Channel Retail, Sales, and Digital Marketing expertise that helps brands, retailers, and agencies drive conversion, implement marketing strategies, and scale their businesses.

MindNation: In what ways is the company’s leadership team prioritizing mental health, and how is it incorporated into overall business strategy?

Omni Channel Solutions: As an organization composed of employees from diverse backgrounds, Omni leaders ensure that the company is inclusive, equal, and has an accepting work environment. At Omni, leaders put great significance on the psychological wellbeing of team members as much as they value their physical health. Omni has several benefits which aim to alleviate the psychological distress employees may experience, including seven (7) paid mental health leaves per year. For further psychological consultations, Omni has partnered with a mental health and wellbeing provider to give employees unlimited counseling sessions on occasions when they need personal help. Our Human Resources team also conducts focus group discussions with all teams as a substantial way of checking our members’ welfare as a group beyond work discussions.

To protect their physical and mental well-being. Omni holds specific Equal Employment Opportunity and Harassment-Free Workplace provisions through the employee handbook and in-house seminars.

In addition, the organization is committed to strict compliance with Republic Act 10911, otherwise known as the “Anti-Age Discrimination in Employment Act.”

Ultimately, Omni promotes a healthy culture and a good working environment where discrimination, stigma, harassment, and such will not be tolerated.

MindNation: How does Omni promote a culture of open communication and support for employees experiencing mental health issues?

Omni Channel Solutions: Omni believes that the plight towards mental wellness has to be organized, realistic, and properly executed. To accomplish this, awareness is not enough; a solid support system is needed to directly address each employee in times of mental crisis. So on top of our partnership with a mental health provider, Omni fervently believes that having in-house mental health assistance will also be extra beneficial for its members. Two members of the Human Resources team, both psychology graduates, one of whom is a Registered Psychometrician, have been trained and designated as the company’s mental health officers.

Ultimately, Omni promotes a healthy culture and a good working environment where discrimination, stigma, harassment, and such will not be tolerated.

In 2021, the company implemented seven (7) paid mental health leaves as an additional benefit to its employees to help them regain themselves in times of mental anxiety, anguish, stress, and overwhelmed feelings. Omni strongly advocates for employees to have enough time to rest—both physically and mentally—to be productive. Providing such benefits that would specifically be used for this purpose reduces the stigma associated with mental illnesses. With this, employees will no longer shy away from acknowledging their anxieties and seeking professional help.

MindNation is committed to supporting companies in creating a workplace culture that prioritizes the mental and emotional well-being of their employees. With the help of our team of experienced mental health professionals, we can guide you in building a culture of empathy, inclusivity, and mutual support that can help you create a workplace culture that is not only healthy but also fulfilling and meaningful. For more information, email us at [email protected]. 

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Employee Wellness Featured

Promoting Holistic Wellbeing In The Workplace

MindNation is running a series of articles about how the finalists for the Workbean Employer Brand Awards are building exemplary work cultures and making health and wellbeing a true organizational priority. 

Winners will be announced on March 2, 2023.

MindNation is the official judging partner for the Workplace Health Advocate Award.

Tala is a global technology company building the world’s most accessible financial services.

MindNation: In what ways is the company’s leadership team prioritizing mental health, and how is it incorporated into the overall business strategy?

TALA: Tala promotes psychological or mental wellbeing and safety in the workplace. Talazens are empowered to speak up with ideas, questions, and concerns. Well-being is also one of the key areas that the management checks every year during our quarterly pulse survey, indicating that Tala is very much aware and concerned about the mental health of our team members, which is also aligned with our overall business strategy and performance.

Talazens have an Employee Assistance Program (EAP) that can help them deal with the issues that somehow diverted their performance. We’ve also utilized our wellbeing and health insurance providers to create a robust annual wellness plan comprised of fitness sessions, webinars, kamustahans, and weekly boosts. In addition to this, Tala has implemented a global company holiday called “Sloth Day ” where Talazens are encouraged to disconnect, unwind, and recharge (on top of their planned leaves and paid time off), and enjoy a relaxing weekend. We also encourage our Talazens to take regular time off when they are able to unplug from work and don’t expect to answer emails or sSack messages until they get back to work.

Global working norms were implemented during the pandemic and are being practiced to this day to help with burnout, increase our effectiveness as a global organization, and prevent work from affecting our personal lives. This includes but are not limited to turning off Slack notifications when not working, not booking any meetings on a late Friday afternoon to prepare for the weekend, and not messaging your colleagues on their time offs or weekends.

Talazens have an Employee Assistance Program (EAP) that can help them deal with the issues that somehow diverted their performance. We’ve also utilized our wellbeing and health insurance providers to create a robust annual wellness plan comprised of fitness sessions, webinars, kamustahans, and weekly boosts.

Meeting Free Week for the last week of December (during the December holidays) was also implemented globally for our team members to unplug so that they’re able to  enjoy a relaxing week of zero meetings.

MindNation: How does Tala promote a culture of open communication and support for employees experiencing mental health issues?

TALA: Tala promotes good mental health to help create a holistic working environment that increases Talazens’ productivity and keeps them engaged at work. We’ve built a culture of connection and feedback through regular 1:1s, group huddles, kamustahans, and office hours where everyone can ask questions and open up. We advocate a good work-life balance and make wellbeing one of the top priorities at Tala. We have a weekly reminder on the Employee Assistance Program wherein they can always reach out to our mental health provider if they’re experiencing any well-being issues or concerns. With our mental health policy in place, we’re also able to communicate and raise awareness among our team members to stay mentally healthy, and not be afraid to raise concerns related to depression, anxiety, stress, burnout, and other mental health issues. We emphasize that Talazens health matters to us.

MindNation is committed to supporting companies in creating a workplace culture that prioritizes the mental and emotional well-being of their employees. With the help of our team of experienced mental health professionals, we can guide you in building a culture of empathy, inclusivity, and mutual support that can help you create a workplace culture that is not only healthy but also fulfilling and meaningful. For more information, email us at [email protected]. 

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Employee Wellness Featured

Mental Health Matters

MindNation is running a series of articles about how the finalists for the Workbean Employer Brand Awards are building exemplary work cultures and making health and wellbeing a true organizational priority. 

Winners will be announced on March 2, 2023.

MindNation is the official judging partner for the Workplace Health Advocate Award.

Asticom Group of Companies is a Philippine-based shared services company that provides staffing and tech solutions that empower businesses towards meaningful growth.

MindNation: In what ways is the company’s leadership team prioritizing mental health, and how is it incorporated into the overall business strategy?

Asticom Group Of Companies: The leadership and management of the Asticom Group of Companies give importance to the mental health and holistic wellbeing of its people through various professional development and wellbeing programs. 

With Asti SPACE (Asticom Shared Platform of Accessible Courses for Employees), employees are able to engage in various learning and development courses ranging in both technical and people skills. In line with this, Asticom also supports the career development of its employees by encouraging them to pursue opportunities in other positions within the organization. This is done on multiple levels, inter-division as well as inter-company. Some key leaders have been rotated to as many as 3 companies.

Asticom also taps mental health professionals, registered psychologists, and psychometricians to conduct seminars that talk about recognizing emotions, communicating them, as well as having a growth mindset. Through these, Asticom is able to help its people become resilient, productive, and impactful.

More than those initiatives, Asticom Group of Companies, together with all of its subsidiaries, takes a firm stance against discrimination. Asticom does not tolerate any discriminatory acts, be it physical, verbal, or any form of harassment or sexual assault. Declared in Asticom’s Code of Discipline, the Professional Conduct section, are provisions highlighting the proper behavior our people should have towards their fellow employees. 

Asticom also prides itself as a company that continuously pushes for diversion and inclusion in the workplace. As a people-focused business and organization, they welcome people of different gender, ethnicity, age, disabilities, sexual orientations, and cultural backgrounds.

Asticom also taps mental health professionals, registered psychologists, and psychometricians to conduct seminars that talk about recognizing emotions, communicating them, as well as having a growth mindset. Through these, Asticom is able to help its people become resilient, productive, and impactful.

All these efforts are cognizant of their purpose and aim of improving people’s lives.

MindNation: How does Asticom promote a culture of open communication and support for employees experiencing mental health issues? 

Asticom Group Of Companies: Asticom Group of Companies promotes open communication by giving importance to the “voice of the employees”. Through quarterly pulse surveys, employees can voice out their concerns, thoughts, and point-of-views. It also surfaces the different motivators and levels of employee satisfaction.

To support that, the AGC management also hears from the employees through quarterly town halls and open forums. Feedback and data are gathered and used in action planning as well as in the improvement of various programs. 

Asticom also made efforts to improve the quality of conversations even when done virtually and offline. They do this by communicating with honesty and transparency, being direct with one’s feedback, offering solutions, and promoting understanding among each individual.

Finally, the challenges of changing work styles made it necessary to refocus on one’s well-being and mental health. With a hybrid work set-up, regular check-ins made it possible to build authentic and strong connections among the people of Asticom. This created opportunities for them to interact with one another on a personal level.

All these efforts boil down to having empathy and knowing where someone is coming from.

MindNation is committed to supporting companies in creating a workplace culture that prioritizes the mental and emotional well-being of their employees. With the help of our team of experienced mental health professionals, we can guide you in building a culture of empathy, inclusivity, and mutual support that can help you create a workplace culture that is not only healthy but also fulfilling and meaningful. To know more, email [email protected].

Categories
Featured

 5 Celebrities Who Are Taking Mental Health Breaks

Grammy-nominated singer Shawn Mendes announced recently on his Instagram page that he is taking a break from his world tour to take care of his mental health.

“I’ve been touring since I was 15 and to be honest it’s always been difficult to be on the road away from friends and family,” he wrote. “The toll of the road and the pressure has caught up to me and I’ve hit a breaking point.”

Celebrities are human, too

Celebrities may seem like they have it all, but the spotlight does not make them immune to mental health issues. Here are other famous personalities who have also chosen to take mental health breaks at the peak of their popularity:

  • Prince Harry Of Wales

    While Prince Harry has always been open about his mental health struggles, many in the world were still shocked when he and his wife Meghan Markle decided in early 2020 to step back from royal duties and move to North America to live a quieter life.  In an interview with talk show host James Corden, he said the British press was negatively affecting his mental health. “It was a really difficult environment, as I think a lot of people saw,” he said in the episode. I was like, ‘this is toxic.'”
  • Naomi Osaka

    In June 2021, tennis superstar Naomi Osaka announced that she was withdrawing from the French Open to prioritize her mental health and self-care. “It’s O.K. to not be O.K., and it’s O.K. to talk about it,” she wrote in an article for TIME magazine. “There are people who can help, and there is usually light at the end of any tunnel.”
  • Simone Biles

A month after Naomi’s announcement, bemedalled Olympic gymnast Simone Biles also withdrew from the team during the 2020 Tokyo Olympics due to mental health concerns.”Put mental health first, because if you don’t, then you’re not going to enjoy your sport and you’re not going to succeed as much as you want to,” she said in an interview afterwards. “So it’s OK sometimes to even sit out the big competitions to focus on yourself, because it shows how strong of a competitor that you really are, rather than just battle through it.”

  • BTS

    In June 2022, global Kpop sensation BTS announced that they are taking an indefinite hiatus as a group and will instead focus on their individual music. They indicated that they wanted to use the time for personal growth and also manage burnout. “I always thought that BTS was different from other groups,” RM said in the video. “But the problem with K-pop and the whole idol system is that they don’t give you time to mature. You have to keep filming [producing music] and keep doing something.” 

Working hard is important, but taking mental health breaks can make you happier, healthier, and more productive. 

BOOK AFFORDABLE MENTAL HEALTH PROFESSIONALS WITH MINDNATION

Book the MindNation Daily Breather Plus © for only PHP3,000 to get 6 30-minute sessions with a WellBeing Coach © to calm your senses and practice grounding techniques to ease your anxieties. This bundle comes with MindED self-paced deep breathing and mindfulness exercises. Book and buy this mental health bundle now through http://m.me/mindnation?ref=book or email [email protected].

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Get Inspired

5 Fearless Females Who Are Inspiring Us Right Now

To cap off International Women’s Month, here are five women who are breaking biases, smashing the glass ceiling, and paving the way for future generations.

  1. Jessica Jung
    Korean-American singer, songwriter, actress, novelist, and businesswoman
Jessica Jung (Photo from Vogue)

“I actually learned that you should never give up, and if you love something, take courage and absolutely go after it.” — Jessica Jung

Jessica rose to fame in 2007 as one of nine members of the K-pop girl group Girls’ Generation. The group was dubbed by TIME Magazine as one of the most influential K-pop acts that helped introduce Korean music to the world, and in 2013 even became the first K-pop group to reach 100 million views on YouTube. 

In 2014, Jessica launched her luxury brand business Blanc & Eclare. She was subsequently dismissed from Girls’ Generation due to conflicts between the group’s schedule and her work with Blanc & Eclare. Even though fans questioned her decision, Jessica continued to follow her own path, releasing new music as a solo artist and becoming an actress. Blanc & Declare’s products are now being sold in around sixty stores in locations such as Seoul, New York, Beijing, Hong Kong, Bangkok, Taiwan, Shanghai, Tokyo, and Vancouver. In 2020, she published Shine, a young adult romance novel about a Korean-American K-pop trainee whose experience closely mirrors Jessica’s. A sequel, Bright, is currently in the works. 

2. Kathrin Jansen, Kizzmekia Corbett, Elena Smolyarchuk, Nita Patel, Hanneke Schuitemaker, Sarah Gilbert, et al.
The women who gave us the COVID-19 vaccine

Nita Patel

“Women often don’t recognize, you have incredible strength inside you. It just needs the right moment to come out. I think in science, you can do this.” – Nita Patel


Throughout the pandemic, women scientists, researchers, and medical professionals have been at the forefront of the rapid development of the COVID-19 vaccines.

  • Kathrin Jansen led the effort at Pfizer that produced the first vaccine approved for emergency use.
  • Kizzmekia Corbett is an immunologist in the U.S. National Institutes of Health who helped design the Moderna vaccine.
  • Elena Smolyarchuk is the chief researcher of the first completed clinical trials for the vaccine Sputnik V.
  • Nita Patel – and her all-women team of scientists in Maryland – led development of the vaccine for Novavax.
  • Hanneke Schuitemaker is the global head of viral vaccine discovery for Janssen Pharmaceuticals (owned by Johnson & Johnson).
  • Sarah GIlbert is the architect of the University of Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine.

This good news comes at a time when many working women are feeling the double burden of managing full-time work and household responsibilities due to pandemic-related school closures and work-from-home orders.  According to Nita, the COVID-19 crisis is negatively affecting women’s “productivity, boundary setting … and mental well-being.” But she also hopes there is a silver lining to the pandemic: A new generation inspired to get into science.

3. Angelina Mead King
Restaurateur, hotelier, race car enthusiast, sustainability advocate

Angie Mead King (L) with her wife Joey Mead King

“The greatest lesson I’ve learned is that life is very short to do things you don’t want to do, so make sure you spend your waking moments doing the things you love doing…”

After Angie King came out as a transgender woman in 2016,  she experienced many instances of discrimination, from being questioned by an immigration officer at the Changi Airport in Singapore to being asked to leave women’s bathrooms in public establishments. But with the support of her wife – international host and model Joey Mead King – the two are now one of the most prominent LGBTQ+ couples in the Philippines.

“I think a lot of shock value [comes from questions like], ‘How can a real woman still have a relationship with a transwoman?’ It’s so categorised,” Joey said in a 2021 interview. “[People think] if you’re a transwoman then you must automatically favour a male. Our relationship broadens people’s perspective on the possibilities of love. It’s not just A, B, or C.”

4. Monique Ong
Traumatic Brain Injury Survivor, MindNation co-founder and Chairman

Monique Ong

“If I just believed the doctor telling me that [I was] below average and cannot go back to work, then I would never get better.”
Mon sustained a devastating traumatic brain injury (TBI) in 2017 that left her with aphasia, a disorder that causes the patient to have trouble speaking, reading, writing, and understanding language. She was told that with therapy, her brain capacity could improve up to 80% — at the most. But she refused to let doctors determine her fate; in her quest to return to her normal life, she challenged herself and those tasked to treat her.  When she was tested by her neurologist six months after her accident, her brain was operating at 95%.

In 2019, she co-founded MindNation, an innovative mental health and well-being company that has grown globally as a trusted partner for organizations and communities alike.

5. Hidilyn Diaz
Weightlifter, the first Filipino to ever win an Olympic gold medal for the Philippines

Hidilyn Diaz (Photo from Tatler Asia)

“Don’t ever give up. Even if some are saying that you are not capable or limiting you… we are born to break barriers. You can do it.”

For the longest time, there are clear categories in sports based on which gender is most represented. For example, football, basketball, boxing, boxing, and weightlifting are examples of male-dominated sports because they are thought of as being more “masculine.” On the other hand, gymnastics and figure skating are thought to be female-dominated sports because they are more “feminine.” Hidilyn changed all that by not only getting the gold for weightlifting in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, but also setting a new Olympic record for her efforts. 

Hidilyn’s success has attracted many young Filipinas to start taking up weightlifting themselves, bringing new meaning to the phrase “lift like a girl.”

Talk to a MindNation WellBeing Coach so you can reach your full potential and become the best version of yourself. Book a session now through bit.ly/mn-chat or email [email protected]. 


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Employee Wellness Featured

Top 5 Qualities Of A Good Mentor

A mentor is an experienced or trusted advisor who provides their mentee with the tools, guidance, support, and feedback they need to thrive in their career. A good mentor enhances an employee’s skills, cultivates leaders who can help the company further advance, and drives positive company culture. 

If you want to develop an effective mentoring program in your organization, partner with a mental health and well-being provider to avail of services that build happier, healthier, more empathic teams. Visit www.mindnation.com or email [email protected] to know more about our CareNow Plan© for teams.

Good mentors come in all ages, genders, and even educational attainments. “You can be a good mentor as long as you are dependable, engaged, authentic, and tuned in to a mentee’s needs,” says career and business advisor Grace De Castro of V+A Consulting, a boutique consulting firm with expertise in customized people programs and creative business solutions. 

It is not just a mentee who benefits from the guidance of a good mentor; mentors themselves experience the satisfaction that comes from giving back and having a sense of belonging. “A mentor can find a lot of growth if they are in a group that is supportive and safe, in a community that makes them feel heard and values their life experiences,” shares Grace. 

Mentors themselves experience the satisfaction that comes from giving back and having a sense of belonging.

Grace De Castro of V+A Consulting

If you feel you are ready to take on the role of nurturing someone’s career growth, here are the qualities that you need to be a good mentor:

  1. Optimism. A good mentor constantly uplifts their mentee.  “Make the person feel  that you believe in their potential, that you hear them, and are willing to listen to them,” says Grace.
  2. Teachability. While there are courses and certificate programs for aspiring mentors, these are not requirements to be good in the role. “There are many things you can do on your own to learn to be a good mentor, such as following thought leaders and statesmen on social media so you learn about different perspectives,” advises Grace. “And read! There are so many books that can help you become a better mentor, and don’t limit yourself to non-fiction, self-help, or personal development books. Fiction gives you a different view of how people are and can be great conversation starters. Lastly, immerse yourself with what’s happening outside; have a genuine interest in others.”
  3. An open mind. “A good mentor always comes prepared to be surprised,” advises Grace. “We are all human, which means that most of the time there are deep-seated reasons for mentoring that involve personal issues. So I always make sure I provide a safe space for my mentees if they want to talk to me about deeper matters.”
  4. A real desire to help but no desire to control the outcome. “Sometimes, people don’t necessarily need advice from a mentor; they just need someone to listen to them,” says Grace. “And when you provide a safe space for people to use you as a sounding board, you end up improving more than just careers.”
  5. Trust.  A good mentor never gossips about their clients. “I have lost potential clients because they want to know who else I am working with but I value confidentiality,” says Grace. “A good mentor-mentee relationship involves a trust component that both work very hard to strengthen over time.”
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Featured Mental Health 101

Hello, D.E.A.R: A Communication Technique For Setting Boundaries

We know how important setting boundaries are to our mental health and well-being. However, it can be hard to communicate these boundaries or call out those who cross them. We fear that insisting on setting boundaries may make us seem difficult, unfriendly, or even troublesome.

Fortunately, the D.E.A.R conversation technique – developed by Dialectical Behaviour Therapist Dr Marsha Linehan in the 1990s – can be used to effectively remind people about your need for setting boundaries without hurting their feelings. MindNation psychologist Maria Teresa Empleo explains below:

D is for DESCRIBE

“Describe the situation where your boundaries were crossed, sticking to facts and neutral terms,” says Maria. This means when someone oversteps your physical boundaries for example, you say something like “I notice that you like to hug me when you see me in the morning” instead of inserting an opinion such as “You’re so inconsiderate of my personal space.” Try to give the other person the benefit of the doubt; they may be wholly unaware of your boundaries.

E is for EXPRESS

When people upset your boundaries, stick to “I” statements when calling them out. An example would be “I feel uncomfortable when you do this” or “I don’t feel happy when you do that.” Do not label, i.e. “Calling me after office hours is so rude” or question the other person’s intentions, i.e. “You keep interrupting me during work, do you want me to lose my job?” “These will only hurt the person or make them defensive, and you will lose any chance of an amicable resolution,” reminds Maria.

When people upset your boundaries, stick to “I” statements when calling them out.

MindNation psychologist Maria Teresa Empleo

A is for ASSERT

“Specifically tell them what you want to happen in the future, such as ‘I would appreciate it if you would greet me in the morning with a high-five instead of a hug,’” suggests Maria.  “Or ‘I prefer that you send work-related messages between 8AM to 5PM only.’ Do not hem and haw, say “Maybe” or “Sorry,” or be vague, as in “I’m sorry, but maybe you could do something else to greet me in the morning?” This can lead to confusion, give the impression that your boundaries are negotiable, and encourage new expectations and demands among those around you.

R is for REINFORCE

“End the conversation on a gracious note,” Maria says. Statements like “I appreciate you hearing me out,” or “Thank you for respecting my boundaries,” will soothe any feelings that may have been hurt or offended and increase the chances of an amicable resolution. 

If despite your best efforts you find it is difficult to set boundaries with someone, you have two choices:

  • Limit contact by physically avoiding the other person or asking someone else to run interference for you. “But in cases of sexual harasment or physical abuse, you have every right to report the threatening behavior to the authorities right away,” Maria cautions.
  • Go no-contact. This can be asking to be transferred to another team or leaving the company altogether, unfriending/unfollowing the person on social media, or going as far as to tell friends and family that you want to minimize contact with the person.

When you are firm in communicating and setting your boundaries, you show that you value yourself, your needs, and your feelings more than the thoughts and opinions of others.

Book the MindNation Self-Love Pack© to get THREE 1-hour consultations with a psychologist who can help you with setting boundaries, living intentionally, and having better relationships with the ones who matter. This plan is available for free when your organization avails of the CareNow Plan© for teams. Visit www.mindnation.com to learn more.

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Self Help

6 Ways To A Successful Digital Detox

A digital detox refers to a period of time when you refrain from using digital devices such as smartphones, televisions, computers, and social media sites.

Some reasons you may need a digital detox:

  • Checking your social media accounts is the first thing you do when you have nothing to do
  • You are constantly missing sleep to stay on your devices
  • You are fixated with the like, comment, or share counts on your social media posts

A digital detox does not mean you have to give up social media and Netflix for the rest of your life. Rather, it is about taking steps to become more more mindful of gadget usage so that you reduce dependency and improve your physical, mental, and even social well-being. By going on a digital detox, you can focus on real-life social interactions without distractions, let go of the stress that comes from constant connectivity, and improve your physical health. 

Dinah Salonga, a mindfulness facilitato, wellness advocate, and co-founder of YogaPlus Inc, Manila’s premiere yoga studio, shares some ways you can successfully achieve a digital detox. 

  1.  Recognize when your digital use is becoming excessive.
    “The first step to doing a digital detox is acknowledging that there is a problem,” Dinah suggests. Are your loved ones complaining that you are spending too much time online? Are the number of likes in your posts affecting your mood for the day? Is your work suffering because you are tired from staying up all night binge-watching? “These are signs that you are becoming addicted to digital devices,” she advises.
  1. Set limits. If you cannot completely disconnect (i.e. your work requires you to be on social media), set boundaries. “For example, allot only one hour a day to work on your posts or engage with your followers. Set the phone aside during mealtimes or when you are spending time with loved ones. Stop watching the tv series when it’s 30 minutes before bedtime,” Dinah suggests.   
  1. Hack the hormones. “The happiness chemical dopamine is released by our brain whenever we come across something new and pleasurable,” Dinah explains. “When we see people liking our posts on social media, discover a new, entertaining show on a streaming app, or beat our previous record in a video game, we get a dopamine rush and keep wanting more, leading to a digital dependency.”

The key to an effective digital detox, therefore, is to replace time spent on digital devices with another activity that will give the same dopamine high but is not as harmful.

Dinah Salonga, Co-founder of YogaPlus Inc

The key to an effective digital detox, therefore, is to replace time spent on digital devices with another activity that will give the same dopamine high but is not as harmful. “Anything that will give you a sense of accomplishment – such as crafting, working on a puzzle, learning a new language, or exercising – will also cause your brain to light up without any negative consequences to your health and well-being,” Dinah says.

  1. Change the pattern. Is your smartphone the first thing you pick up when you are bored? Do you decompress after a long day at work by binge-watching the latest series? If digital devices have become ingrained in your day to day behavior, try to introduce new habits to break the pattern. If you are bored, go for a walk; if you are stressed, meditate.
  2. Listen to your body’s signals. Don’t ignore warning signs that you are spending too much time on your devices, such as an aching back, blurry vision, or fatigue.  These are your body’s way of telling you that you need to take a break.
  3. Seek help. You do not have to go through a digital detox alone. Ask a friend or family member to act as an accountability partner. “Choose someone who will tell you to go to sleep when they see you chatting past your bedtime, or even be willing to take your phone away if you have been spending too much time on social media,” Dinah advises.

Help can also be in the form of a MindNation WellBeing Coach who can teach you techniques to form healthier habits; an initial 1-hour session costs only P500. Book a session now by emailing [email protected]. 

Doing a digital detox is challenging because smartphones and apps have become an integral part of our daily lives. Hopefully the tips above can help you reduce – if not eliminate – your dependency on these technologies and free yourself to spend more time and energy on the things that matter. 

Categories
Work in the New Normal

Workplace Trends for 2022: 4 Things Every Business Leader Should Know

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Make 2022 your organization’s Year Of WellBeing. Visit www.mindnation.com now. 

If 2021 was about learning to live and work during a pandemic, 2022 will be about applying all the lessons learned this past year. What will the future of work look like? Business coach and consultant Grace De Castro of V+A Consulting, a boutique consulting firm with expertise in customized people programs and creative business solutions, shares her predictions:

  1. The hybrid mode of work will be the new normal — and not everyone is going to be treated fairly. “Sadly, there are still many leaders who equate ‘presence with performance,’” Grace says. “This means that those who choose to go to work onsite will be considered more productive and valuable than those who remain or prioritize working from home.”

    What this means for companies: Leaders must ensure that all team members — regardless of where they are working from — are regarded equally and treated fairly especially in terms of promotions and pay raises. Not doing so will cause discontent among team members. “Leaders must also change the prevailing mindset about what it means to be productive, and create avenues for more collaboration between employees,” Grace advises.
  2. Organizations will fight to attract and retain existing talent. “I know of quite a number of senior executives and managers in the Philippines who decided to take their families and just move — whether it’s to outside the city for a quieter provincial life, or even out of the country. This migration is the most I’ve seen since I started working 25 years ago,” Grace relates. 

Their reason for moving? “The past two years have made many pause and rethink their priorities,” she explains. “They either realized that they want more time with their family, or that what they are doing now is not what they want to do for the rest of their lives.”

What this means for companies: “There is going to be a lot of creativity around talent attraction and retention,” Grace says. “The fight is no longer against other companies, it’s now about whether your employee is finding purpose in their current role or if the current work schedule supports their desire for work-life balance.” 

  1. Employee health and safety will continue to be a top concern. As employees return to work, many will be struggling with fears and anxieties over their safety and adjusting to new procedures and protocols. This post outlines the things managers can do to make the transition easier and assure team members that the workplace will be a safe space for them, physically and mentally.

What this means for companies: Adhering to health and safety standards in the new normal requires added expenses, so leaders need to look at where they can cut costs and reallocate the budget. What’s important to you? Is it your bonus, or upgrading the ventilation system? Is it new furniture or investing in an employee well-being program? “Part of being a leader is looking at the situation, spotting the areas of concern, and making the tough calls to address them,” says Grace.

“Part of being a leader is looking at the situation, spotting the areas of concern, and making the tough calls to address them,”

Grace De Castro, Business Coach And Consultant
  1. Mental health and well-being will become very important. “The last two years have really taken a toll upon all of us, and business leaders need to acknowledge that there is no going back to before,” Grace says. “Mental health can no longer be a special event that only gets talked about during Mental Health Month or Suicide Prevention Month. Conversations around mental health need to be normalized; people who are struggling should know where they can seek help and not be ashamed about it.” 

What this means for companies: While it’s understandable that the priority of a company in the new normal is profitability, this cannot be at the expense of the team’s well-being. “You can’t expect people to be delivering multitudes when they’re physically, mentally, and emotionally broken and with no social support,” Grace says. “Treat your employees well, because if you take care of them they will take care of your business. And if your people are at the place where they can deliver, you can have both — profits and a culture that supports mental health and well-being.”

If you need help, partner with MindNation to receive a holistic, data-driven, and customized well-being program for your organization. Visit www.mindnation.com or email [email protected] to know more. 

With many businesses hoping to return to some semblance of normalcy in 2022, it is important to remember that success can only be achieved when all parts of a company are working well together, from the machinery to the people. Workplace well-being should not only be a priority, it must be made mandatory.