Tag: Productivity

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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. 

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Featured Work in the New Normal

5 Ways To Ease Employees Back To The Workplace

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With the MindNation CareNow Plan©, team members have access to 24/7 teletherapy sessions with psychologists and WellBeing Coaches whenever they are feeling stressed and anxious. Visit www.mindnation.com to learn more.

Are you asking your team to report back to their offices? While some employees are excited to go back to the office, others are struggling with varying degrees of anxiety. They may be reluctant to leave their family after being in close proximity with them for more than two years, afraid of leaving the safety of home and catching the COVID-19 virus, or anxious over adjusting to a new work schedule and routine. 

If you are tasked with nudging people to return to work,  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 some things you can do to ease their anxieties and make the transition easier: 

  1. Ensure workplace safety. The first and most important thing to do is conduct a review of the physical space to make sure it follows minimum public health standards and safety protocols. Is it well-ventilated? Can social distancing be followed? What is the procedure if someone comes to work with symptoms? And if your employees do get sick with COVID-19, is treatment covered by their medical insurance and how much time will they be given to recover? Then, once these are in place, proceed to #2.
  2. Personally communicate these to your team. “Don’t just hand out memos or shoot out an email,” Grace advises. “Instead, hold a virtual meeting to inform staff about everything that the company is doing to make the site physically safe, and even what the expectations are in terms of schedule and responsibilities.” By adding this personal touch, employees will feel more assured and less anxious.
  3. Bring them back slowly. Having your employees come back all at once will only cause confusion and increase anxiety. Instead, schedule their return in batches to give them the time and space to adjust to the physical workplace and new procedures. Then, once everyone is settled in, don’t forget to do #4. 
  4. Hold frequent one-on-ones or team meetings. “The purpose of these check-ins are two-fold,” says Grace. “The first is to enable those who are anxious and struggling to feel that they are being heard and validated. The second is for you to communicate and reiterate the company’s vision, expectations, and business direction.” This ensures that the entire team is on the same page, and roles and responsibilities are made clear. 
  5. Show them that you are also taking care of yourself. “As a leader, you are probably putting up a brave face and hiding your own fears and anxieties,” Grace points out. “But shielding your emotions will only make your employees feel as if they are the only ones with problems and more alone.” So if you are feeling anxious or stressed, for example, let your team see you taking a mental health break or advise them that you will be talking to a mental health professional. “This will make them see you as human and will further normalize the conversation about mental health and well-being in the workplace,” she adds.

“If you are feeling anxious or stressed, for example, let your team see you taking a mental health break or advise them that you will be talking to a mental health professional.”

Grace De Castro, Business Coach And Consultant

As a manager, it’s important to remember that your team members may be going through something related to the pandemic that you are not aware of. Asking them to return to work should be accompanied with compassion and open conversation.

Categories
Self Help

5 Ways To Recharge Your Energy

In today’s fast-paced world, multitasking seems like a great way to get a lot done at once. But according to American-Canadian cognitive psychologist and neuroscientist Daniel Levitin, doing more than one thing at a time is taxing on the brain and drains precious mental energy. “Asking the brain to shift attention from one activity to another causes [parts of our brain] to burn up oxygenated glucose, the same fuel they need to stay on task,” he says. “The rapid, continual shifting we do with multitasking causes the brain to burn through fuel so quickly that we feel exhausted and disoriented after even a short time.” This leads to a rapid decline in decision-making skills, creativity, and productivity. 

“It’s funny to me to think about how quickly we freak out when our cell phone battery starts to weaken, but how seldom we even notice when our own brain power starts fading away,” says Salma Sakr, Chief Growth Officer at MindNation. 

“So in the same way we  keep an eye on our finances to make sure we don’t go bankrupt, it’s important we pay attention to how we spend and invest our energy so we don’t end up running out. “

How can we best replenish our mental energy and attain consistent peak performance when faced with so many things to do at work and at home? Salma suggests 5 ways we can keep our body and brain primed throughout the day:

  1. Start your day right
  • Hold off on checking email, social media, or any media for that matter, right when you open your eyes. “This way you can fuel your brain with something positive, inspiring, or energizing first,” Salma suggests. 
  •  Don’t rush through your breakfast, coffee, or smoothie. Take time to savor the meal. 
  • Go for a walk, do some gentle yoga.
  • Add a little humor to the morning by sharing a funny story with a friend or family.

“Once you get started and you feel that energy starting to flow, you end up doing more than you expected and you actually enjoy it.”

Salma Sakr, MindNation

2. It’s not just WHAT you eat, but also HOW you eat

  • Make sure to eat slowly, and stop before you think you’re full. 
  • Also make sure that you’re eating often enough to maintain a consistent energy level. Going too long between meals can actually cause your energy to tank and even reduce your immunity.

3. Find time to move throughout the day

“I suggest you try to get up and move for at least 10 minutes every hour using a 50-minute, 10-minute work cycle during the day,” Salma offers. “If you feel more tired, or more stressed, you may want to shift to 25 minutes on and five minutes off, so that you’re recharging even more often. You can even combine strategies, whatever the day calls for.”

4. Don’t forget to practice self-care

“Incorporate the things you enjoy doing into your routine, such as listening to music, using aromatherapy, doing gratitude exercises, thinking about someone you care about, or watching a funny video,” advises Salma. 

5. At night, unwind properly

  • Place your digital device out of reach, because it’s way too tempting to check in when it’s by your bed.
  •  “If you have to sleep with the TV on, make sure to choose shows that are relaxing or even boring, so your brain isn’t trying to pay attention,” Salma suggests. “Also, set a timer for the TV to turn off.” 
  • Listen to an audiobook or read a few pages of a book. “Most people who read before bed only actually read a few pages because their eyes start to get tired and their brain starts to recognize this consistent thing they do when they are ready to fall asleep,” shares Salma.
  • Create a quiet comfortable space to sleep in. Studies show that a cool temperature of about 20 degrees is best for the body to rest, and you should also minimize light and sound. 

Take a few moments right now to write down a couple of ways you can recharge your energy throughout the day. Make sure your plans are realistic, and keep them short and simple. Then, think about someone you could ask to join you from time to time to help you stick with your commitment.

Make sure to  repeat these new habits consistently enough for adaptations to start to add up.  “A good rule of thumb is  the power of two days — never miss two consecutive days of completing a new positive habit,” Salma shares. “You can miss a day — because let’s be honest, life gets in the way and all our plans need to be realistic — but fight the urge to miss a second day so you don’t fall back into your old habits.” So push yourself (though not too much) and use the ‘2-day rule’ as a way to build your habit. 

Finally, don’t be hard on yourself. It’s not easy to break out of old habits and build new ones so be patient, start small, and be kind to yourself. 

If you need help breaking out of bad habits or kick-starting new ones, our WellBeing Coaches are available 24/7 for teletherapy sessions. Book a session now via FB Messenger bit.ly/mn-chat or email [email protected].  

Categories
Employee Wellness Get Inspired Mental Health 101 Self Help Work in the New Normal

5 Ways To Recharge Your Energy

Photo by Rahul on Pexels.com

Managing your energy more effectively throughout the day to boost productivity

In today’s fast-paced world, multitasking seems like a great way to get a lot done at once. But according to American-Canadian cognitive psychologist and neuroscientist Daniel Levitin, doing more than one thing at a time is taxing on the brain and drains precious mental energy. “Asking the brain to shift attention from one activity to another causes [parts of our brain] to burn up oxygenated glucose, the same fuel they need to stay on task,” he says. “The rapid, continual shifting we do with multitasking causes the brain to burn through fuel so quickly that we feel exhausted and disoriented after even a short time.” This leads to a rapid decline in decision-making skills, creativity, and productivity. 

“It’s funny to me to think about how quickly we freak out when our cell phone battery starts to weaken, but how seldom we even notice when our own brain power starts fading away,” says Salma Sakr, Chief Growth Officer at MindNation. 

“So in the same way we  keep an eye on our finances to make sure we don’t go bankrupt, it’s important we pay attention to how we spend and invest our energy so we don’t end up running out. “

How can we best replenish our mental energy and attain consistent peak performance when faced with so many things to do at work and at home? Salma suggests 5 ways we can keep our body and brain primed throughout the day:

  1. Start your day right
  • Hold off on checking email, social media, or any media for that matter, right when you open your eyes. “This way you can fuel your brain with something positive, inspiring, or energizing first,” Salma suggests. 
  •  Don’t rush through your breakfast, coffee, or smoothie. Take time to savor the meal. 
  • Try listening to a guided meditation or podcast, or reading a few pages of an inspirational book. 
  • Go for a walk, do some gentle yoga.
  • Add a little humor to the morning by sharing a funny story with a friend or family.

“Once you get started and you feel that energy starting to flow, you end up doing more than you expected and you actually enjoy it,” Salma says.

2. It’s not just WHAT you eat, but also HOW you eat

  • Make sure to eat slowly, and stop before you think you’re full. 
  • Also make sure that you’re eating often enough to maintain a consistent energy level. Going too long between meals can actually cause your energy to tank and even reduce your immunity.

3. Find time to move throughout the day

“I suggest you try to get up and move for at least 10 minutes every hour using a 50-minute, 10-minute work cycle during the day,” Salma offers. “If you feel more tired, or more stressed, you may want to shift to 25 minutes on and five minutes off, so that you’re recharging even more often. You can even combine strategies, whatever the day calls for.”

4. Don’t forget to practice self-care

“Incorporate the things you enjoy doing into your routine, such as listening to music, using aromatherapy, doing gratitude exercises, thinking about someone you care about, or watching a funny video,” advises Salma.

5. At night, unwind properly

  • Place your digital device out of reach, because it’s way too tempting to check in when it’s by your bed.
  •  “If you have to sleep with the TV on, make sure to choose shows that are relaxing or even boring, so your brain isn’t trying to pay attention,” Salma suggests. “Also, set a timer for the TV to turn off.” 
  • Listen to an audiobook or read a few pages of a book. “Most people who read before bed only actually read a few pages because their eyes start to get tired and their brain starts to recognize this consistent thing they do when they are ready to fall asleep,” shares Salma.
  • Create a quiet comfortable space to sleep in. Studies show that a cool temperature of about 20 degrees is best for the body to rest, and you should also minimize light and sound. 

Take a few moments right now to write down a couple of ways you can recharge your energy throughout the day. Make sure your plans are realistic, and keep them short and simple. Then, think about someone you could ask to join you from time to time to help you stick with your commitment.

Make sure to  repeat these new habits consistently enough for adaptations to start to add up.  “A good rule of thumb is  the power of two days — never miss two consecutive days of completing a new positive habit,” Salma shares. “You can miss a day — because let’s be honest, life gets in the way and all our plans need to be realistic — but fight the urge to miss a second day so you don’t fall back into your old habits.” So push yourself (though not too much) and use the ‘2-day rule’ as a way to build your habit. 

Finally, don’t be hard on yourself. It’s not easy to break out of old habits and build new ones so be patient, start small, and be kind to yourself. 

— Written by Jaclyn Lutanco-Chua of MindNation