This year we have rolled out a range of services aimed at improving the wellbeing of colleagues. This includes free access to lots of resources, weekly alerts and webinars from Unum. Here is a round-up from March with links to the various resources on offer.
Supporting you working from home
Pre-pandemic, most people only worked from home for a short time, maybe to accommodate a GP appointment, look after a sick child, or wait for a repair or delivery. So they made do with the environment they had, and may have even enjoyed the novelty of working from the sofa for a day.
However, as restrictions remain in place, working from home has become the norm, and sitting on the sofa while using the coffee table can seriously pale (and ache) after days and weeks. As a result, people have had to adapt their home and work environment to accommodate this ‘new normal’.
Here are resources from Unum which offer practical hints and tips to support your physical and mental wellbeing while working at home, and a reminder of some of the support available through Unum.
If you’re missing the work environment and feeling lonely, here are some tips from the NHS.
Covid-19: Five ways to avoid lockdown eye strain
Millions of people are using screens more than ever before. Many who are working or studying from home are staring at laptops and other devices all day. For some, the new ways of working are taking a toll on their eyes. Itchiness, blurry vision and headaches – or eye strain – are among the common problems.
Eyesight experts say people with persistent problems should visit an optician, which are open in lockdown. But there are things that many of us can do to keep our eyes healthy.
Here are some tips in a BBC article about avoiding eye strain.
Stress Awareness Month
Stress Awareness Month aims to increase public awareness about both the causes and cures for our modern stress epidemic. Stress is a significant factor in mental health problems including anxiety and depression. It is also linked to physical health problems like heart disease, problems with our immune system, insomnia and digestive problems.
As April is Stress Awareness Month, we are launching a series of guides and tips provided by the Stress Management Society, to support you or a partner or friends and family in how to manage stress. Read more in the Stress Management Society’s guide to de-stressing.
The 30 Day Challenge encourages you to pick one action each for your physical, mental and emotional wellbeing to carry out every day. You could even add actions for your social and spiritual wellness too. It takes 30 days to turn actions into habits, which is why this is a month-long programme. The 30-day challenge will maximise your chances of turning useful knowledge and techniques into positive behavioural change.