In the final few months of 2021 I couldn’t shake my post-Covid brain fog. I'd had Covid in early August and was mostly recovered, yet my sense of taste and smell hadn't fully returned and I didn't feel 'with it'. 

I was still able to deliver to my clients, but found my creative side - something I rely on a lot for business ideas and to give me a zest for life - had pretty much disappeared. My motivation was low, my inner drive had gone on holiday and life felt very dull!

As someone used to having ‘get up and go’, I became increasingly frustrated. Being someone who helps others to be happy, healthy and high performing and having suffered burnout in the past, I had pretty good lifestyle habits. I exercised, ate well and looked after myself mentally and physically. 

Even with good habits, I was still languishing in bed in the morning or being unproductive in the office. I can’t quite describe how ‘meh’ I felt. It was...

Does it feel like your workload is out of control?

Overwhelm kicking in?

Overwhelm is common when you have multiple priorities. In HR, juggling people, problems and projects come with the territory. You’re all things to all people and end up multi-tasking – which can leave you feeling frazzled and ineffective.

So, what can you do to reduce overwhelm?

REVIEW YOUR TO-DO LIST

It is important to have a separate matrix for work and home.

See if it makes a difference to how you think, feel, and behave.

Are you less overwhelmed?

Daily mantras can positively set you up for the day ahead and help reduce stress.

A mantra is a statement of positive intent.

Something as simple as a daily mantra can shift your mindset and help build concentration and focus. Mantras are words or sounds often used in meditation, but using them is more commonplace in regular daily life to help people manage their mindset.

Some people recite a daily mantra in front of the mirror. Some people recite it mentally. Some people write it down.

Whichever way you use them, they can jump start your day, giving you positive energy. They can also be used at various points in the day to reduce overwhelm, stress and anxiety.

Meaningful Mantras

Make a list of up to 10 mantras that resonate with you. Here are some ideas:

• I am creative and capable of change
• I am adaptable
• With change comes opportunity
• I will cherish lazy days
• Progress is more important than perfection
• I will seek out joy

Every morning for the next week, choose a mantra that feels...

There are times when life feels overwhelming and frustrating. Everything feels hard work and things take longer than they need to, resulting in stress, tiredness and low energy. 

Taking a step back to reflect and identify what is and isn’t working for you personally and professionally is a great way to get you thinking differently.

You’ll see things with fresh eyes and be able to make changes to feel more confident, positive and energised.

This can be used with teams, family members or on your own. 

What's Working?

When we have routines and habits that work, life is easier. We are more productive and energetic.

There are some things in life that just work, but what works for you might not work for someone else. It’s a very personal thing.

However, sometimes we get so used to the way things are that we don’t check whether things are working for us or not.

BE CLEAR ON WHAT WORKS

In your day-to-day life, both from a work and home perspective, look...

We are profoundly social creatures and social connection is incredibly important to our health and wellbeing. COVID-19 lockdowns and social distancing stripped us of this connection with family and friends, work colleagues and networks.

Brene Brown, researcher, author, storyteller and Chair at the Graduate College of Social Work, says:

‘A deep sense of love and belonging is an irresistible need of all people. We are biologically, cognitively, physically, and spiritually wired to love, to be loved, and to belong. When those needs are not met, we do not function as we were meant to. We break. We fall apart. We numb. We ache. We hurt others. We get sick.’

MAKE A NEW CONNECTION

Making a new connection may feel like the last thing you want to do. You don’t have time!

However, connecting with someone new can bring fresh energy, perspective and joy.
Identify someone you can make a connection with. Someone you can forge a new relationship with. It could be an old school...

When stress takes over, life doesn’t feel fun and you probably can’t remember the last time you laughed. One of the best feelings is a proper belly laugh. It can bring people together and establish amazing connections. Laughter, big or small, can change how people think, feel and behave.

Laughter is good for your health. Here are 7 benefits:

1. Lowers blood pressure
2. Reduces stress hormones
3. Improves cardiac health
4. Boosts your immune system
5. Reduces pain by releasing endorphins
6. Works your abdominal muscles
7. Improves overall health and wellbeing

A study suggests that healthy children may laugh as much as 400 times per day, but adults tend to laugh only 15 times per day. This further reduces when you are stressed and under pressure.

LET YOURSELF LAUGH AT YOUR PROFESSION

Have you ever laughed about being in your profession?

We’ve all got a funny story to tell...

Take a moment to think about the funniest experience you’ve had in your career.

Trust me,...

This is part 3 of our series: Health & Wellbeing

Key health and wellbeing components of resilience are:

• Movement
• Nutrition
• Sleep

At the end of this series, there is a health and wellbeing journal. For 5 days use it to log your movement, nutrition and sleep. Notice how you feel each day and take notes. See how you feel after 5 days – has there been an improvement in your mental and physical energy?

Good quality and quantity of sleep is essential for the mind and body to recharge, stay healthy and stave off diseases. Without enough sleep, the brain simply cannot function properly. It can affect productivity, memory, your ability to think clearly and to concentrate. It may also affect your sense of wellbeing, mood and relationships.

Most adults need between 7 and 9 hours of sleep per night.  

How Are You Sleeping?

When you’re under pressure and life feels like a rollercoaster, sleep is often negatively affected. Whether it’s...

This is part 2 of our series: Health & Wellbeing

Key health and wellbeing components of resilience are:

• Movement 
• Nutrition
• Sleep

At the end of this series, there is a health and wellbeing journal. For 5 days use it to log your movement, nutrition and sleep. Notice how you feel each day and take notes. See how you feel after 5 days – has there been an improvement in your mental and physical energy?

Most of us know what foods are healthy and what is not. Why do we crave the things that are bad for us?

Stress puts a huge amount of pressure on the mind and body. When we’re under pressure it stands to reason that we go for the sugary treat and the boost of caffeine. Anything to get us through another Zoom call!

Stress hormones tend to send cravings for unhealthy foods soaring, so by knowing this we can start to manage our stress rather than let it manage us.

Eating a balanced diet will calm stress hormones, increase feel-good hormones and...

This is part 1 of our series: Health & Wellbeing

Key health and wellbeing components of resilience are:

• Movement
• Nutrition
• Sleep

At the end of this series, there is a health and wellbeing journal. For 5 days use it to log your movement, nutrition and sleep. Notice how you feel each day and take notes. See how you feel after 5 days – has there been an improvement in your mental and physical energy?

Movement is essential in managing stress. 

Before the pandemic, research suggested that many adults spent more than 7 hours a day sitting down, at work, on transport or in their leisure time. For some, increased working from home has encouraged more movement.

Exercise can reduce your risk of major illnesses such as heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes and cancer. Physical activity can also boost self-esteem, mood, sleep quality and energy, as well as reducing your risk of stress, depression, dementia and Alzheimer's disease.

How Much Do You Move?...

Resilience is the ability to adapt in times of stress. It is the idea that you can build your tolerance level to pressure before it turns into stress.

Resilience can be built by living a healthy lifestyle and by using tools and strategies to change how you think, feel and behave in certain situations. Your individual responses to stress can be reduced by working on your resilience.

Resilience is a key skill for everyone to develop in today’s society. The World Economic Forum Future of Jobs Report 2020 puts resilience, stress tolerance and flexibility in the top 10 skills needed by 2025. Living through a pandemic has resulted in many people experiencing high stress. It has impacted their mental health. Knowing how to boost your resilience to better cope with life’s challenges will enable you to restore and reset.

If you’d like to work further on your resilience, our 1:1 and group programmes include a focus on resilience.

We also use our partner BeTalent’s...