We recognised Time to Talk Day 2022 by putting our tools down in the afternoon on 3rd February for a Team C+W catch up over a cuppa (obligatory slice of cake too of course!) to encourage conversations about the importance of taking care of our mental health.
Working together to make a difference
As a Board, we made a pact in 2019 to put the wellbeing of our staff at the heart of what we do.
We demonstrated our commitment by signing The Time to Change Pledge in May of that year and were one of the first employers in the southwest to do it. We wanted others to follow our lead so wherever the opportunity arose we talked to our clients about the importance of wellbeing in the workplace, and what we were doing. The result of which saw several clients also sign the pledge and place wellbeing firmly on their Board agenda.
It was inspiring to see the start of this movement 3 years ago within our business and that of our clients, and how by coming together attitudes were challenged, we gained a deeper understanding of mental health, and most importantly change was created.
Understanding and supporting
We all have mental health, and it needs a lot of love to stay well, way more than our physical yet it’s probably fair to say that we all tend to automatically prioritise that! Take January new year resolutions… we challenge ourselves to hit the gym and burn the Christmas calories, but how often do we make a resolution to be kinder to ourselves and take some quiet time out in January to recover from Christmas burnout?
Mental health is about how we feel, some days we may feel upbeat and as light as feather, and other days we’ll be okay and ticking along, but some days could be tricky and we don’t really know why and other days are proper tough, and we feel as if we want to hide away from the world. When the tricky and tough days take over it can feel overwhelming, confusing, and scary.
Talking and reaching out helps to get perspective on a situation and provides comfort in the realisation that you’re not alone in your thoughts. At C+W, we want our team to know they aren’t on their own with anything they might be facing or feeling.
Team talks!
Time to Talk Day is a day which highlights the importance of looking after our mental health, a day which encourages conversations and shows support to someone who might be having a tough time.
To recognise Time to Talk Day this year, we all took some time out for a breather, so it was tools down at 4pm on 3rd February for a Team C+W get together with a cuppa and a slice of cake (FYI – lemon drizzle is our preferred cake of choice!).
We used this time to share some helpful hints and tips on what we do to help declutter our monkey minds when there is too much chatter going on in those brains of ours, and the things we put in place when we’re feeling anxious and a little overwhelmed with life. Here are a few of them…
“I escape to nature so I can appreciate its healing ability, it grounds me”
“I clean the house because when I have a tidy home, I have a tidy mind”
“I cuddle my dog; she is just pure comfort”
“I write a list, once I get things down on paper my mind feels so much calmer”
“I practice deep breathing, it’s an instant way to reduce any panicky feelings”
“I cycle, because I have to focus on the road and nothing else”
What techniques do have in your toolbox to turn the dial down when you’re feeling stressed or anxious? How do you treat yourself with kindness when life feels a bit full on? Send us a message on Instagram @chalkandward – it’s good to share wellbeing hints and tips for more people to benefit from!
It's the little things
I’d encourage everyone to be mindful of the small things in life and how they make a real difference!
So, after reading this, why not drop a friend who you’ve not seen in a while a message out of the blue or strike up a chat with that person you see in the gym all the time, ask a colleague how their morning went and if they fancy a cuppa, smile at a stranger (they will always smile back!), treat yourself to a bunch of happy daffodils, listen to your favourite music on the way home, wear something that makes you feel good etc.!
Small things have the biggest impact on how we feel, way more than we’ll ever realise.
What little thing are you going to do today?