Health and Wellbeing News

COVID-19 has severely disrupted many aspects of our usual way of life, creating an air of uncertainty for everyone. With restrictions being changed dynamically across the UK many of us are still left with a cloud of uncertainty effecting various parts of our lives as we know things can change quickly. On the run up to Christmas we are all hoping for the best but we won’t know for sure until closer to the time, this uncertainty around such a special time of year can be difficult.

Anxieties are often linked to lack of control, uncertainty is a key factor as to why many of us are experiencing heightened anxieties and stresses during the pandemic. We all have different tolerances of uncertainty and it affects us all differently but either way, it is important to manage uncertainty to help alleviate associated stresses.

Here are some tips to help below which can help you to reduce your anxiety and stress levels by learning to cope with uncertainty better, improve your tolerance of uncertainty and challenge your need for certainty.

Work on things you CAN control

Focus on things that are within your control rather than worrying about things that are not. We often use worrying as a tool to try and prepare for future scenarios but this is often a waste of your energy and an unnecessary cause of stress.

By focussing on things we can control we become more of a pro-active problem solver rather than being a worrier. For example, COVID-19 is out of your control but you can be proactive and take control of your hygiene, clean surfaces etc. and do various things to protect yourself and others from it. How COVID could affect our lives over the coming winter is out of your control, but you can have a plan A and a plan B so you are prepared for whatever the situation is.

Take charge of what you can and make the most out of whatever happens. This will ease anxieties stemming from uncertainty.

Question your need for certainty overall

Certainty is something that brings us security in life, but when you think about it, how certain are most things? Do we ever have a job for life? Good health for life? Certainty of what tomorrow COVID-19 – Coping with uncertainty in the months ahead may bring? Constantly striving for certainty can only bring us worry and anxiety as nothing will ever really be truly certain.

We often have a habit of assuming the worst in situations of uncertainty, but how often does this worse case scenario actually play out? Rarely if at all? We live day to day with the slim chance of losing a job, having an accident, falling ill so why do we struggle to live with the small chance that the worst case scenario will actually play out in certain situations when the likelihood is just as slim?

Accept the uncertainty. When you feel yourself begin to worry remind yourself of the above and try to let the worry go. Uncertainty is a part of life, it is how people deal with it which affects them the most.

More tips and articles on how to help cope with uncertainty

https://www.ccl.org/articles/leading-effectively-articles/9-tips-for-dealing-with-uncertainty-andanxiety/

https://www.helpguide.org/articles/anxiety/dealing-withuncertainty.htm#:~:text=Allow%20yourself%20to%20feel%20the%20uncertainty.&text=Focus%20on%20the%20present%20moment,you%20anchored%20in%20the%20present.

https://greatergood.berkeley.edu/article/item/seven_ways_to_cope_with_uncertainty

https://www.bupa.co.uk/newsroom/ourviews/cope-with-uncertainty

More information

If you would like to view the Webinar on ‘Coping with uncertainty in the months ahead’ this is being delivered live on Wednesday 29th September at 12pm-12.30pm, please use the following link to register for this session –

https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/6289606051293992971

If you are unable to join the webinar live, a recording of the session can be accessed using the same link above after the webinar has taken place.

If you feel you may need some support, you can contact Care first. Care first is a leading provider of confidential, professional counselling, information and advice services. All employees are eligible to use Care first, our services include; telephone counselling, information services and online support. Call Care first on the Freephone number provided by your organisation and you can speak to a professional in confidence.

Please be aware that Care first is an external provider and the information in their webinars may not fully align with advice from the University on some subjects

Autumn is here, no doubt about it. And as the days get shorter and the temperature drops, it’s often harder to keep the mood light and positive compared to the sunny summer months. Colder, longer evenings mean that many of us spend more time at home, becoming less active and less sociable. If your child has just started school, or flown the nest to go to university, there may be an empty nest to cope with too.
Whatever your personal situation, we have some useful advice on how to maximise your positive energy and keep your spirits up during this time of year.

Get out more

Rather than being home alone, it’s important to connect socially, particularly during this time of year. Keep in touch with your friends and organise social meet-ups or activities you can all enjoy together. Why not join a book club, organise a dinner party or go on a girls’, or lads’ night out? Try Skype or Facetime to stay in touch with distant friends.

Enjoy the great outdoors

Whatever the weather, there’s nothing like getting outside to blow the cobwebs away and improve your mind set. Go for a long walk, perhaps with friends or family, and take the children and the dog too. Reconnect with the beauty of nature while you replenish your mental energies.

Get some exercise

Regular exercise will raise your physical energy levels and is also a known mood lifter, helping to release stress and inner tension, and any anxieties you may be experiencing. During physical activity, your body releases endorphins – chemicals that trigger positive feelings.

Make sure you have fun

Throw yourself into autumn and winter with gusto and discover all that is good about the colder seasons. From roasting chestnuts and enjoying a glass of red wine in front of a crackling real fire, to harvest festivals, Halloween and the Christmas season, there are all sorts of autumn adventures and winter treats waiting to be enjoyed.

Autumn is here, no doubt about it. And as the days get shorter and the temperature drops, it’s often harder to keep the mood light and positive compared to the sunny summer months. Colder, longer evenings mean that many of us spend more time at home, becoming less active and less sociable. If your child has just started school, or flown the nest to go to university, there may be an empty nest to cope with too.

Whatever your personal situation, we have some useful advice on how to maximise your positive energy and keep your spirits up during this time of year.

Practise gratitude

Not as silly as it may sound, sometimes it’s worth just counting your blessings and reminding yourself to not take everything for granted. It keeps you focused on the positive things you already have in your life, and helps to put a different perspective on things. Try writing down (or just noticing) 3 things every day that you are grateful for. It can be anything at all, big or small, as long as you appreciate its positive impact on your life.

If you would like to view the Webinar on ‘How the change in seasons can impact your mood and mental health’ this is being delivered live on Tuesday 28th September at 2pm, join us on the day or register now by clicking on the link below to ensure your place:

https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/8569043189279387916

If you are unable to join the webinar live, a recording of the session can be accessed using the same link above after the webinar has taken place.

If you feel you may need some support you can also contact Care first. Care first is a leading provider of confidential, professional counselling, information and advice services.

All employees are eligible to use Care first, our services include; telephone counselling, information services and online support. Call Care first on the Freephone number provided by your organisation and you can speak to a professional in confidence.

Please be aware that Care first is an external provider and the information in their webinars may not fully align with advice from the University on some subjects

As the COVID-19 situation is progressing and the Government guidance continues to change, individuals may be feeling anxious. Mental Health support during times like these are paramount, which is why Care first have worked tirelessly to ensure our services remain available 24/7 throughout the pandemic to provide emotional and practical support and ensure we have every aspect of your overall wellbeing covered. Where clinically appropriate Care first are continuing to offer structured counselling through phone and virtual software. At Care first the health and safety of both you the employee and our counselling team are absolutely paramount, any changes to our structured counselling process will be made in line with government guidance.

These services include:

Counselling support

Our team of professionally trained, qualified and BACP Accredited Counsellors are available 24/7 to offer support for personal or workplace related issues. As well as the headline issues surrounding mental health, our Care first counsellors are also trained in dealing with both work and home grievances, bullying & harassment issues, domestic violence, relationships at both home and at work and much more. No matter how big or small the problem may be, our counsellors are here for you to provide you with unbiased support away from the situation. Everyone has very individual needs for support, Care first provides short term focussed counselling, so the Care first Counsellor will assess your circumstances when you call to establish what the most appropriate form of support will be for  you. It might be that you just need a brief conversation with the Counsellor that day, or you may benefit from a few more sessions.

Information Specialists

As control, or the lack of it, can be an influencing factor on the impact of stress. Many individuals identify stress as emotional, however, a lack of control around practical issues can be just as impactful. We have expert advisors that have been trained by Citizens Advice who can provide you with comprehensive answers and assistance on a wide range of practical issues which can affect our daily life, these include but are not limited to; redundancy, advice on funerals and probate, legal information, housing and tenancy issues, childcare, eldercare, health, consumer issues, employment, travel and education. Our Information Specialists are also money trained experts and can provide support with a variety of financial queries such as help with budgeting finances and advice with benefits. You can speak with one of our Information Specialists confidentially Monday-Friday between 8am-8pm.

Management Support

If you are a manager, have leadership responsibilities, or look after a team within your organisation, it is as important as ever that your colleagues are made aware of the range of support available from Care first. As well as supporting you to signpost your colleagues to the Care first service effectively to maintain your managerial boundaries, Care first can also provide you with support within your role as a manager. Care first Counsellors are all management trained and can provide support with issues such as if the organisation is going through a period of redundancy, managing change and difficult conversations, workplace performance, remote working, absence management and disciplinary.

Care first Lifestyle

Through the Care first lifestyle site you can access a wide range of supportive information, read helpful articles published by our team, view Webinars covering a variety of well-being topics and even speak with a Care first Counsellor in real-time via our online counselling facility. You can log into your account by visiting www.carefirstlifestyle. co.uk and logging in using your organisation’s unique log in details. If you are unsure what these details are then please contact your line manager or HR department. The Care first Lifestyle website is great place to go to learn more about Care first and the different areas that we can support in.

How all of these above services link together

As you can see from the above table, all the services that we offer complement each other to ultimately encompass an individual’s overall mental and physical wellbeing, which enables individuals to access professional and clinically proven support.

Our counselling support is available 24/7 to help individuals with any emotional issues that they may have. Our Information Specialists can help individuals with practical information and advice. This practical support is so important because if an individual is concerned about a practical issue, then this can cause detrimental effects to their emotional wellbeing. By getting some support from an Information Specialist this will provide the individual with some clarity on that particular issue, which may help them to feel more in control of a situation and relieve some anxiety.

The Care first Lifestyle site can help individuals who are concerned about an issue. The individual may not know where to start and they can have a look at the resources on our Lifestyle website which may be enough to help them. The Lifestyle website is a great starting place to learn about the types of issues that Care first can support with. The individual can also access our online counselling tool through the Lifestyle website which is an alternative way to access support from a counsellor. By an individual looking through all the resources on our Lifestyle website this can help them to get answers about an issue they may be having. Again by getting some clarity on their issue this may have a positive effect on their mental wellbeing.

If you would like to learn more about ‘How Care first can support you’ then please join our webinar on Monday 27th September 2021 at 12pm using the details below –
https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/2020355232759022347

If you are unable to join the webinar live, a recording of the session can be accessed using the same link above after the webinar has taken place.

If you wish to contact the Care first telephone counselling and information line then please don’t hesitate to call the Freephone number provided by your organisation and you can speak to a professional in confidence.

Please be aware that Care first is an external provider and the information in their webinars may not fully align with advice from the University on some subjects

‘Accentuate the positive. Eliminate the negative.’

The words in the title of this week’s blog article are lyrics from a very old Bing Crosby song. It was nominated for an Oscar for Best Original Song in 1946, (composers Harold Arlen and Johnny Mercer; the film was ‘Here Comes the Waves’). The song was originally published in 1944, in the latter half of the Second World War. This is unsurprising; it’s at times when life feels really hard that people can be prompted to reflect on focussing on the upside of life, despite the struggles at hand.

Similarly, last year when the pandemic was at its height, wellness experts, social media influencers and journalist,s encouraged us to focus on kindness and gratitude as an antidote to the difficult life circumstances we were facing. There is good reason for this. Research has found that simply by expressing gratitude for even tiny aspects of our lives, we can increase our sense of wellbeing and happiness. And I mean tiny things: the smell of your morning coffee; being able to have a shower every day; the feel of a blanket or duvet keeping you warm; the feel of your pet’s fur or hair as you stroke it; simply looking at your child playing. These are just a few examples.

Research has also shown that creating a routine of focussing on gratitude in our everyday lives can produce changes in the physiological structure of our brains. These changes to the hypothalamus and the pre-frontal cortex trigger the release of positive endorphins which help us to feel happier and increase our resilience to stress and mental health problems. I think it is truly amazing that something so simple and low cost can bring about such phenomenal benefits. It has to be worth a go, doesn’t it?

It is probably true that we are all worn down by the past 18 months. There are many reasons for this, some simple, some complex. But one of the reasons is the waves of negative messages we receive about what is going on in our daily lives and what the future holds. It’s not only mixed messages about the risk of Covid 19; we can all see the problems with food supply when we shop; we read or hear about the long term lack of transport systems behind this; and, of course, there is the ever-present, background pressure of the climate crisis/emergency.

Experts tell us that human beings have developed to focus on what has the potential to harm us and learn everything we can about those dangers. Knowing as much as we can about dangers mean we are more likely to survive when presented with them. This is the reason that the news we get presented to us is always about the threats we are facing: illness, famine, floods, war, terrorism. Also, in order to give more intellectual space to processing these important, life-saving messages, we naturally diminish our thoughts and considerations on the many good things we have in our lives. We are programmed to quickly take for granted all our benefits. We have phenomenal access to news nowadays and it is so easy to continuously feed ourselves with the stress-provoking messages in the media. There is even a new term for it: doomscrolling.

Take a look at some of the articles and videos below to learn more about starting a gratitude practice. You can make it as simple or comprehensive as you wish. It doesn’t need to cost any money; it will only involve you investing time, and not even a lot of that can help you reap positive benefits.

To remind you again of Bing’s sound advice: ‘You’ve got to accentuate the positive. Eliminate the negative. Latch on to the affirmative. Don’t mess with Mister In-Between.’

‘Accentuate the Positive’ by Bing Crosby on Lyrically Unstable on YouTube

‘How to bring more gratitude into your life and improve your mental health as a result’ by Ellen Scott on metro.co.uk

‘The Healing Power of Gratitude. The many ways being grateful benefits us.’ By Lisa Firestone on psychologytoday.com

‘Practicing Gratitude. Ways to Improve Positivity’ by US National Institutes of Health on newsinhealth.nih.gov

‘How to Practice Gratitude’ on mindful.org

‘A 5-Minute Gratitude Practice: Savor the Moment by Tapping into Your Senses’ by Elaine Smookler on mindful.org

‘40 Simple Ways To Practice Gratitude’ by Ciara Conlon on lifehack.org

‘The Gratitude Experiment’ by watchwellcast on YouTube

‘Gratitude is Good for You’ by John Templeton Foundation on youTube

‘The Power of Gratitude in Uncertainty’ by Andy Crisis Wisdom on Headspace on YouTube

‘The Science of Gratitude’ by Tremendousness on YouTube

‘How Gratitude Changes the Brain’ by Melissa Hughes on YouTube

‘Mental health: What is doomscrolling and how can we stop it?’ by Kate Whiting onweforum.org (World Economic Forum)

‘What Is Doomscrolling? Experts Explain Why We Do it—And How to Stop’ by Korin Miller on health.com

‘How to Stop Doomscrolling’ on BBC iplayer on YouTube

 ‘Do you “doomscroll” – If so, here’s how to stop’ by the World Economic Forum on YouTube

Help Your Eyes Take The Strain

This week is National Eye Health Week. As an Occupational Health specialist, I believe that people underestimate how much work their eyes do in the average day. With the world as digitally based as it is now, our eyes barely get any rest. Many of us are office based and use computers consistently to carry out our work. Even jobs like serving in restaurants or driving cars for a living now involve interacting with screens for taking orders or following routes using satnavs.

Humans are a predominately visually orientated animal. We used our eyes to hunt prey and to forage for food. Over the centuries, as writing developed, we learned to read, and the spread of literacy levels meant that we started using our eyes more on close work. Office work made this more prevalent. As the years passed, humans were not just reading and writing but started to use typewriters. With the dawn of the TV and computer age, affecting both work and leisure, the workload on our eyes has increased even further.

The most common problem affecting people who use their eyes for close work for long periods is eye strain. The good news about eye strain is that it isn’t a permanent or long-lasting condition and there are many simple things you can do to make things better for yourself. There is the simple 20:20:20 rule: every 20 minutes, focus on something 20 feet away, for 20 minutes. You can do regular eye exercises which help and increase your eye health at the same time. You can adjust lighting in rooms and alter conditions at your workstation to bring about beneficial changes. Have a look at some of the articles and videos below to learn more.

The University operates an eye test scheme for DSE Users; it provides vouchers so staff can have their eyes tested at regular intervals at Specsavers. The Awaken DSE Training and Assessment module gives advice on how to set up your workstation if you are experiencing problems with glare or lighting.

Visit the National Eye Health Week website on visionmatters.org.uk. It contains some interesting articles on eye health. It has an Eye Health Calculator and a Sight Loss Simulator. The latter is fascinating as it demonstrates the effects of common eye disorders such as glaucoma, cataracts, age-related macular degeneration and diabetic retinopathy in a way that you can actually experience what vision is like for people who have these complaints.

‘Look After Your Eyes’ on nhs.uk

‘Eye Health’ on rnib.org.uk

‘Eye Health, Explained’ on health.com

‘Keep Your Eyes Healthy’ on nei.neh.gov

‘Your guide to eye health, conditions and symptoms’ on specsavers.co.uk

‘What is Computer Vision Syndrome?’ on webmd.com

‘What are the symptoms of computer eye strain?’ on specsavers.co.uk – contains a very interesting video on computer related eye strain and how to prevent it

‘Take a screen break – eye relaxation techniques’ by Skill Boosters on YouTube

‘Simple Eye Exercise to Improve Your Eyesight’ by Boldsky on YouTube

With the past 18 months or so being a struggle for many due to COVID-19 affecting all of our social lives, holidays and our daily lives it is of no surprise that our happiness has been tested.

With International Happiness week being from Tuesday 21st September to Sunday 26th September it is a good time to reflect on our own happiness, and look at how we can help ourselves.

When we look at happiness and what makes each of us happy, it can actually be a very difficult topic to define more generally. The reason being is that we are all different, so what makes one person happy may not make another person happy. So when reading this article try to consider what makes you happy and why you feel certain things make you happier than others.

A good starting point is to write down five examples of things that currently make you happy and then five things you wish you had that you think would make you happy. The key word is ‘think’, consider what the reasons are for them making you happy and consider any bad points. Say for example you wish you were famous and rich. What are the good points about that and what are the negative points? This is a good way to assess what makes you happy and why. It may also help to think about what makes you happy in a more reflective way.

When looking at what makes you happy also consider whether they are short, medium or long term reasons. For example if you ate a really nice meal this might make you happy for maybe an hour or two. If you bought a new car then this may make you happy for three or four months. Keeping a healthy lifestyle may make you feel happy quite often over a longer period.

When thinking about this it is also important to consider the opposite effect, if you bought a nice new car then you may be happy for three or four months, but if you purchased the car on finance you may end up feeling unhappy for a few years whilst you pay the finance off. So is it worth buying the car for three or four months’ worth of happiness if you are going to spend the next few years unhappy? It may be worth considering alternatives – is a new car really needed? Or, could you buy a cheaper car avoiding finance? We are all different, think about what makes you happy and why. Also think about any reasons that doing something to make you happy in the short term may have consequences that could make you unhappy in the long term.

How happiness in 2021 may look different than before?

The COVID-19 pandemic may have changed the way many people reflect on what makes them happy. Following the COVID-19 pandemic you may now be finding happiness in different ways than you did previously. For example:

• Spending more time with family
• Connecting with people in different ways such as through regular video calling for example
• You may try some new hobbies such as baking or meditation for example
• Getting active outdoors
• Staycations
• Trying new recipes
• Reading books
• Helping others where you can
• Volunteering
• Online classes such as dance lessons or gym workouts
• Learning new things such as a new language or to play a musical instrument
• Spending more time at home and trying your hand at some DIY
• Growing vegetables or flowers in your garden

How can Care first help?

If you feel you may need some emotional or practical support, you can contact Care first on the Freephone number. Care first is a leading provider of confidential, professional counselling, information and advice services. Whilst our BACP accredited counsellors are available 24/7 to provide support with emotional issues, our expertly trained Information Specialists are available 8am-8pm Monday-Friday to provide advice on any practical issues that may be causing you a stress or worry and help you feel more in control of a situation.

All employees are eligible to use Care first, our services include; telephone counselling, information services and online support. Call Care first on the Freephone number provided by your organisation and you can speak to a professional in confidence.

More information

If you would like to view the Webinar on ‘Happy Friday in line with International happiness week’ is being delivered live on Friday 24th September at 12:00pm-12:30pm, please use the following link to register for this session –

https://register.gotowebinar.com/register/6476683556581841934

If you are unable to join the webinar live, a recording of the session can be accessed using the same link above after the webinar has taken place.

If you feel you may need some support, you can contact Care first. Care first is a leading provider of confidential, professional counselling, information and advice services. All employees are eligible to use Care first, our services include; telephone counselling, information services and online support. Call Care first on the Freephone number provided by your organisation and you can speak to a professional in confidence.

Please be aware that Care first is an external provider and the information in their webinars may not fully align with advice from the University on some subjects

As many of us continue to work from home, you may find yourself feeling stiffer than usual. This could be due to postural changes as a result of trying to get used to your new working environment. The below tips may be useful if you, like so many others, are feeling the effects of a change in your working environment –

Avoid slouching when sat down:

This strain may increase tension in the muscles, which may in turn cause pain. Get in to the habit of sitting correctly. It may not feel comfortable initially because your muscles have not been conditioned to support you in the correct position. Exercises to strengthen your core and buttock muscles, and back extensions will help correct a slouching posture.

Flattening your back can cause pain:

This posture is often caused by muscle imbalances, which encourage you to adopt such a position. Spending long periods sitting down can also contribute to a flat back. A flat back also tends to make you lean your neck and head forwards, which can cause neck and upper back strain. Exercises to strengthen your core, buttocks, neck and rear shoulder muscles, and back extensions are recommended to help correct a flat back.

Do you lean over your laptop or stare down at your phone?

When hunching over a computer, your head may tend to lean forward, which can lead to poor posture. Using a mobile can cause similar problems dubbed “text neck”. Upper back, neck and rear shoulder strengthening exercises, chest stretches and neck posture drills are recommended to help correct a hunched back.

When standing, avoid leaning to one side for too long:

Over time, you may develop muscle imbalances around the pelvic area, which can cause muscular strain in the lower back and buttocks. Other causes of uneven hips include; carrying heavy backpacks on one shoulder, and parents carrying toddlers on one hip. To improve this posture, try to get into the habit of standing with your weight evenly distributed on both legs.

Please join our live webinar on Thursday 23rd September at 12pm when we will be discussing posture and working environment in more detail. To join please follow the attached link:

https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/3291519317193492240

If you are unable to join the webinar live, a recording of the session can be accessed using the same link above after the webinar has taken place.

If you feel you may need some support you can also contact Care first. Care first is a leading provider of confidential, professional counselling, information and advice services. All employees are eligible to use Care first, our services include; telephone counselling, information services and online support. Call Care first on the Freephone number provided by your organisation and you can speak to a professional in confidence.

Please be aware that Care first is an external provider and the information in their webinars may not fully align with advice from the University on some subjects

This Wednesday 22nd September is National Fitness Day – A day dedicated to getting fit. Whether your goals are to feel better, be healthier or simply to start a new hobby, National Fitness Day is a great time to start!

Fitness is broadly the level to which an individual is conditioned and healthy for daily activities, sports or possibly other activities they intend on being involved with. As such, fitness needs vary widely for different people. Importantly, we must be mindful that we are all unique and therefore our goals and aspirations differ. One individual may aspire to run marathons or ultramarathons, whilst another person may desire being able to use the stairs in the workplace without getting out of breath. To achieve these aims, the training requirements will be different. There are lots of different ways of improving our fitness, including:

Exercise

A key component of fitness is exercise. This can include both aerobic (exercises whereby your body is using the oxygen we breath in to fuel our muscles – this includes long distance running for example) and anaerobic exercise (anaerobic meaning ‘without air’ – things such as sprinting, heavy weight lifting, HIIT). Both of these types of exercise help to improve our fitness levels. With exercise it is important to remember that our bodies are all different, and one type of exercise may work well for one person, but may be unsuitable, or cause injury in another. Listen to your body and challenge yourself appropriately!

Diet

We’ve probably all heard the adage ‘you can’t outrun a bad diet’. What this means is no matter how often you train, if you’re eating the wrong things your progress will be stunted. Unfortunately this rings true with our fitness. Too much food high in sugar and trans-fats can cause weight gain and changes in hormone levels in the blood. This can make exercising hard more difficult, and of course can lead to weight gain. Eating a balanced, healthy diet with sufficient protein and refined carbs can support you in achieving your desired fitness goals.

Rest

As obvious as this may seem, getting enough rest is really important as it allows our bodies a chance to repair and replenishes energy stored in our muscles. Insufficient rest will impact your ability to reach your fitness goals and likely lead to injury.

If you would like to hear more about this topic, please join our live Webinar on National Fitness Day on Wednesday 22nd September at 12:00pm-12:30pm. To register, please use the following link –

https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/1214766152699739920

Please be aware that Care first is an external provider and the information in their webinars may not fully align with advice from the University on some subjects

Now that people have begun to return to the workplace again it’s time to look at how we manage working relationships within the “new normal

For many it has been 18 months since being in the office environment with the challenges that brings. It is so different to physically see people rather than via a Zoom or team meeting platforms. We have to remember that for as many people who are excited and pleased to be physically back into the office, there will be those who feel anxious and upset when having to return. Some of this anxiety comes from being at home for so long and establishing your routine to manage within that environment; it has worked for you, you felt safe and secure from the risk of Covid 19, from any workplace issues and personalities that bothered you previously. There was also no longer the need to commute to work but now, all that has changed. The difference with this change is that we have gradually worked toward the return whereas the change to work from home came suddenly. One day in the office the next, working from home for what we all thought then would be just a few weeks. None of us could have imagined that the home working situation would last this long.

On returning to the office environment we need to remember that the change will be the same for us all but that we will all manage it differently. The office will look different from when you left it 18 months ago, you may not be seated in the same way so not only will there be the change of going back but also returning to a “different office”

It is important that we are all tolerant of each other particularly if we know a colleague is struggling so what can we do?

• Reach out to colleagues in advance of the return to check how they are and how they feel about returning to the workplace.
• Plan to have a coffee with them in advance of the return (if appropriate)
• Let them know that you are aware it is a challenging and scary for some

If you are a manager make contact with the whole team before the return and offer reassurance for those who may be feeling anxious It may help to plan for the first couple of weeks. Don’t try and do too much and be sure to build in rewards and time to do things you know boost your mental health.

Once you are back, what can you do to build and manage that important working relationship with colleagues? If you are going back to commuting, or being around people for much of the day, there’s going to be a lot of adjustment.

• Be aware of how much going back takes out of you
• Make sure you rest any change is exhausting in the short term.
• Communicate often
• Be consistent and trustworthy.
• Avoid gossip.
• Support fellow team members.
• Remain positive in interactions.
• Appreciate Others Everyone wants to feel that their work is appreciated. So, genuinely compliment the people around you when they do something well. Praise and recognition will open the door to great work relationships.

“The more comfortable co-workers are around one other, the more confident they’ll feel voicing opinions, brainstorming, and going along with new ideas, for example. This level of teamwork is essential to embrace change, create, and innovate. And when people see the successes of working together in this way, group morale and productivity soars.

Good work relationships also give you freedom. Instead of spending time and energy dealing with negative relationships, you can, instead, focus on opportunities – from winning new business to focusing on personal development.

And having a strong professional circle will also help you to develop your career, opening up opportunities that otherwise might pass you by” (Mind tools.com)

If you feel you may need some emotional or practical support, you can contact Care first on the Freephone number. Care first is a leading provider of confidential, professional counselling, information and advice services. Whilst our BACP accredited Counsellors are available 24/7 to provide support with emotional issues, our expertly trained Information Specialists are available 8am-8pm MondayFriday to provide advice on any practical issues that may be causing you a stress or worry and help you feel more in control of a situation.

All employees are eligible to use Care first, our services include; telephone counselling, information services and online support. Call Care first on the Freephone number provided by your organisation and you can speak to a professional in confidence.

If you would like to view the Webinar on this is being delivered live on Tuesday 21st September at 12pm, please use the below link to register for this session –

https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/2312502069194821133

If you are unable to join the webinar live, a recording of the session can be accessed using the same link above after the webinar has taken place.

Please be aware that Care first is an external provider and the information in their webinars may not fully align with advice from the University on some subjects

Wednesday 22nd September 2021 is National Fitness Day.

It is a chance to highlight the role physical activity plays across the UK, helping us raise awareness of its importance in helping us lead healthier lifestyles through being physical active.

There will be many activities you can join in with, some of which will be free. Or alternatively, create your own activity to join in with friends, colleagues, etc.

For more information and to sign up to hear about the latest activities please check out https://www.nationalfitnessday.com/