Wellness in the Workplace: Self-Care Strategies
When you think of wellness in the workplace, what comes to mind? Many may consider team dynamics, workload, and the overall environment. However, one of the most effective ways to boost wellness in the workplace is through self-care strategies. When individuals within a team are equipped with tools to care for their well-being, it creates a ripple effect that positively impacts the entire company.
In this post, we’ll explore why self-care is crucial for workplace wellness, define the five key types of self-care, and share actionable strategies for implementing them in your workplace.
The Importance of Self-Care for Workplace Wellness
Implementing self-care practices is crucial for preventing workplace stress and burnout. When individuals are unable to care for or advocate for themselves, they become more vulnerable to stress when challenges arise at work. Workloads may inevitably increase or dynamics may shift. However, when someone is equipped with effective self-care strategies and can communicate their needs, stress can be minimized, and job satisfaction can remain high.
Introducing self-care strategies at the leadership level is highly beneficial, as not everyone on the team will instinctively know what they need to perform their best at work. It offers them new ideas and small adjustments to their routines, both before and during work, to support overall wellness in the workplace.
How to Build a Wellness-Focused Self-Care Strategy in the Workplace
Building a self-care strategy involves implementing specific practices for the individual, the team, and the office environment. While self-care is often associated with individual well-being, we have to expand this concept within the workplace. Since we work with others, it's important to incorporate team-based practices and ensure the work environment supports these efforts. A holistic approach to self-care not only benefits individuals but also promotes a healthier, more supportive workplace culture.
Let’s begin by discussing the five different types of self-care, identifying team needs, and coming up with a list of practices that the team can implement in their work environment.
5 types of Self-Care
Physical Self-Care
Involves taking care of your body through activities like proper nutrition, rest, physical activity and relieving muscle tension.
Emotional Self-Care
Taking care of the emotional self involves strategies to acknowledge and work through feelings as they arise.
Social Self-Care
Social self-care involves cultivating healthy relationships both in and out of the workplace.
Professional Self-Care
This involves having systems in place that promote work-life balance. Strategies that help with prioritizing work tasks, setting realistic goals, delegating work and opportunities for growth.
Spiritual Self-Care
This aspect of self-care will be unique to each person. It involves setting aside time to do the things that are meaningful to them and even give them a sense of purpose.
Identify Team Needs for Wellness in the Workplace
Before offering the team some ideas for self-care practices, it’s helpful to hold a team meeting or send out a survey to gather input and understand what the team may need. It is good to know what the team is already doing for self-care practices and what may be missing in their daily self-care practices. This is especially beneficial for developing team-based practices, as it provides insights into what the team would like to do together. These needs differ between the types of environments as well. Not everyone is working in an office at all times, so that should be considered when building out a self-care strategy to send to the team.
Some teams enjoy having the option for stretch breaks at work.
Create a List of Self-Care Practices
When creating a list of self-care practices be sure to cover all 5 types of self care. This could even be a way to help organize the guide. Here are some examples to consider in each different type of self-care:
Physical: Offer suggestions on meal prepping to ensure healthy eating throughout the week. Encourage movement breaks if the job involves a lot of sitting. The team could work together by scheduling in regular 10 minute stretches or walk breaks to do together. Additionally, consider making the overall work environment more comfortable by offering customized ergonomic furniture.
Emotional: Provide access to tools like meditation apps and encourage practices such as journaling or counseling that they can do outside of work to support their emotional well-being. Personalizing workspaces with plants or sentimental items can also enhance overall mood.
Social: Suggest ideas for team bonding like Happy Hours or luncheons. As well as, encouraging maintaining relationships outside of work.
Professional: This can include strategies for organizing their work days (ensuring adequate breaks too), access to educational tools for enhancing their skills, and clear communication methods to ensure job satisfaction.
Spiritual Self-care: There are a variety of suggestions you could add in this section that range from scheduling in time for spiritual/religious practices, nature walks (either outside of work or during), and hobbies that bring them joy outside of work.
Provide a Supportive Work Environment for Wellness
It’s great to have a list of self-care strategies but the workplace should be set up to support the specific self-care practices each individual and team may need. Here are a few key suggestions for ensuring the work environment aligns with workplace wellness and supports effective self-care:
Office Environment: To support workplace wellness, encourage flexible hours and breaks, and create a positive atmosphere to allow for small touches like plants and comfortable chairs. Designated break areas, both indoors and outdoors, are also essential.
Team Practices: Establish team practices such as regular check-ins for emotional well-being and ensuring that workload is being distributed equally among the team. Team activities that focus on wellness—such as shared breaks or stress-relief exercises—can enhance the collective self-care effort.
Leadership: Leadership plays a pivotal role in promoting wellness in the workplace. Leaders should model self-care by prioritizing their own well-being, taking breaks, and advocating for a healthy work-life balance. When leaders practice what they preach, it sets a powerful example that encourages the entire organization to value and prioritize self-care.
Conclusion
Workplace wellness begins with recognizing the importance of self-care and implementing a strategy that addresses the physical, emotional, social, professional, and spiritual needs of employees. By encouraging self-care practices, organizations can reduce stress, boost job satisfaction, and enhance overall productivity. Creating a supportive work environment that encourages these practices is crucial in reducing burnout and improving workplace engagement.
Prioritizing self-care as part of your workplace wellness strategy is key to building a healthier, more resilient team.
For additional ideas regarding Self-Care in the workplace check out this article:
“50 Self-Care & Workplace Wellness Ideas for You, Your Team & Your Company”
And for your next read check out our blog about “Employee Stress Management: Recognizing the Signs & Solutions that Work”.
