5 Ways to Wellbeing
Brighter Futures and ReachOut Mental health is an important issue affecting all Australians and around one in four Australians under the age of 45 live with a mental health difficulty. Mental health and wellbeing has also become an increasing priority for Suncorp Group employees which is why ReachOut.com was selected as the major charity partner for our Brighter Futures program. ReachOut is Australia’s leading online mental health service supporting young people aged 14 - 25. We believe our partnership can fundamentally change the way young Australians care for their mental health, providing a lasting legacy of preventing mental illness and promoting wellbeing. Brighter Futures and ReachOut are also working together to support the mental health and wellbeing of Suncorp Group employees by providing you with a range of resources and tools, such as the 5 Ways to Wellbeing. People who are resilient have high wellbeing. They respond more creatively to threats and challenges. We can’t avoid challenges, disappointments and adversity. Relationships breakdown, weather events can devastate communities and people we love can be affected by serious illness. Being more resilient doesn’t protect us from these realities, but it does increase our ability to cope. Resilience is a term borrowed from engineering, referring to the level of stress a building or structure can withstand without breaking and then return to its normal state of being. In psychology, it is about the capacity of an individual to maintain wellbeing through times of stress and adversity and return to a normal state of functioning post stress. The resilience formula below illustrates that wellbeing is achieved (and maintained) when the coping skills we have are greater than the adversity being experienced. We are resilient when we have the confidence that we can manage whatever life throws at us.
=[
Coping skills adversity
[
Resilience
Well-being
The great news is our brains continue to develop throughout our lives. With practice and repetition we can learn different ways to respond, think and do things that are better for our wellbeing. The 5 Ways to Wellbeing are five simple steps to help you build your resilience and wellbeing.
5 Ways to Wellbeing Welcome to 5 Ways to Wellbeing! We hope that you enjoy this simple, self-help program designed to make real and lasting changes in your life.
What’s wellbeing all about? More than happiness, our wellbeing will sustain our mental health and physical health throughout life. Good wellbeing enables us to accept what has gone before and help us be optimistic to be able to manage stresses ahead. Wellbeing is a state of feeling good about ourselves and they way our lives are going. We experience wellbeing when we are physically and mentally well, spiritually aware or connected, and feel that our life is worthwhile and has purpose. When we are experiencing good wellbeing, we may also experience positive relationships with others, a sense of control over our life and a sense of purpose. Committing to the 5 Ways to Wellbeing as a daily practice for as few as 30 minutes for 21 days will have a significant and lasting impact on your wellbeing.
First Way to Wellbeing Connect Questions Making friends and meaningful connections at work and in our community increases our sense of belonging and wellbeing. We can all play a part in creating an inclusive and supportive place to work and a great place to live. At work there are people who support us and make our job easier. They may go out of their way to greet you and make newcomers feel welcome. Make sure you acknowledge and thank them – without them work could be a pretty unfriendly place. Some hints and tips to make connecting easier: • Start on a positive note – make the first email of the day you write one that thanks someone for the good work they do. • Offer to show new-comers the best places for coffee and lunch and share it with them. • Notice a colleague under pressure? Is there anything you can do to help? • Smile, say, “Hi!” and be friendly – it’s super simple but appreciated. • Are there lots of people you don’t get a chance to work with but see at work regularly? Perhaps your teams could have a speed meet – a morning tea of quick introductions and sharing something you do for fun – you’re bound to find some shared interests. What will you do to improve your wellbeing by connecting with others over the next month? The next three pages has some tips on enhancing relationships at home.
Who are the people around you that support you to succeed? Make a goal to let them know that you appreciate them. How can you make your workplace friendlier? Is there someone you could support with time, a kind word or guidance? We are the change we want to see in our community – what can you do to make meaningful connections in your neighbourhood? You can find some practical tools for making friends and meaningful connections at ReachOut.com. Meeting new people http://au.reachout.com/tips-for-meeting-newpeople Want to know more? You may enjoy the following TED talk and article. If you find another good one, share it with your colleagues! Sheryl Turkle ‘Connected but Alone’ TED talk https://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=t7Xr3AsBEK4
Second Way to Wellbeing Be Active Questions Exercise has been proven to be good for both your physical and mental health too. Just 30 minutes of regular exercise a day that gets your heart rate up will help you feel, think and sleep better. Find an activity that you enjoy. Try something you’ve never tried before, it’s never too late to start and most importantly – have fun. If you’ve got a gym membership that you don’t use – stop wasting money and go. You don’t necessarily need to spend any money to be active. Yes you do have time, yes the weather’s manageable, and yes you do have everything you need – just move. The body is designed to move – it loves it and responds positively. Regardless of your fitness level, taking opportunities to move throughout the day will lower stress and strain. You’ve probably heard that sitting for long periods is ‘the new smoking’ - so this month it’s about adopting some simple ways to increase your physical activity as you go about your day. Some hints and tips to be active at work : • Stand up and move every 10 minutes • Have standing or walking meetings - go for a coffee • Wear comfortable clothes and shoes - these will make activity easier • Stretch every hour • Move at lunchtime - go for a walk, jog, run or ride • Take a lunchtime exercise class or go after work as a regular routine • Need to wake up? Go into the bathroom and do 5 star jumps or jump up and down on the spot for a minute You know what you’re supposed to do (we all do) but now everyone around you will be doing it too – so make it fun. Join a walking group or set a team challenge using pedometers – the aim is to do 10,000 steps a day. Your body will love you for it!
What are your physical wellbeing goals? This isn’t about weight loss or gain, it’s about strength, stamina and physical fitness. What will you do daily, weekly or monthly towards your goal? What are the obstacles or excuses you’ll use to stop making your physical wellbeing a priority? How will you overcome those? How will you feel when you have committed to your physical wellbeing every day for a month? How will you reward yourself? You can find some practical tools for being active at ReachOut.com. http://au.reachout.com/wellbeing/staying-fitand-healthy Recharge is an app to help you monitor your sleep and activity - find it here http:// au.reachout.com/recharge-sleep-app Want to know more? You may enjoy the following videos about the importance of sleep and foods that reduce stress. If you find another good one, share it with your colleagues. 4 foods that reduce stress https://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=3hSBO6bwvGk Why do we sleep? https://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=LWULB9Aoopc
Third Way to Wellbeing Take Notice (or Be Mindful) Mindfulness to meditation in a month Week 1 – Wake up 10 minutes earlier than you normally would and lie quietly in bed. Concentrate on your breathing. Do a mental check of your body from your toes, through your whole body to the top of your head. Breathe deeply and gently to the count of four, repeat this four times. End by saying to yourself ‘I’m ready for the day and what it will bring and I’ll meet it with calm composure.’ Week 2 – Continue your 10 minute wake-up mindfulness exercise and add the following:
You can find some more information about mindfulness at ReachOut.com. http://au.reachout.com/what-is-mindfulness Here’s an app that we like for beginners learning how to meditate http://smilingmind.com.au/ 10 strange things you can do to practice mindfulness http://mindfulminutes.com/10-strange-thingscan-practice-mindfulness/
This week start to take notice of what makes you happy this week and appreciate it. Make your bed and bedroom a sanctuary and appreciate falling safely asleep every night.
Want to know more? You may enjoy the following videos about the benefits of mindfulness and meditation. If you find another good one, be sure to share it with your colleagues!
Be mindful when you walk, notice how your feet meet the ground. During your morning shower, notice how pleasant the water is and relax.
All it takes is 10 mindful minutes https://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=qzR62JJCMBQ
Your commute will be full of small things that give you pleasure, take notice of them and look forward to them each day. Notice how you sit and stand. Listen to the sounds around you, notice the colours and people around you.
Mindfulness made easy https://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=8JsYp1Lp92w
Week 3 – Add the following to your daily mindfulness exercises: Set three alarms on your phone for three times during the work day dedicated to ‘being mindful’. When the alarm sounds, take a few minutes just to mentally check in. Concentrate on your breathing and take long slow breaths to the count of four, notice where you are holding any tension in your body and move to relax it. If you find your mind unable to concentrate, find a focal point and stare at it, try and tune out to the activity around you and if distracting thoughts come to you, just ignore them and focus again on your breath.
Harness your stress, it’ll help your mindfulness https://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=RcGyVTAoXEU Week 4 – Let’s put it all together this week. Mindfulness naturally leads to meditation. At ReachOut we love a meditation app called ‘Smiling Mind’, but there are many more to choose from – we have included a couple that we like here but feel free to find one that works for you. This week we are going to start meditating – if this sounds exciting, great, and if it sounds terrifying or you’re rolling your eyes right now – the challenge is there to try! Make time every day to do 10 minutes of meditation – even if it is just before you go to bed.
Fourth Way to Wellbeing Keep Learning The world needs more questioning minds that ask ‘why?’ Minds that aren’t fixed but are ‘growth mindsets’. People with growth mindsets are valuable in all work places as they find new and different solutions by questioning commonly held beliefs or assumptions. In the workplace, a culture that encourages growth mindsets can be developed by praising the effort and process rather than the end result. Knowledge is power and the greatest gift that Tim Berners-Lee gave the world was free access to his invention – the internet. It allows us to have unbridled access to knowledge. A quick search on YouTube will result in video tutorials on every conceivable topic and Yahoo! Answers enable any question to be posted and answered. As it’s the internet, discretion should be employed along with a big grain of salt. Staying ‘young’ is an attitude. Embracing a love of learning can be fostered by being curious. You’ll find some interesting articles and links in the blue box for more hints and tips on how to ‘keep learning’ and we’d love to hear any success stories! Let us know at: brighterfutures@suncorp.com.au
How do you learn best? Take the quiz: vark-learn.com/the-vark-questionnaire/ 6 tips for learning something new (and retaining them): http://lifehacker.com/six-tips-for-learningnew-skills-and-retaining-them-1703130911 Some hobbies will help you become more productive – read about those here: http://www.lifehack.org/articles/ productivity/20-hobbies-which-will-make-youmore-productive.html Why it’s important for success in other parts of your life to challenge yourself: http://www.forbes.com/sites/ kathycaprino/2014/05/21/6-ways-pushingpast-your-comfort-zone-is-critical-tosuccess/2/ Need to convince your partner that playing Lego is important to your mental wellbeing?: http://www.helpguide.org/articles/emotionalhealth/benefits-of-play-for-adults.htm For a bit of fun - 48 Successful people with unique hobbies: https://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=t8hvCz3lHjA
Fifth Way to Wellbeing Give Volunteering is a great way to get involved in your community, and the opportunities are endless. It can be something like joining local groups who care for the environment, the elderly or homeless or the local sports club or recreation centre. Whatever it is, if you recognise a need for a positive change, be the one to take the lead – there’s bound to be others who will share your vision! Don’t be shy to think beyond your neighbourhood too. All over the world people are spending their annual leave volunteering in some amazing places. If travelling abroad to volunteer appeals to you, do your homework – not all foreign volunteering organisations are the same. You can find out more at www. australianvolunteers.com. Being kind shows great empathy and compassion. In a study on the effects of meditation and stress by Barbara Fredrickson, professor of psychology at the University of North Carolina, the results indicated that every positive interaction we have with people is a miniature health tune-up. ”Being a good friend, and being compassionate toward others, may be one of the best ways to improve your own health,” says Fredrickson. For those of us who leave after a laugh-filled gathering with good friends will attest – there’s nothing as healing as spending time with friends and family who we care about. Give in and give this month! • Consider signing up to give a regular amount through work place giving. If all Suncorp employees gave $5 per fortnight, we’d raise over $1.6 million for charities each year! • Sign up to a cause you feel passionate about – get their newsletter and learn more about them.
Here are some interesting videos and articles about giving: How volunteerism can change your world, Joyce Bertram: https://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=bfAzi6D5FpM How to be a Philanthropist: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aC9jwDQm7w How To Buy Happiness, Michael Norton: https://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=PsihkFWDt3Y Finding Meaning in Charity http://au.reachout.com/finding-meaning-incharity Random Acts of Kindness http://au.reachout.com/random-acts-ofkindness Ways To Look After Yourself While Volunteering http://au.reachout.com/ways-to-look-afteryourself-while-volunteering
About ReachOut Australia Each year, ReachOut.com is the first step for millions of young people in high distress. Launched in 1998, ReachOut is the leading e-mental health service for young Australians and was the world’s first online mental health service. With a focus on prevention and early intervention, ReachOut provides a combination of information, personal stories, peer support and self-help tools aimed at young people, teachers and professionals. With 46% of young people more likely to seek further help after visiting the site, ReachOut is an effective gateway to community and clinical services for those young people who need further support.
The Challenge Suicide remains the leading cause of death among young people. 1 in 4 young Australians are experiencing a mental health difficulty. But there’s an even bigger problem: 70% of young people who need help don’t get it. The Opportunity After friends and family, the internet is the first place young people turn to for information and support. ReachOut.com is available 24/7 and accessed in regional, rural and remote Australia. It costs as little as $2 to provide help to a young person for an entire year on ReachOut.com
If you would like to find out more about supporting ReachOut please contact the Brighter Futures team at www.suncorpgroupbrighterfutures.com.au or email brighterfuturescommunity@suncorp.com.au