Is self-care the first thing that goes out the window when things feel busy or stressful?
Long term productivity is dependent upon wellbeing – as opposed to wellbeing being something we can afford if we’re productive first
For many of us (when we’re not careful, myself and Kathryn included), this is often the case. Too often we approach taking good care of ourselves as an optional bonus, if everything else is squared away first.
We need to flip the script on this.
At Well & Truly, we know from our own experience, from our clients’ experience and from the research, that sustainable, long term productivity is dependent upon wellbeing – as opposed to wellbeing being something we can afford if we’re productive first.
Why exactly is wellbeing so important to productivity? Here are just a few of the many reasons:
Poor sleep interferes with brain function at a cellular level
It’s no secret that not sleeping enough or not sleeping well enough leaves us feeling groggy, but it’s not just a feeling, it’s a cellular impairment caused by sleep deprivation. Ensuring sleep quality and quantity (parents of young kids, you are excepted!) is one of the most important things we can do for our overall well being.
In order to get good sleep, we need to take care of the fundamentals
Getting good sleep (and therefore being able to think and work well) is dependent on effective stress management in order to reduce cortisol dysregulation and more generally to reduce anxiety which can prevent sleep. Sleep quality can also be improved by moderating alcohol and caffeine intake and incorporating regular exercise into our daily routine.
Our food choices affect our energy levels
Choosing nourishing, predominantly whole-foods based meals can make a massive difference to our ability to maintain focus and energy during a workday. If we avoid the blood sugar rollercoaster caused by caffeine, sugar and refined carbohydrate consumption, we can avoid the mid morning and mid afternoon energy slump and therefore use our time much more effectively.
Mindfulness practises improve our ability to work
Yoga, meditation, breath work – all of these practises are foundational tools at Well & Truly, because they help us hone our ability to focus, to think clearly and to work more effectively in a team.
The beauty of the relationship between wellbeing and productivity is once you put the initial, non-negotiable wellbeing practices into place, your productivity will improve and you’ll suddenly have even more time to invest back into your self-care. And if on top of that, you incorporate some of the Well & Truly productivity principles into your work, the virtuous cycle of wellbeing and productivity becomes a complete game changer.
Want to know how Well & Truly can help you and your team transform their wellbeing & productivity? Reach out to sarah@wellandtrulyworkshops.co.uk or read more here.
