Sam Hales, who has co-ordinated much of this year’s wellbeing week activity, reflects on what wellbeing at work actually means to him.

At several points in the lead up to this year’s Staff Wellbeing Week, I have been reminded by my friends and colleagues to “consider the importance of my own wellbeing at work”. Admittedly, the first time that I received this advice I dismissed it as vacuous HR nonsense – something that I thought you may hear a therapist utter to their client, or the sort of suggestion that a GP offers when you tell them that you haven’t been feeling great recently. However, as the weeks have progressed and I have learned more about what ‘wellbeing’ entails, I have developed a deeper appreciation for this concept and now actively take time in each day to seek some form of wellness in my life (no matter how small or fleeting).

I’ve been wondering, how exactly do I manage my wellbeing at work? Well, I’ve come to realise the simple answer here is that there isn’t an answer. What constitutes ‘wellbeing’ seems to differ greatly between people – for some, it is tantamount to happiness in all domains and a feeling of completeness in life; for others, it relates to prosperity and good health, both physically and mentally. At a personal level, I discover my wellbeing in helping others to seek theirs – something that ultimately drove me towards a role in staff development. Today, for instance, I helped a friend to find a new job – maybe not the most exciting or meritorious of tasks, but one which certainly made me feel good about myself and helped my friend to feel good too.

Yes, I appreciate that in this day and age, many of us simply don’t have the opportunity to “take five” and consider the impact that our work is having on our wellbeing. After all, we all know of the various stresses and strains associated with working in the HE sector – these are oft reported in the media and many of us feel them at a personal level. However, the effort that goes into asking oneself “What can I do today to make me feel better?” is minimal. Sometimes the answer comes in the form of small changes to my working routine – re-arranging my desk or chatting to a new colleague, for example – or larger transformations to my life in general by assessing my career and development choices.

Throughout this Staff Wellbeing week, I encourage you all to stop for moment and ask yourself this very question. It won’t take long, and the answers may surprise you.

To discover some of the possible ways in which you could help to foster wellness in your life, why not visit our new Wellbeing webpages? Here you will find inspiration and advice on the various opportunities and activities available to staff throughout this year’s Wellbeing Week and beyond.