Volume 2: November 2022

Last month we asked you to pause for a moment and really think about this question ‘how are you?’.

We hope you were able to do this and to it as an opportunity to pause and reflect and if possible, do something that supported your wellbeing.

Following on from this, we encourage you to think about your own wellbeing triggers.

This is about noticing the things that tell you your own wellbeing might be at risk. It can help to think about the three aspects of wellbeing:

• physical
• psychological
• social

To help you think about this we'd like to draw your attention to the wellbeing planning tool.

It uses a traffic light system to help you recognise over a period of time such a week or two weeks whether your physical, psychological or social wellbeing needs some attention. It helps you to clearly see if there are aspects of your wellbeing that are in the red zone, meaning that you need to stop and take action.

If you find yourself in this zone a lot, then it’s time to talk to someone and make some significant changes to improve your wellbeing, to help you to be well, live well and work well.

You may find that some aspects of your physical, psychological, or social wellbeing are within the amber zone. This is telling you it’s time to pause and make some changes as you are at risk of going into the red zone if you don’t make those changes. If you consistently map your wellbeing in the green zone. Please share your secrets to good wellbeing!

Mapping your wellbeing brings awareness and insight which will help you to then identify your triggers. What is making you have a disturbed sleep? Why are you becoming angry at work or at home? Why are you isolating yourself and not going to the staffroom over break and lunchtime?

What do you notice about your triggers?

Maybe there are some patterns? Times of the day or the week that certain feelings arise? Once you know your triggers, it makes it easier to actively manage your own wellbeing. We're all different and have our own unique ways of managing stress at work and at home.

Now that you know where you are and what your triggers are, you need to work out what you need - what works for you. There's no right or wrong but it's really important to work out what you need in order to maintain your wellbeing when you notice your own warning signs.

Writing down your intentions can be powerful, here are some prompts that might help:

• How do you want to feel?
• What do you want to think?
• What will you do?
• What will you not do?
• Who will support you?
• Who can you connect with?

Remember, improving your wellbeing is unique to YOU.

Sometimes we need to give ourselves permission to focus on ourselves and our wellbeing. Try blocking out time to work through these steps otherwise it can be easy to just keep going.

We hope you found this helpful. Please send this to a friend or colleague if you think they might find it find it useful too.

Until next time...

Lorna and Sarah (and the Stepping Stones team)