As the days get lighter and longer, we’re thinking about wellness and how important it is to prioritise it in the workplace. Wellness should never be an after thought but something that is designed into the very core of your workplace. The physical workplace can be designed in a way that prioritises the wellness of employees and users of your space, in turn creating a workforce that is motivated, productive and consistent. At Wylde, we design beautiful, practical and sustainable spaces that support people to work, learn and live better – this means we put wellness in the centre of our practice.
Our first tip starts far outside of the office – we’re talking about sleep. One of the kindest things you can do for yourself is to ensure you’re getting enough sleep. The key to emotional wellbeing, optimal brain functioning, creativity and productivity is sleep. In an ever fast-paced society, getting enough sleep has become a luxury or a reward when in fact, enough sleep is always an absolute necessity – every single night. We know that reducing screen time before bed can help increase your quality and quantity of sleep but also ensuring your sleep-wake cycle is healthy by getting 20-30 minutes of natural daylight within the first hour of waking up.
Exercise in the morning – even if this is your walk to work or around the block first thing – a routine that prioritises daylight will regulate your circadian rhythm and improve your alertness through-out the day, improve your sleep quality and even boost your mood! Taking time to do a couple of work-outs a week and get your body moving, can be crucial in improving general wellness but also helps your concentration and focus when back in the office.
Mindfulness – a very important side to wellness. Give yourself time to think, relax and replenish. Meditation or meditative yoga can be a good way to unwind, declutter the mind and destress. Whether it’s at the beginning, during or at the end of your work day – it might be wise to build a little time into your schedule where you don’t have to ‘do’.
Make time for acknowledgements. We think one of the greatest boosters is to remind yourself what you’re good at and why you do what you do. Wellness in the workplace starts with a meaningful determination to be good and feel good whilst doing it! Acknowledge your achievements and do it regularly. It’s very easy to become bogged down with anything that hasn’t gone to plan, but in doing so everything that we have successfully achieved goes unrecognised and it’s time to change that. From bullet points, to journalling to a regular team chat – make time to applaud what you’ve learnt, achieved and excelled at!
Wellness in the workplace is about physical and mental health across the whole workforce and working environment. Designing a space that boosts creativity, productivity and morale whilst bringing natural light, plants and space to breathe might seem like a task – but it’s exactly what we do best!
