Five ways of wellbeing
How to make yourself and your team feel better through self-reflection, connection, learning and giving.
In the summer this year I was at an event where the Five ways of wellbeing were referenced in relation to personal development. I was in the middle of a project and it hit me how relevant it was for the shaping workshops I run.
The five ways of wellbeing were developed by Mind, a mental health charity based in UK. They were developed from a huge study.
They are loosely described as follows:
- Connect
- Be active
- Take notice
- Learn
- Give
Let me try to relate to the Shaping Workshops I have been describing through December.
1. Connect
Feel closer to other people. In your team. In your organisation. Social relationships promote wellbeing. Find out how someone really is.
Seeing other people’s shapes can be useful. Spending time discussing one of your line report’s self-reflections can be incredibly revealing. Spend time to really connect with others.
2. Be active
Regular physical activity is meant to help people’s wellbeing. As someone who does very little exercise, I can’t easily relate. But I know I should do more. We do get a little physically active in our sessions. Getting up to put our charts up. But not enough to do anything for people’s wellbeing.
3. Take notice
Taking notice is more about mindfulness. Taking notice can strengthen and broaden your own awareness. But it could also be about taking notice of your colleagues and the ways they are acting.
For the shaping workshops, I relate it closer to the self reflection people experience by drawing their own shape. Seeing yourself through the lens of different categories. Where the input is the output. I’ve found it to be a powerful centering experience.
4. Learn
‘Continued learning through life enhances self-esteem and encourages social interaction and a more active life’
‘Anecdotal evidence suggests that the opportunity to engage in work or educational activities particularly helps to lift older people out of depression.’
‘The practice of setting goals, which is related to adult learning in particular, has been strongly associated with higher levels of wellbeing.’
All of these statements relate to the work we do in the shaping workshops. Identifying where you want to grow. Setting certain goals for yourself. Identifying who you could learn from.
5. Give
‘Individuals who report a greater interest in helping others are more likely to rate themselves as happy.’
I believe that identifying where you can help others. To develop them. As well as supporting them. Can help you feel happier in yourself. It helps drive you. It creates a stronger bond.
‘Research into actions for promoting happiness has shown that committing an act of kindness once a week over a six-week period is associated with an increase in wellbeing.’
In the shaping workshops, identifying where you can develop others is a critical first step.
Want to find out more, follow the series
If you want to learn more about the Shaping Workshops I run, and what I have learned over the years, follow me, or read some other articles in the Medium Publication.
Keep your eyes peeled for another post tomorrow.
