November 2022

Studies show self-kindness has incredible benefits for wellbeing. Self-kindness triggers the release of oxytocin (one of your brain’s feel-good hormones), increases feelings of happiness and optimism, builds resilience and helps you bounce back from stress. Try one (or more!) of these wellbeing challenges this month to promote self-kindness in your workplace.

MOVE: Stretch it out

Schedule a stretch session this month to inspire people to show kindness and appreciation towards their bodies. Even just taking five minutes to stretch has a positive impact on wellbeing. When it comes to self-kindness, small acts go a long way.

Supporting content:

• Try this: Team stretching

CHILL: Breathe and just be

Encourage people to take microbreaks to breathe and just be. Deep breathing is a fantastic way to show self-kindness to both body and mind. It also helps to reduce the amount of time we spend in fight or flight (our stress response).

Supporting content:

• JK: Breathing changed my life

• Why deep breathing is so powerful

CONNECT: Model self-kindness

Modelling self-kindness can be as simple as sharing something like “I was late to a meeting earlier today due to a traffic incident, but I practised self-kindness by acknowledging it was out of my control and not a personal failure”. It could also look like taking breaks to stretch, breathe and just be, owning up to mistakes in a non self-judgemental way, or asking for help when you need it.

Supporting content:

• Self-kindness and the brain

ENJOY: Do something just for fun

We all lead such busy lives – consider this permission to carve out some time this month to do something just for fun! Too often we only prioritise things that have some greater purpose, but sometimes the best type of self-care is enjoying something without worrying about outcomes or goals.

Supporting content:

• Try this: Do something just for fun

• 24 easy mood boosters

CELEBRATE: Reflect on a job done well

Encourage teams to get together to reflect on a recent project or task (big or small) that was a success. Take some time to acknowledge everyone’s contributions and ask people to share something they feel they did well (if they feel comfortable).

If there are limited group projects, then ask everyone to share one thing they have recently worked on that they feel they have done well, and why.

Supporting content:

• Rituals to bring Celebrate into the workplace

DO: Read self-kindness and the brain

Share and then discuss our article Self-kindness and the brain to understand the science of self-kindness and why it’s so important in the context of workplace wellbeing. Encourage everyone to reflect on their own self-kindness practices.

Supporting content:

• Self-kindness and the brain