Most people recognise that our bodies have an automatic stress response.
It always surprises people, however, when they learn we have no instinctive relaxation response.
To de-stress, we have to actively and deliberately work at relaxing ourselves.
This matters, because in any year, 20% of us will suffer from a mental health condition.
That’s a big number and means mental health is a leading driver of productivity in the workplace. But more importantly, mental ill-health is having an increasingly devastating impact on our social and family lives. In fact, some years ago, I reported that mental ill-health and suicide costs our economy $180b a year without even considering the impact on our homes and loved ones. Today, suicide remains the leading cause of death for Australians aged 15 to 44, with more than 65,000 people in Australian attempting suicide each year.

I have been banging on about this for years – it’s simply imperative that we do more to support the health and well-being of those around us.
This has never been more important than in our increasingly volatile, uncertain and pressured work environments. By learning simple, effective techniques, people can enhance coping mechanisms and increase their wellbeing.

Today, I have been thinking about the immediate, practical steps we can take to experience some peace of mind. And tomorrow and the next day, how do we move towards a life that is more meaningful and rewarding. It is hard to go past Martin Seligman when it comes to interventions that help us to live a good life.

So, today I wanted to post a graphic we created a few years back that highlights Seligman’s PERMA model – click on the link below.

This model and many others, form part of our world class, Resilience, Mental Health & Wellbeing programs. From single interventions to comprehensive programs, our work helps people cope and hopefully, flourish.

And, while the ROI is clear (better productivity, quality, engagement, CX, EVP), this is simply, the right thing to do.

Please get in touch if we can help.

But for tonight, using the PERMA model, please do something which brings you joy, practice an activity that absorbs you and reach out to a loved one.
Dom

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