How to Maintain Your Emotional Well Being - and Advance at Work

EVERYONE knows that being physically fit and healthy at work can help increase your productivity and efficiency.

However, there is usually much less attention paid to an employee’s emotional well being, and how much that can affect their output.

As an employee, you can do a great deal towards maintaining your own emotional well being - and improving your chances of promotion at the same time.

In a recent MinuteHack article, leadership expert James Geekie outlines some of the best ideas for creating your own emotional well being at work:

1. Create a collaborative culture

Apple, Google and Facebook are all renowned for having a great workplace culture. Unfortunately, however, not all of us can work there. You may find your organisation is ‘dragging its feet’ when it comes to engaging with its employees or creating a collaborative culture. If this is the case, use it as an opportunity to promote good engagement and collaboration among both your peers and superiors

2. Reassess your workspace

Everyone works better in a comfortable workspace - so it is worth taking the time to reassess your own. Does it flow properly, and help both you and your colleagues engage well with each other? It also pays to review your workspace from the perspective of ‘the senses’ by looking at the best use of space, technology and meeting rooms, as well as ‘breakout’ and relaxation areas, and if there is provision for mobile or contract workers

3. ‘A room with a view’

According to World Green Building Council research, those workers with outside views are likely to be up to 25 per cent more productive and process calls 12 per cent faster, than the same workers in a closed room. Another interesting fact is that being exposed to natural light increases productivity by 18 per cent - while better lighting in general pushes up work rates by 23 per cent

4. Eat healthy

One of the best ways for employees to maintain both their physical and emotional well being is by eating healthy food. It might sound obvious but a healthy diet consisting of at least two pieces of fruit and five vegetables a day is integral to good health and optimum performance at work. Unfortunately, recent CSIRO research has found only 24 per cent of women and 15 per cent of men actually eat enough fruit and vegetables each day

5. Change the scenery

Most offices are dreary places with little colour or adornments. Consider reinvigorating your workplace with brighter colours to help increase your emotional well being. This could involve introducing splashes of colour, art or greenery into the office, or going even further by introducing some outside changes such as water features, park benches or even miniature gardens

6. Consider flexible working

With the rise of freelance and contract working and working from home, many organisations are now offering flexible working hours and the ability to work on the move, in a bid to increase productivity. This can also be a real bonus when it comes to maintaining your emotional well being as it allows more freedom and flexibility in your work.

Finally, for an organisation to thrive, it is essential for leaders and managers to take the time to develop good morale.

This is because research has shown that employers have a huge influence on the morale and emotional well being of their employees.

Therefore, by rewarding and recognising a manager’s good work, for example, you can sow the seeds for this positive reinforcement to filter throughout the organisation.