Life since the Covid-19 pandemic is SO different. This is obvious one might think, as it really changed everything about the world – and especially that of our work in HR – didn’t it?
We now certainly recognise the importance of things outside of our job roles and how (or why) we need to manage them differently. Prior to Covid, my weekends were chock-full of planned activities, social occasions and overdue chores. Now, if I have two ‘big’ things booked in on consecutive days I start to squirm in discomfort!
Perhaps at the top of the list of things that have changed is the way the time spent in lockdown reminded us of the things and the people that really matter. A massive re-evaluation has taken place.
Most of us who inhabit the world of HR are lucky enough to enjoy our jobs. Yet however much we do, it’s clear now, more than ever perhaps, that work is rarely the most important thing in our lives. There’s so much else that we have re-evaluated, like our family and friends; our pets and our pastimes; the importance of nature and our local environment, and these have become our new priorities.
Having that period at home made me recognise the importance of being grounded with home, loved ones and even just with myself. When we were all at home, we looked at our surroundings more; on our walks we better appreciated our local environments; and we certainly longed to spend time with our loved ones – and all of the familiar events that went with this.
We also had time to self-develop. We read more maybe; listened to music; or we practiced yoga for the first time or took up new activities; we tended our gardens or painted our walls; plucked our eyebrows and shaved our legs more frequently (believe me, I’ve talked to the women I share an office with and they concur!) and a thousand other things we’ve rarely found time to do before we were locked down.
Obviously, the caveat to this is that HR people invariably worked whilst at home and were really feeling the pressure with their increased workloads when colleagues in other departments were ‘cutting loose’ a little more. There were a multitude of changes in work situations to deal with; staff members who were worried about uncertain futures; parents who were also trying to home-school their kids or look after older or more vulnerable family members; and a lot more besides.
And since we’ve all gone back to work, HR professionals are under increasing pressure. We all know that colleagues are leaving the profession in droves now. Others are taking lower-level HR roles, or reducing their hours, or seeking other ways to reduce the pressure or burn-out they have been experiencing
What I have learned – but still need to get better at – is how I need to improve my ability to set clearer boundaries. I need to clarify how available I really want to be and how I propose to better look after myself.
Building a great team around me, and enabling them to better support each other is a primary goal for me. If the team can be their real, authentic selves around the workplace, they will be better placed to understand my outside pressures such as my family, home or my menopause symptoms! It will also assist those among the team who may be dealing with other health, family or support issues outside of the workplace.
We all need to feel safe and be able to share our experiences; to be happy to tackle difficult or taboo subjects like our mental health, neurodiversity, inequality or living with our menopause. Life has become a lot more serious in the last few years, and recognising that this can only be handled by being kind to ourselves first and foremost, is ever-more important.
So remember this, employee wellbeing STARTS with HR self-care!
I recently heard someone say that, if we were on a flight that got into difficulty, we would be told to put on our own oxygen masks first. Then – and ONLY then – we would be in a better position to help those around us that are struggling. Yet often, it seems like we have forgotten that the same is true during crises at work. In the midst of a crisis, HR needs to fit their oxygen mask first.
I’ve looked at a lot of ideas and strategies recently and here are MY six favourite suggestions for self-care, I hope they help you too!
- Take notice of how you ‘self-talk’ and learn to speak to yourself the way you would to someone you love. Be compassionate.
- Look for silver-linings (they ARE there somewhere, I promise!) and be grateful for them. Do this often and it will become contagious.
- Think about practicing mindfulness techniques or take up meditation. It can literally prove to be life-changing. It’s also known to reduce stress, boost our immune system and can even slow the signs of aging!
- Learn to say no occasionally when you know you need time to take a breath. Understanding and respecting your own boundaries is important.
- Enjoy spending time outside in the fresh air – a walk, a bike ride or just sitting on the beach (or in your garden if you have one) gives space to take a breath.
- And lastly – a really BIG one for me – get enough sleep (there’s a good reason why sleep deprivation is used as an effective torture technique) AND DO THIS EVERY SINGLE DAY!
Stay well my friends!
Jane x
