Page 27 - Dainfern Precinct Living Issue 11 2022

Health & Wellness

Thanks to the Covid-19 pandemic, mental health has been front and centre of the
workplace refocus of late and rightly so. More than 30% of adult South Africans

suffer from some sort of mental health issue, affecting their ability to think clearly

and process their thoughts logically. This in turn can negatively affect their outward

behaviours and decision-making, which is especially important in the workplace.

ariet Visser, coach, trainer, One tool Visser learnt years ago was the difference when it comes to your
and the co-founder of We STOP skill, developed by Jon Kabat-Zinn. reactions. Knowing the difference
Do Change is on a mission Essentially, it’s an acronym that stands between choosing to react instinctively
Mto empower individuals for Stop, Take a breath, Observe and or impulsively, or respond with
and businesses to take control of their then Proceed. guided thinking and reasoning is very
mental health and create small but important.
effective changes in the workplace. Even if it’s just by getting up from your
She shares some of the best Agile desk to make a cup of coffee, by pausing Knowing and becoming self-aware of
principles, a popular form of coaching, momentarily, you allow yourself to take your behaviour will give you an honest
as well as other entry level training a breath, which acts as an anchor to indication of your reactions, and signal
options that can be used by both the present moment. During this short when you should pay closer attention to
employers and employees to support respite, you can see what is happening your mental health and wellness.
anyone suffering from mental health both inside and outside of you, assess
issues. what you are doing and how you are 3. Focus on one thing at a time
feeling. Use the information gained A key value that the Agile way of
1. Learn how to STOP during this check-in to either continue working teaches is to focus on one thing
Looking after your mental health starts your course, or change it. at a time. We are constantly distracted
with learning and applying skills such by others and the environment as well
as mindfulness as this helps create 2. Know the difference between as our own thought processes. Even the
presence within oneself and increases reacting and responding smallest of distractions like receiving
your ability to become more self-aware. A healthy mind can make all the a text, email or meeting request or

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