Time to renew and #bewellworkwell

Earlier this year, I made some resolutions to myself for a successful 2018, personally and professionally (Welcome 2018 and be well!). Now, we’re halfway through the year, and--for some of us in the Northern Hemisphere--about to embark on summer holidays. What better time to stop and see how we’re doing, and make sure we’re renewing our energy to give our best in our personal and professional lives?

Let's intentionally fuel and strike the balance between our sources of energy for spiritual, emotional, mental, and physical renewal.

Putting wellbeing into practice

We tend to think of wellbeing as being physically fit, but it is so much more. At PwC, we define wellbeing as ‘The state of spiritual, emotional, mental and physical balance… allowing us to bring our whole selves to whatever we are doing’. These four aspects are a useful framework as I think about how I’m doing. Considering all four dimensions on a regular basis helps me take the time to reflect and renew my energy, and avoid an ‘energy crisis’ which can be a common occurrence for many these days.

To prioritise our wellness, my most important tip is to make the right choices for yourself. Across the wellbeing dimensions, this could mean: For spiritual, reflecting on what’s important to you. For emotional, thinking positively and remembering there’s always a solution that can help keep you on an even keel during tough times. For mental, prioritising the most important tasks (personal and professional) and taking regular time to ‘switch off’. For physical, getting regular exercise and sleep (for better sleep, one useful tip can be creating capacity in your brain by writing down what’s on your mind before going to bed. See more great tips on wellbeing in PwC’s Habit Bank).

So, how have I been re-energising? One of my goals has been to preserve time to check in with myself, because I know the more in demand and busy I am, the more I need to re-energise. I’ve been practicing this by leaving Paris on weekends to spend time by the sea and in the fresh air. To prioritise exercise, I've been working out a minimum of twice a week, no matter where I’m traveling for work. And, on a daily basis, I’ve been starting my day focusing on the things I’m most grateful for, listing them in a gratitude journal I started earlier this year--a ritual that is helping me see how I can make each day better for myself and others around me.

Renewing our energy, and building our resilience

Re-energising is not only beneficial to our overall wellbeing, it helps build our resilience. We need to know it’s okay to 'not be 100% okay all time'. What’s more important is to be engaged to do our best and continuously improve. For my recent end-of-year performance review, I gathered feedback from those I’ve been interacting with on what’s been working and on what can be improved--and there are things to be improved for sure. My aim is always to learn something new, every day. As Mandela said, “I never lose. I either win or learn.”

No matter what your goals are, I hope you keep taking the time to reflect on your own wellbeing, to re-energise and also strengthen your resilience.

I’m convinced recharging our energy is the key to tapping into the incredible potential we all have and that, as an organisation, sustainable high performance comes when our people are able to meet their four core wellbeing needs, so they can be freed, fueled and inspired to bring the best of themselves to their work, and beyond.

Be well, work well.

Agnès

P.S. For those of you going on vacation soon, I’m wishing you a great break from work. And if you don't have a vacation planned in August? Here are 50 ways to take a break any time, anywhere!