Workplace wellbeing starts with your environment

I recently created an in-company program called 'The Behavioural Design of Employee Wellbeing', where we teach how to build behavioural routines that foster physical, mental, emotional, and career wellbeing. Whenever I design a new training, I always start with two things. First, create it from the outside in: what are the real needs of people? And second, practice what you preach.

What I’ve heard from employees across different sectors, and maybe you recognise this, is that one of the biggest pains is the overload of virtual meetings and the constant stream of emails. This stops them from getting mental rest and into deep focus. Worse, it makes them feel tied to their screens, even at home, decreasing their mental wellbeing.

Since our behaviour is shaped by our environment, a helpful intervention is to change the cues around you.

So, what did I practice (before I preached it) to boost my mental wellbeing? When I get home, I put my phone in a box. I’ve also added a new cue to my environment: a book that sits next to my favourite chair. This small change really helped me cut down on screen time. Mind you, I’m not here to preach that you need to read, but I do recommend:

Identifying the cues in your context that trigger the habits you want to break and replacing then with cues to trigger the habits you want to form.

PS. And if you do happen to enjoy reading: The New York Times published a list of the 100 best books of the 21st century. That might be a good place to start.