ReSano News

The Up side of Down Time?

How many emails do you get every day? If it’s anything like me it’ll be a LOT. And when do you start looking at them – well, again if you’re a smartphone user, like me, it’s usually in the nano seconds after shutting my alarm off to get up for work. But I’m not actually working – because I’m still in my jammies right? Wrong. Having access to work corrospondance 24 hours a day 7 days per week is a relatively new predicament. Fifteen years ago, we walked out of the office at the end of our day and the work that kept us up at night went on inside our own heads. Now it sits there flashing and pining all through the night.

Is that bad thing though? We can get extra work done so that it doesn’t pile up for the next day, but at what cost? Leslie Perlow, Professor of Leadership at the Harvard Business School, has written that taking work home and negglecting out downtime lead to a decreased productivity and staff engagemnet.

Moreover, I can begin to effect our life away from work - A study showed that employees who keep working after hours are usually tired and grumpy when they’re supposed to be relaxing. And it seems that it’s even worse for high stress jobs.

Companies like 3M and Google activley take measure against burnout by encouraging staff to take breaks away from their desks. Some companies have even taken the further step of imposing email blackouts between the times of 10pm and 7am.

What ever the method of encouraging quality downtime, it appears to be an important message. Stay ing engaged, higher productiity, supporting good mental heath.

So how can you better use downtime? Here are a few tips that might help

  • Clearly schedule your time: Just as you would schedule a work meeting and stick to it, schedule some evenings each week that are free of work
  • Allow for ad hoc downtime when you need it. If you’re feeling stuck on a problem, frustrated, or simply tired of sitting down, take 10 minutes to walk, read for fun, or grab coffee with a friend to clear your mind
  • Shut off your smartphone: Constant interconnectedness (like smartphone use) is a stressor. Leave your laptop at the office when you’re able. Keep your workphone put of sight – aviod constant checking of phones for updates – that includes Facebook!
May 28, 2015

Walk This May

The focus on heath in May is to GET YOU MOVING! In the run up to National Walking Month in May, Livingstreets.org.uk aims to get you all out of your cars, out from behind your desks and pounding the streets to improve your health.

Why? Here are the statistics –

  • It strengthens your heart
  • Regular walking has been shown to reduce your risk of heart disease and stroke.
  • It lowers disease risk
  • As well as heart disease, a walking habit can slash your risk of developing type 2 diabetes, asthma and some cancers.
  • It keeps weight in check
  • A person weighing 60kg burns 75 calories simply by strolling at 2mph for 30 minutes. Increase that to 3mph and they’ll burn 99 calories. Speed it up to a fast walk (4mph) and that’s 150 calories.
  • It can help prevent dementia
  • We know being active has a protective effect on brain function and regular exercise reduces dementia risk by up to 40 per cent.
  • It boosts your vitamin D levels
  • If you’re walking outside in daylight, you’ll be boosting your body’s stores of vitamin D
  • It gives you energy
  • A brisk walk is one of the best natural energizers around. It boosts circulation and increases oxygen supply to each and every cell in your body, helping you to feel more alert and alive. It wakes up stiff joints and eases muscle tension so you feel less sluggish. Always have a mid-afternoon energy slump at work? Head out for a walk at lunchtime instead of sitting in a café or at your desk and see what a difference it makes. Here are some other quick ways to boost your energy levels.
  • It makes you happy
  • Studies have shown regular, moderate-intensity exercise (such as brisk walking) to be as effective as antidepressants in cases of mild to moderate depression.

What will you be doing to support your staff #WalkThisMay?

April 15, 2015

ReSano Training Strategies

ReSano Occupational Health has been developing training strategies with our clients to help bring awareness to the masses of the occupational health risks they face. At a recent training event our nurses were able to put the focus on musculoskeletal care of 150 construction workers, helping to highlight the risks of accidents or injuries caused in the industry.

September 25, 2014

Construction in a class of its own

Working in the construction industry brings many challenges to that of the ‘normal’ Occupational Health provision – SEQOHS have recognised and are developing a quality assurance pathway to ensure any OH provider supplying the industry are accredited against the specific requirements of the quality assurance scheme. http://www.fom.ac.uk/quality-improvement/developments-in-seqohs#

September 24, 2014