Here at Medigold, we advocate for evidence-based techniques where possible, as we know they have been tried and tested. The Five Ways to Wellbeing serves as a fundamental aspect of our comprehensive health approach (physical, mental, and social) and a major contributor towards self-care.
The Five Ways to Wellbeing
The ‘Five Ways to Wellbeing’ has been developed through extensive reviews and research by the New Economics Foundation (NEF 2008) as simple actions that anyone can take that will have a positive impact on their day-to-day wellbeing. These principles, while not novel, are impactful if we embed them into everyday life, the small changes can make a big difference in our overall health and wellbeing.
Factors that impact wellbeing
Certain individual factors may increase your risk of becoming unwell; therefore, early identification of risk factors is pivotal in preventing, maintaining, and aiding recovery.
With this in mind, to fully understand the risk factors of poor mental health, we will also need to consider life events, such as marriage, divorce, illness or injury or changing or losing a job and the impact these have on mental wellbeing.
Workplace stress
We often talk about stress in the workplace, and rightly so, as it can have a significant impact on our wellbeing. Stress, however, is not a mental health condition. If we have an existing mental or physical health condition, stress can deteriorate our ability to manage these situations.
Here is a tool that can help us look at our workplace and everyday stressors and minimise how stress affects us.
Introducing the Stress Container
The Stress Container is a commonly used model which determines a person’s vulnerability to stress. It helps us visualise and understand stress and stressors to better manage our stress levels.
The level of a person’s container depends on their vulnerability to stress. For instance, an individual less prone to experiencing stress is likely to have a bigger container, while someone overly sensitive to stress will likely have a smaller container.
External circumstances, such as experiencing a difficult childhood or traumatic events, all have impacts on the size of a person’s vulnerability and their container.
How to use the Stress Container model
The Stress Container model is primarily designed so that we can all evaluate how much stress we’ll be able to deal with. If we know that we have adverse reactions to stress, then we’ll know that our containers are small and need more management, which helps us understand what to fill them with.
For example, sometimes, it can be extremely easy to fill our containers with things out of our control, such as world events like a global pandemic. But this is where visualising our container can help: If we know that event is out of our control, we can prevent the stressor from entering our container, which then prevents the container from becoming full and gives us more room to be able to handle other stressors within our control, improving our mental wellbeing.
Measuring our container is all about measuring our reactions to the things that bring us stress. If the stressor is somehow in our control, we can place it in the container; if it’s not, we can let it go
Managing our stress container
Once we know how to measure and react to the things that bring us stress, the next step is to manage the stressors in our containers.
Part of that management simply involves opening the tap. Opening the taps on our stress containers can help us to release stressors by draining the bottom, helping to keep its level manageable and leaving us with much more mental space.
The taps on our stress containers can be opened using helpful mental wellbeing techniques. Referring to the Five Way’s of Wellbeing earlier, these actions let us manage the taps on our containers.
Reducing stress
Activities that induce relaxation, upliftment, or foster a sense of connection and positivity are a way of opening the tap, reducing stress and releasing some of the pressure. As well as knowing how to helpfully manage stress, it’s just as important to be aware of what we might be doing that is unhelpful too. Sometimes, we are all guilty of turning to unhelpful coping mechanisms, which contribute to the overflow of our containers.
Avoid using unhelpful methods, as you will only end up masking one problem with another, contributing to the overflow of your container. Instead, make time for hobbies, fresh air and connection with people or the world around you.
The importance of interpretation
In any situation we find ourselves in, it isn’t the situation itself that determines how we feel and behave; it’s how we interpret and make sense of it.
That’s why two people in exactly the same situation can respond very differently; when asked to complete a piece of work to a tight deadline, one colleague may feel dread and panic, while the other feels excitement and energy. The only difference here is how they interpret and make sense of the situation – how full their stress container is can play a part.
If we can identify our thoughts in a particular situation, we can then challenge and question them and replace them with a more balanced and realistic mindset, which will, in turn, influence our feelings and behaviours positively.
Below are additional tools and resources designed to assist in managing concerns and counterproductive thought patterns (known as thinking traps):
Click on the image to open it in a new tab!
I hope you find these techniques useful when learning to manage your stress levels, and that they help improve your health and wellbeing!
Kath Wood
Product & Consultancy Lead – Workplace Training & Consultancy
Upcoming highlights: Don’t miss out!
We’re thrilled to announce a series of exciting events coming your way soon. Mark your calendars for our ‘free-to-attend’ webinars, thoughtfully timed to coincide with key national events like ‘Blue Monday’ (15th Jan) and ‘Time to Talk Day’ (1st Feb).
These webinars aren’t just informative sessions; they’re stepping stones to enhance your understanding and confidence in vital subject areas. Plus, as a bonus, you’ll receive a recorded copy post-webinar, perfect for sharing insights with your colleagues on the day of the event itself.
But that’s not all. We also have a variety of ‘open courses’ lined up over the next few months, with spaces still up for grabs. Don’t miss the chance to broaden your horizons – explore these options now and secure your spot!
Ready to dive into a world of learning and development?
Scroll down to see our full lineup, and book your place today!
| Format: Webinar or course | Title (Simply click on the title to book your spot!) | Date | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Webinar | From Blue Monday to brighter days: Promoting mental wellbeing at work | 11th January 2024 | 12:30 – 1:30pm |
| Webinar | Unlocking positive mental health: The art of supportive conversations | 25th January 2024 | 12 – 1pm |
| Open course | Suicide First Aid ‘Lite’ | 29th and 30th January 2024 | 10:00 – 11:30am |
| Open course | Mental Health First Aid | 30th Jan, 1st, 6th and 8th February 2024 | 9:30am – 1pm |
| Open course | Mental Wellbeing in the Workplace | 22nd and 23rd February 2024 | 9:30am – 12pm |
| Open course | Mental Health First Aid | 26th, 28th February, 4th and 6th March 2024 | 9:30am – 1pm |
| Open course | Supporting Customers with Poor Mental Health | 14th and 15th March 2024 | 9:30am – 12pm |
We’re here to help…
If you’re looking for more information about our comprehensive training courses, insightful webinars, or valuable resources, we’re just a message away. Don’t hesitate to reach out for any queries or guidance you might need.
Our friendly consultant, Lee Poole, is always ready to assist you with expert advice and support.
Alternatively, complete the short form on the right and Lee or a member of our friendly training team will be in touch!
