Five Ways to Wellbeing

Today, at the Indigo Project evaluation meet-up, I mentioned to some folk the way that, to my mind, many of the areas we are working with in this project involve Wellbeing. For instance, the way in which we met up and 'connected' today provided us with support and creative exchanges, and was, I felt, empowering. The Five Ways to Wellbeing (summarised, above) are a simple toolkit of principles which, taken together, are likely to enhance good mental health and wellbeing. Working with these 'Ways', you can makes small changes which add up to real benefits - both, for you and your workplace and community.

A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step...

As it so happens, I am on the management committee of the Norfolk Wellbeing Forum, and I write a blog where I reflect on ways to enhance wellbeing. If you want to find out more, then click on the fish (on a dish?), below...

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The Den of Denial...

Oh dear, what have we here? I think we're looking at is a classic piling system.

I work from home, and, as you can see I've got myself in a bit of a mess. Among my immediate family I have the reputation for my stacks of stuff. I've tucked all this behind a curtain; out of sight out of mind - it's a kind of denial den!

So what am I to do. My advisor, Trish, has suggested that I tackle a bit of this at a time. I mentioned that my wife and oldest daughter are really good at organising and filing. If they have the skills and they can teach me, then I'll be able to maintain a sustainable information retrieval system.

As we begin to create order I will upload some pictures to chart the transformation to tidiness.

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I've been busy being ill... I'll be back soon though!

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Transmission Temporarily Interrupted due to illness

Unfortunately for me, I'm currently laid up with a nasty bout of flu. Not sure what particular variety of influenza this is, but I do find myself snorting involuntarily, and last night woke to find myself rooting through some bins...

I won't be updating here this side of next week, but, in between my aches and pains and sweats and shivers, I'm sure I'll come up with some ideas to post to this blog.

Colin
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SMART Steps Poem*

It takes twenty one days to change a habit;
to make a difference -
so go on, grab it!

In twenty one days a lot gets done
when our steps are SMART
and our work's made fun

It takes twenty one days to change a habit;
to make a difference -
so go on, grab it!

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*Dedicated to Trish - thanks for helping me help myself

And when it all seems to go wrong...

It is given to very few of us to enjoy a life as long as Richard Pottle's (buried in Reedham churchyard); the important thing, though, is to make the best use of the time we have...

Wouldn't it be hugely ironic if the reason for me not updating this blog for the past several days was because I had lost my log-in details...

Well, you guessed it correctly - that's exactly what happened. And when stuff like this occurs, I guess you've just got to laugh at yourself, and learn from your mistakes. Hence, I now have all my details stashed safely in my desk drawer.

Just as strict diets tend to be unsustainable, and are often followed by bingeing; so it is with new life regimes. All too often, I've promised to be organised and 'sorted', managing maybe a couple of weeks of discipline, only to completely let myself go, and revert to bad - yet comfortable (or rather, familiar) - old habits. That's why it's so important make our goals SMART :
Specific
Measurable
Achievable
Relevant
Timebound

It is also important to deal appropriately with our mistakes. I mean, don't let a set-back lead to a crash and burn. Acknowledge it, and learn from it, by all means, but don't let a small trip put you out of step as you walk on your 'journey of a thousand miles' (to the organised you; the 'you' which you have it in your power to find)...

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From forever endeavour to playful curiosity...

My daughters, playing with perspective...

T., my mentor, set me an interesting challenge. I have to take something routine and boring and approach it with playful curiousity. I have chosen to focus on the course set-up forms which are a necessary but hitherto uninspiring part of my work. Trust me, making a Norfolk County Council course set-up form interesting and fun is a tough gig!

Here's how I've done thus far. First of all, I did some head-scratching and a little bit of avoidance (funny how enticing the washing-up can become at such times!). Then I thought I'd break down the tasks and create a kind of visual 'learning ladder; ladder to learning', using an Excel spreadsheet with the stepped-up boxes coloured in. I'm not sure that this worked for me, so I stashed it away for another day and did some more head-scratching.

Next, I thought I'd try and transform the dry language of a course-set up form into a poem. What a smashing idea... until I tried to do it. I just got 'blank page syndrome' about this one... but I am determined that I'll transform this into play.

Moving on, I decided to copy each box I have to fill in on the course set-up form. I then imagined the steps as being part of a kind of Willy Wonker fantasy machine - except that, in this instance, we're making people-shaped learning. Thus, the category, 'Funding details', became translated as, "Giving it a funding code pulls a lever that pours water [cash] on acorns [learners] that makes mighty oaks/folks grow."

I'm not sure that this is going to be my final form of play, but what is interesting is the way that left-field approaches have already allowed me to imaginatively step outside the boxes and make it mine. I'm already seeing it differently; the routine has become strange - and if not yet wonderful, then definately better than before.

At the end of some particularly long and tedious acronym, jargon-ridden meetings I have been known to ask for the relevant form through which I can claim that part of my life back. Given that we have yet to conjure up such a miracle, I think it's much better to make the things we have to do interesting for ourselves, instead of going on, "forever endeavour" (as a mate of mine once put it!).

Finally, remember that what we're doing here is one of the Five Ways to Wellbeing, as described in my previous post. In this instance, it is the 'take notice' idea which I am experimenting with - actively extending one's curiosity. Remember, you are curious and extraordinary, so claim back your power and play.

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