{"id":12283,"date":"2021-09-20T19:54:32","date_gmt":"2021-09-20T19:54:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/urbanwellnesscounseling.com\/?p=12283"},"modified":"2021-09-20T19:54:34","modified_gmt":"2021-09-20T19:54:34","slug":"encouraging-a-culture-of-self-care-in-the-workplace","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/urbanwellnesscounseling.com\/encouraging-a-culture-of-self-care-in-the-workplace\/","title":{"rendered":"Encouraging a Culture of Self Care in the Workplace"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Over the past 18 months the importance of work\/life integration has become paramount. We\u2019ve talked about the importance of engaging in  self care at the workplace, but to truly establish this as an organizational practice, leaders must actively encourage, model and normalize these acts of self care. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

People will only feel safe choosing to engage in self care if the working environment they are in makes it clear that that is acceptable and supported. When we place the burden on employees to choose \u201cself care\u201d in the workplace without taking tangible actions to show that it will be supported, it actually makes it harder for people to care for themselves and choose to spend time resourcing and nourishing themselves.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So what are things you can do as a leader to create a culture supportive of self care in your workplace?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Encourage your team to use their vacation time: <\/em><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

We know that it\u2019s actually better for both employee health as well as happiness, job satisfaction, and work productivity, for vacation days to be used and used regularly<\/a>. You may think just offering the vacation time is enough to get people to use it. But Americans have a very anti-vacation culture. So even when we have the option to take time off, we often feel too guilty or too much shame to use it. By encouraging employees to take time off <\/a>you can create that culture that allows employees to make choices to care for themselves!\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Encourage healthy boundaries + lead by example<\/em><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

We\u2019ve talked quite a bit about boundaries in the workplace<\/a>, (and how to go about setting them with coworkers), but it bears repeating! Boundaries are key to protecting our mental energy, and it\u2019s no different in the workplace. Just a couple ways you can lead by example with just your email could include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n