Category: Workplace Wellness

Mental Health – Finding that Work Life Balance

Are these questions/thoughts familiar?

I can guess that the majority of everyone reading this has had these thoughts at least once in their lifetime.

Mental Health is nothing to dismiss, you may not be able to physically see it on someone, does that mean it isn’t there?

1 in 6.8 people are currently experiencing mental health problems in the workplace such as anxiety, depression or stress. This can have a major effect on someone, it also prevents people from performing and achieving to the best of their ability.

When people feel valued, the company naturally becomes more valuable because you have people who are motivated, driven and purposefully there. Companies perform better when their staff are healthy, happy and focused.

Standing by your staff / coworker when they experience a mental health problem not only shows a person you care; it shows them how valuable they are to you and the company.

I don’t know about all of you but what I value most within a workplace is how the company values and treats its people well. This to me is a key point in a happy, healthy and motivated work life. When employees can trust their employers to treat them well it gives them a drive to succeed because they are valued.

When you achieve this relationship the benefits in terms of loyalty and commitment from all employees is irreplaceable. 

We all have mental health, it’s no secret – it’s a rollercoaster of life that we are all on whether we like it or not. We can be up, we can be down, we can be going around in circles to the point where we get dizzy and we can also be climbing to our highest point to then get flung into a terrifying downward spiral.

We are all affected by a range of factors both in and outside of work.

You can outsource so many things in life – you cannot outsource your mental health or physical care.

Also remember, it is not your bosses or managers job to manage your mental health – that’s yours.

Happy Employees Are More Productive

A study from the University of Warwick, found that there was a 12% spike in employee productivity when employees were happy. The study also found that unhappy employees were 10% less productive in the workplace.

Here are some tips to help you achieve that work life balance:

Know your peaks and troughs

Are you a morning person?

If you are, assign tough, high-concentration tasks to the mornings. Don’t leave the tough tasks until its nighttime and vice versa. Work with what works for you!

Exercise is your friend – not your enemy

It’s easy to cancel the gym, your evening walk or run because of a stressful day at the office but that helps nobody – especially you! Exercise releases natural endorphins which help lower stress levels and increase your mood.

A healthy body means a fresh and healthy mind, which means you will function better and complete tasks with less stress.

Allow yourself some “me” time

Sometimes we let small things slip to the side and we bury ourselves in our work and ignore what’s going on around us. Don’t do it. If you don’t make time for your personal life – your “me” time, including your time with your family and time for your health – unless you’re a robot – you will burn out.

Do what you love and love doing it!

Make time for something you love outside of work and give it the time it deserves. It will energize and refresh you, and help you gain that work life balance.

Stop and Think

At the end of each working day, ask yourself these few questions:

What worked today? what didn’t? what went wrong and how can the issue can be fixed? Don’t forget to tap into your most valuable resources around you, your peers. Your peers are crucial to your work life, never be afraid to ask them for help if its needed, sometimes all a situation or problem needs is a fresh pair of eyes!

Mind your mind

When fear, self-doubt or anxiety creeps in, do some work on your mental health such as meditation, reading a book or taking time out for that lovely evening walk and most importantly spend time with someone who supports you and influences your life in a positive way.

Breathe

Remember to take a break, some time out throughout your day.

It’s ok to step away from your desk to take a minute breather and reflect on what is going on.

Always take your lunch breaks, you don’t expect your car to run on empty – why should you expect your mind and body to do it?

Also, make a point of getting up and stretching every 15 minutes, even a quick little walk around the office. It will help you become clearer, more focused and more productive.

Now….  ask yourself this, is your job making you unhappy? Do you dread getting up every morning with the thoughts of going to work?

If your answer is yes, then maybe it’s time for a change of environment, a fresh start. I know it’s easy to feel stuck, you have no other choice but to stay in the job you’re in but I’m here to tell you that doesn’t have to be the case.

You are never stuck, there are so many opportunities out there for you and I can help you find them!

Here at Recruit Island our job is to find you a role that best suits you!

We match the best candidates to the most suitable roles and provide our clients with the best candidates – it’s what we do best.

If you feel like you need a change give us a call to have a chat about your future career options, we are always happy to help.

Chat soon,

Shannon Dines

Article Written By:
Shannon Dines

Here are 15 best foods to eat in the morning

These fifteen foods will give you an idea of what to start your day with. Studies show that if certain important nutrients are missed during breakfast, it becomes harder to compensate for them during the rest of the day. While taking breakfast is a personal choice, making sure that you eat what’s right for your body is important. This should be enough to encourage you to choose wisely what you take in shortly after waking up.

1 Eggs

It has been proven that eating eggs in the morning will help you feel fuller throughout the day making your calorie intake less at your next meal. Though they are high in cholesterol, in most people, they do not increase cholesterol levels in the body. In fact, they reduce your chances of getting heart disease by modifying the shape of bad cholesterol and improving your insulin sensitivity. Eggs boost your metabolism and especially help you shed more fat around your belly area. The yolks prevent fat absorption while providing you with iron, Vitamin A and B-12.

2 Coffee

It is common practice for a lot of people to have coffee in the morning with the belief that it helps keep them awake. Well, if you are one of those people, you will be glad to know that coffee does indeed keep you alert and improves your overall mental performance. Taking black coffee in the morning helps boost memory power and keeps the nerves in check. The amount of caffeine in coffee has also been proven to improve your mood and increase your metabolic rate in addition to the fact that for people who like to exercise, it increases their performance during workouts. Antioxidants rich in coffee decrease your chances of getting diabetes and liver disease. Coffee can also help clean your stomach by flushing out toxins as it is a diuretic beverage.

3 Sweet Potatoes

They make for the perfect breakfast addition as they are packed with both minerals and vitamins. Eating just one already means you have taken some vitamin A, B6, vitamin C, E, and vitamin K, all of which are necessary for good health. Sweet potatoes also contain fibre, manganese, phosphorous, copper and riboflavin. All these play a big role in keeping your blood sugar stable, promoting good eyesight, helping you out in case you are on a weight loss journey and enhancing your overall immunity.

4. Oatmeal

If you are into eating cereals for breakfast, then oatmeal is the best for you. Oatmeal is made from ground oats that are very healthy as they contain oat beta-glucan, which is a unique fibre This fibre keeps you from feeling hungry and reduces your cholesterol. The antioxidants present in oats generally decrease the chances of getting high blood pressure and keep your heart healthy. They support the cells in the circulatory system as well. Oats easily make for a balanced breakfast as they can be served alongside other foods that are good for you in the morning.

5 Berries

Other than being delicious, berries are rich in antioxidants and relatively contain lower sugar compared to other fruits. They are very rich in fibre and reduce inflammation markers. From just a cup of raspberries, for example, you can get as much fibre as you can get in certain types of beans. The antioxidants in berries help you age better other than protecting your heart. Eating mixed berries every morning could give you higher levels of good cholesterol required by your body and could also lower your blood pressure.

6. Greek yogurt

Greek yogurt is creamy and full of protein which is known to reduce feelings of hunger. It helps in weight control as it increases your metabolic rate. The conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) contained in it can reduce the risk of getting breast cancer other than just increasing fat loss. Greek yogurt is also a great source of calcium which is a requirement for healthy bones. The probiotics present in Greek yogurt help keep the bacterial balance in your gut healthy. Eating Greek yogurt in the morning is also good because the acidity present in it will make it easier for your body to absorb the rest of the other nutrients it needs.

7. Chia Seeds

They are known to be a great source of fibre. The viscous fibre in chia seeds usually increases the volume of food that moves through your digestive system because it absorbs water. This means that eating chia seeds will help you feel satisfied longer. They also improve blood sugar and blood pressure and are highly recommended for people with diabetes. Eating them also reduces chances of inflammation and the high antioxidants in them will help keep the cells in your body protected from free radicals produced during metabolism.

8. Nuts

They are very tasty and filling which helps prevent weight gain. They may be high in calories, but your body does not absorb all the fat present in nuts. They are high in potassium and magnesium which you need. Eating nuts is good for diabetic people as they reduce blood sugar levels. They also reduce cholesterol levels, decrease inflammation and insulin resistance. Other studies have shown that eating nuts could also protect you from certain types of cancer.

9. Green tea

Drinking tea is generally good for you because certain teas have many health benefits. Teas are great because they are flavoured but still add fluid to your body. If you are looking to improve your alertness and mood throughout the day, then you should consider taking green tea. Aside from reducing blood sugar levels and insulin levels as well, drinking green tea can also protect your brain from damage and keeps your nervous system safe. Green tea contains catechins, which are phytonutrients. The catechins help you burn more calories. This is great particularly for people trying to lose belly fat and it will also generally stop you from gaining weight.

10 Fruit

You’ve probably been advised countless times to eat lots of fruit since you were younger, because other than just being delicious, fruit is very nourishing. Well, starting your day by incorporating fruit in what you eat in the morning has many health benefits. Fruit is rich in vitamins, fibre and potassium other than being very filling. The natural sugars present in fruit are just what you need to wake up your body and keep your brain sharp and energized. Making it a habit to eat fruit regularly significantly reduces your chances of getting chronic diseases.

11. Protein shake

Starting your day with a protein shake or a smoothie is definitely a good idea as it reduces your appetite for the rest of the day. The protein in it is absorbed faster and has a way of preserving muscle mass during aging and assists in weight loss. Protein shakes help stabilize your blood sugar levels. Whey in protein shakes could help lower your blood sugar and even treat diabetes type 2. Better start incorporating protein shakes into your mornings because other than these benefits, they enhance your body’s defences generally.

12. Flaxseeds

They are also rich in viscous fibre and have been known to keep you full for a good number of hours when eaten in the morning. An important fact to note is that they also protect you from breast cancer. Eating flaxseeds will also improve your insulin sensitivity.

13. Cottage Cheese

Cottage cheese is high in protein and usually decreases the hunger hormone. This type of cheese can actually be compared to eggs when it comes to how filling it is. Eating cottage cheese will also strengthen your bones because this type of cheese is rich in calcium. It is also packed with magnesium and can improve one’s digestion.

14. Tomatoes

They are very rich in water content and will have you very nourished and hydrated throughout the day when eaten in the morning. They are also very rich in antioxidants which provide energy and assist in cell repair. Eating tomatoes also benefits your body because they contain carbohydrates, fibre and other minerals that your body needs.

15. Kale

Eating kale as part of your breakfast is a great idea as it is low in calories but still keeps you full. Kales also provide us with a number of nutrients such as vitamin A and C as well as iron. In addition to the vitamins, they also have calcium which is required for healthy bones and stimulates immunity. Eating kales in the morning will support your body’s overall wellbeing and will prevent a variety of health complications.

Zevo Health are delivering this work shop on 28^th February at 3pm.

Self-motivation is what you need when the going gets tough. It’s what helps you lift yourself out of a slump when you don’t feel you can persist, when you start letting deadlines roll by, or when you lose sight of the end objective.

Many of us sometimes need help getting motivated. It can be very frustrating when we know we must do something, but we just can’t get around to making a start. Some people are naturally more self-motivated than others, but everyone can benefit from learning some self-motivational tools and techniques.

This 1-hour Motivation workshop will provide an insight on how to build motivation and changing your perspective, while incorporating motivational strategies in to your everyday life.

It can be listened to live, or you can watch it back later.

A few useful tips to help you stay motivated.

Set Goals – This is one of the most important aspects of staying fit and healthy. Have an end goal in mind and work towards it. Be realistic in your smaller goals to which will help you stay on tract.

Find a partner – Having a walking/running partner is a very successful way of staying motivated. You encourage one another along the way. You will find that you will push yourself harder and further than you would if you were on you own.

Feel good factor – Exercise is a great way of relieving stress and clear your mind. It also causes the release of endorphins (feel good hormones) in the body. This is why you get the happy feeling after you exercise.

Make if Fun – Walking the same route can become boring, change it about. Try something different, go for a hike, go to the beach or walk in a park. Bring your family or dog, make it fun.

For those of you who are interested the Cross Cooley challenge it is taking place on the 27^th April this year. This is a fantastic family event and a great day out. If you would like more information on this walk/hike please contact me.

We are going Bananas today!!

10 Benefits of eating bananas.

1. They contain many nutrients, potassium, Vitamin B6, Vitamin C, magnesium, Copper, Manganese, Net Carbs, Fibre, Protein and fat. A medium-sized banana has about 105 calories.
2. Bananas can help moderate blood sugar levels after meals and may reduce appetite.
3. Bananas are fairly rich in fibre and resistant starch, which may feed your friendly gut bacteria and safeguard against colon cancer.
4. Bananas may aid weight loss because they’re low in calories and high in nutrients and fibre.
5. Bananas are a good dietary source of potassium and magnesium – two nutrients that are essential for the health of your heart.
6. Bananas are high in several antioxidants, which may help reduce damage from free radicals and lower your risk of some diseases.
7. Depending on ripeness, bananas harbour high amounts of resistant starch or pectin. Both may reduce appetite and help keep you full.
8. Unripe bananas are a good source of resistant starch, which may improve insulin sensitivity. However, more research is needed.
9. Eating a banana several times a week may reduce your risk of kidney disease by up to 50%
10. Bananas may relieve muscle cramps caused by exercise. They also provide excellent fuel for endurance exercise.

When your finished eating the bananas, there are further uses for the skins!

1. Use to polish your shoes and your silverware.
2. Use them to fertilize plants.
3. Rub them over your teeth to whiten them.
4. You can also rub the peel on your forehead to relieve pain.
5. Use them to make a face mask. Banana peel contains enzymes to help condition your skin.
6. Place the peel over mosquito bites, small scratches or poison ivy rash. The pain will ease.
7. You can actually eat them, raw or cooked.
8. Place a piece of skin over a wart (yellow side on wart) change regularly until wart falls off.
9.  Use the peel to remove a splinter. Tape over splinter, the enzymes will shift the splinter.
10. Get rid of acne using banana skins. Rub your acne with the white side, leave it on you face.

You will notice in each office there are fresh cherries for you all to try. Sweet or sour, cherries are bursting with nutrition. These small fruits can help improve your health, from a better night’s rest to a trimmer tummy. They also rank as one of the most health protective foods overall. One cup, or about 21 cherries, contains less than 100 calories and 15% of your daily vitamin C needs. They are loaded with potassium, a natural blood-pressure reducer. One cup of cherries would have the same amount of potassium as a small banana.

But here are seven more reasons that I discovered why this stone fruit is a nutritional all-star.

Cherries are full of antioxidants

Cherries are a potent source of antioxidants and anti-inflammatory compounds. These help to   slow down aging and ward off chronic illnesses—including heart disease, cancer, Alzheimer’s, diabetes, and obesity

They protect against diabetes

The anti-inflammatory effect of cherries helps keep your body healthy; but what’s more, cherries rank lower than many fruits on the glycemic index. That means they don’t trigger spikes and crashes in your blood sugar and insulin levels. This makes them both protective against diabetes, and important for managing the condition if you already have it. 

They promote healthy sleep

Tart cherries are one of the few food sources of melatonin, a hormone that helps control your sleep-wake cycles.

They can provide arthritis relief

Several studies have suggested that cherry consumption is beneficial for osteoarthritis sufferers. Regularly incorporating cherries or 100% cherry juice into your meal or snack routine may help lessen your joint pain

They lower the risk of gout attacks

This inflammatory arthritis is triggered when a waste product called uric acid crystallizes within the joints, causing excruciating pain and swelling. In one study, gout patients who consumed cherries for just two days (both the fresh fruit, as well as cherry extract and juice) showed a 35% lower risk of gout attacks compared to those who did not eat cherries.

They curb cholesterol

Research has shown that drinking tart cherry juice can help lower total cholesterol, including the “bad” type, known as LDL. That’s key because every 1% reduction in cholesterol lowers the risk of heart disease by 2%. And a high LDL is particularly worrisome in relation to heart attack risk.

They reduce post-exercise pain

In other words, cherries can make that post-HIIT workout soreness less intense. They also protect against the cellular wear and tear from exercise and help support muscle recovery. For this reason tart cherry juice is popular with professional and competitive athletes. But it can help anyone who’s regularly active.

How to max out the health benefits of cherries

There’s nothing like a bowl of fresh cherries when they’re in season. But that’s not the only way to embrace their nutritional perks. Look for frozen cherries, 100% tart cherry juice, and preservative-free dried cherries. These can be used in smoothies or overnight oats. Add the juice to sparkling water or drink it straight if struggling with sleep or as a recovery benefit from exercise.

Benefits of Exercise

Most people hit the gym or pound the roads to lose weight or get healthy, but most importantly it has been proved that by exercising regularly can benefit your mental health. It also has other benefits.

Reduce Stress.

Tough day at the office? Take a walk/run, head to the gym. Exercise increases concentrations of norepinephrine (a chemical that can moderate the brain’s response to stress). So, get the sweat up as working out can reduce stress and boost the ability to deal with mental tension.

Happy Chemicals

Exercise releases endorphins which are described as happy chemicals. A lot of doctors are now advising people who suffer from depression or anxiety to take up exercise as in some cases this can be just as effective as antidepressant tablets.

Improves self-confidence

Physical fitness can boost your self-esteem. Regular exercise makes you feel better on the inside which reflects on the outside of the body and make you feel better which in turn improves your self-confidence plus you have the added bonus of a toned body!

Energy

When you have had a bad day and are feeling tired, get out and enjoy the fresh air. You will find when you come home you will have much more energy than before you left the house. Energy makes more energy.

Relaxation

You may think it funny saying that exercise helps with relaxation, but you will find after your boost of energy you are more relaxed and have a much better sleep. 

 24 Best Calorie-burning exercises

Exercise                        Calories burned per hour

Cross-country skiing                                    672

Surfing                                                                  504

Cycling (19-22.5 kmph)                              672

Water aerobics                                                336

Aerobics                                                              462

Cardio kickboxing                                          822

Burpees                                                               858

Carido dancing/Zumba                              504

Swimming                                                           504

Running (9.5 kmph)                                        840

Hiking (Hill climbing)                                     582

Elliptical Trainer (cross trainer)               510

Skipping                                                               960

Kettlebell Swing                                              1212

AirDyne Bike Sprints                                      5220

Indoor Rowing                                                   750

HIIT (high intensity interval training)      900

Cindy                                                                     780

Jump Squats                                                       804

Fat-tire biking                                                  1500

Battling Rope                                                     618

Power Yoga                                                        293

Running upstairs                                              852

Rock climbing up                                              454

Rock climbing down                                        284

Walking

If you want to lose weight from walking you will get the best results by doing it consistently throughout the week. Aim for 30 mins a day if you can. Mix up your terrain, uneven ground, hills, grass even sand. Try to incorporate speed intervals during your walk, 10 seconds speed walking followed by 12 seconds recovery for a total of 20 mins, this should help in weight loss and keep your body and mind healthy.