Happy New Year! We are stepping into another decade with open arms after a well-deserved break over the holidays. As you know, mental health and wellbeing is a top priority at Thrive and in order to practice what we preach, we made sure that all staff got some time off over the holidays to rest, relax and return to work ready for the new year ahead. We think that all companies, if they can, should encourage a break over the holidays to make sure employee wellbeing is looked out for and this can boost staff morale in the slow days leading up to Christmas as it’s great to have something to look forward to!
All of our staff have come back ready to tackle their work ahead and we would like to do a little show and tell of what we have been up to over the past two weeks.
Jodie:
“I travelled to the south of Bali and the Gill islands first, learning to Yoga, exploring white sand beaches and watching lots of stunning sunsets. One of my highlights was snorkelling off Gilli T and diving down to swim with loads of wild turtles in the crystal-clear waters. I headed from there to Ubud (in the jungle) to practise some yoga and I learnt to surf!! We explored the jungle here walking through the rice fields, hidden temples and chasing waterfalls. I really enjoyed taking time out and immersing myself in a completely different culture. I wore no make-up, ate well and learnt so many new things about myself and about this part of the world.
I read loads, reflected on each day, meditated, learnt new types of yoga and to surf, whilst I felt rested it was action packed. I am not one to sunbathe all day I just get bored.
I then headed to Singapore briefly then Dubai to see friends where I tried sandboarding in the dessert and enjoyed the last few days of sunshine.
This 3 week trip was just what I needed after a really tough year in 2019 and I was only able to take this time due to my team holding the fort back here in the UK. I feel super grateful to have been able to take this time out and have come back with so many ideas and plans for 2020 to share with everyone – watch this space!!”
Keith:
“Having two weeks holiday over the festive season has enabled me to fully switch off mentally, properly relax, spend some quality time with friends and family and focus on the little bits and pieces around the home I claim to never normally have time to get done!
Imogen:
“During my time off over Christmas, I saw my family and reminisced about old memories, including digging out an old certificate of achievement from primary school. I love seeing my little niece and spending time with her. She makes me laugh and spreads lots of joy, particularly when she dressed up as a reindeer princess.
Aside from seeing family, I went to the gym regularly, played tennis, went jogging and got a good session in at the Castle Climbing Centre, London. This helps keep my mental health in good shape!”
Khaleeqa:
“I spent a lot of my holiday with my family. Especially over Christmas and New Year’s, I made it a priority to see and check up on as many people as I could. I also went on a few days out to York and the Leeds Kitty Café. I did a lot of self-care with pamper nights, read a few books and continued my love of painting. I also took a two-week social media detox which meant I was on my phone less and spent more time doing other, more worthwhile things.”
Uthman:
“I had the opportunity to explore Sweden & Denmark over the Christmas holidays. I always find that exploring a new country, with a new culture and a new language always proves itself as such an amazing experience, regardless of how close or far from home you may feel. It opens your eyes and mind to so many different experiences, emotions and feelings. My advice is travel, as much as you can, whenever you can. I always think of the world as a book and those who don’t travel are stuck reading chapter one.”
Annabelle:
“With New Year’s Eve being the last day of the decade, I felt it was essential to make it a memorable day. I, along with some friends, climbed Helvellyn in the Lake District up and over Swirral Edge at 6am in the pitch black to enable us to sit and watch the sunrise from the top. After accomplishing this my mental wellbeing was much improved and I felt that I had a clear mind ready to begin the new year motivated and positive.”
Alicia:
“My Christmas break was very much a story of two halves. First half, a manic few days running around and seeing all my family members and celebrating with friends. Second half, a cruise around the Caribbean with my mum and my husband, with very little to worry about except what to eat next! I absolutely loved my whole break, with my time spent with my family obviously being very rewarding but also quite exhausting. The holiday was exactly what I needed, and I was able to take some time away from all of the mania of home (I’m also in the process of a house sale, so you can imagine how stressful life is right now) and just spend some time on me. Admittedly, most of my “me” time was spent on a balcony or a beach with rum punch… It’s a hard life! I also got to meet a variety of people and spent a lot of my time enthusing about UK employment law rights with a few US lawyers I met and discussing the different recognition of mental health across the globe. I came back refreshed and excited for the year ahead.”
We definitely think it’s essential to give your staff a deserved break other than the general bank holidays and when they come back to work, make sure they are eased in as the January blues usually mean people are less motivated at work. This can be done through smart working, making to do lists and having a catch up with your staff on the first week back to see how they are coping.
If you would like to read more about Smart working, read our blog here.
Written by Khaleeqa Bostan.
