Knowing your character strengths isn’t just interesting information. When skillfully applied, they can actually have a significant positive impact on your life. Take a free strengths test here.

The concepts of positive psychology can have many benefits in the workplace. This powerful tool is used to focus on employees’ personal strengths skills, and capabilities, as a foundation for developing their performance. Check out AccessEAP's Case Study where Eleni van Delft (Director of Relationship Development at AccessEAP) explains how using Positive Psychology during a period of rapid business growth, allowed her team to play to their strengths!

Traumatic events such as the mass shootings in Christchurch disrupt lives physically and psychologically, creating intense emotional distress for individuals, families and whole communities. Organisations play a vital and valuable role in assisting and supporting their employees and their families in the immediate aftermath and in the days, weeks and months following this tragic event.

The immediate focus is to ensure that your employees and their loved ones are safe. At this present time, particularly with intense media coverage and access to information on the internet, it’s important to acknowledge that this is a heightened state of emotion for everyone involved. It’s important to be aware that everyone will respond differently and everyone’s needs will be different, initially and over time.  Being prepared to provide initial and long term support for people will enhance and promote their own personal coping strategies and resilience.

What your people will need right now is (download pdf version here):

• If needed, allow additional time at home to spend time with family and friends - this helps them to feel safe and connected, and reassure others of their safety
• Make sure your employees or students have access to support information and numbers - specifically the EAP and any other services you may have in place.
• Give people assurance that affected families will be supported in some form or another.

This tragedy will have the potential to re-trigger feelings of trauma and loss and memories may surface. Over the coming weeks, it is important to reassure, support and connect with each other. Patience is required as everyone will feel and respond differently. People will need time, to acknowledge their responses and to process.

Over the coming days, and in time, what your people will need is for you to provide simple and accurate information on how to access services, specifically encourage, and make it easy for, employees/students to speak with a professional counsellor. Most people will not want to speak to a counsellor in the initial days or weeks as they support each other. It is in the longer term when people need support from a counsellor or their Employee Assistance Program.

• Create an environment that allows people to talk amongst themselves about fears and hopes related to the tragic events. Openly sharing with others has been known to promote personal recovery. There is also comfort in a shared community supporting one another.
• Be mindful and respectful of individual needs. Some people may feel uncomfortable or scared of sharing their feelings. Remember that there is no right or wrong way to feel.
• There may be feelings of anger and hopelessness; there will intense feelings of anxiety and fear.
• Establish an open door policy that allows people to seek the appropriate care when needed.
• If possible and when appropriate try to establish normal routines as soon as possible.
• Encourage people to communicate their needs, rather than assume you know what their needs may be.
• Maintain communication if an employee or student is away for any length of time.

An incident of this nature has the power to entirely consume those involved, especially when it has an impact on one’s feeling of safety and one’s family. As leaders and managers it is within our control to provide support, reassurance and caring.

Please call our 24-hour line 1800 650 204

Alison Kelleher - Newport & Wildman, Director

We understand that work and family challenges impact each other. Here are some resources to help navigate the ever changing landscapes of parenthood.

iParent- Where you can learn about the digital environment and how to help your child have safe and enjoyable online experiences.

Reachout- Helping parents support their teenagers through everyday issues and tough times.

Newport & Wildman offers a Supporting Working Parents Workshop specifically designed to assist participants to address the challenges and benefits of being a working parent, understand the impact of high stress levels on parenting and to identify practical strategies and skills to manage these competing roles. The workshop can be organised by contacting your Relationship Manager and is ideal for up to 15 participants.

 At AccessEAP we love curiosity, being curious is one of our values and can really help to create a thriving workplace. This morning I received a card (like the one below) with an anonymous, personal message from one of my colleagues. Themed GLAD it highlighted four positive things about me. I must admit it not only made me feel good - it made me feel happy, proud, humble and overwhelmed – it brought a tear to my eye. It was a deeply emotional experience. Around our state offices these cards were being opened and experienced by all our people. I have included some of the reactions below and pictured are some smiling members of our Client Services Team!

This Feel Good February initiative was the work of our Wellbeing Champions. Informed by feedback from our Employee Engagement Surveys and as part of our internal wellbeing strategy we have recruited a team of Wellbeing Champions. These champions represent each of our divisions so bring a wealth of clinical, marketing, service, financial and management experience to the table. There brief is to implement initiatives which are valued and enhance the wellbeing of our people.

Each month the Wellbeing Champions work with their teams, creating initiatives to remind us to focus on our own mental health and wellbeing. Not every initiative will hit the mark and that’s OK but when they do they have a powerful, positive impact on mental health and workplace wellbeing. We will share these gems with our customers via our Wellbeing In Focus Calendar.

Initiatives such as these increase engagement and satisfaction related to recognition for work accomplishments; relationships with coworkers and supervisors. Organisations that are the best in engaging their employees achieve earnings-per-share growth that is more than four times that of their competitors. Compared with business units in the bottom quartile, those in the top quartile of engagement realise substantially better customer engagement, higher productivity, better retention, fewer accidents, and 21% higher profitability. Engaged workers also report better health outcomes.^1.

^1.Gallup Employee Engagement Poll. These findings are based on a random sample of 30,628 full- and part-time U.S. employees working for an employer from January to June 2018.

Talk to your Relationship Manager today and find out how to get thriving!

 “I came in this morning to be greeted with a lovely surprise! Thank you to the person who wrote the message to me. It was so thoughtful and kind. I feel very humbled. You’ve made my day! What a wonderful initiative.”

 “To our wonderful Wellbeing Team Champions, Thank you so much for organising such a heart warming initiative today.”

 “A very big thank you to my Wellbeing fairy for your kind and heartfelt words.”

“We are a very amazing, unique and very special team and one that I am so proud to be part of I wanted to thank you for the amazing initiative from the Wellbeing champions with GLAD. Thank you. “

 “Gorgeous initiative and beautifully presented! Thanks Champs and wonderful colleagues :)”

“This was a great touch, and a fantastic way to start the day. It’s great to have joined a team who value each other the way we do here – I’ve noticed lots of smiles this morning. To the Champions – yes you are! :)“

Traumatic events such as the mass shootings in Christchurch disrupt lives physically and psychologically, creating intense emotional distress for individuals, families and whole communities. Organisations play a vital and valuable role in assisting and supporting their employees and their families in the immediate aftermath and in the days, weeks and months following this tragic event.

The immediate focus is to ensure that your employees and their loved ones are safe. At this present time, particularly with intense media coverage and access to information on the internet, it’s important to acknowledge that this is a heightened state of emotion for everyone involved. It’s important to be aware that everyone will respond differently and everyone’s needs will be different, initially and over time.  Being prepared to provide initial and long term support for people will enhance and promote their own personal coping strategies and resilience.

What your people will need right now is (download pdf version here):

• If needed, allow additional time at home to spend time with family and friends - this helps them to feel safe and connected, and reassure others of their safety
• Make sure your employees or students have access to support information and numbers - specifically the EAP and any other services you may have in place.
• Give people assurance that affected families will be supported in some form or another.

The people of Christchurch have recently experienced and lived through the trauma of the earthquake. Many people are still dealing with the aftermath. This tragedy will have the potential to re-trigger feelings of trauma and loss and memories will surface. Over the coming weeks, it is important to reassure, support and connect with each other. Patience is required as everyone will feel and respond differently. People will need time, to acknowledge their responses and to process.

Over the coming days, and in time, what your people will need is for you to provide simple and accurate information on how to access services, specifically encourage, and make it easy for, employees/students to speak with a professional counsellor. Most people will not want to speak to a counsellor in the initial days or weeks as they support each other. It is in the longer term when people need support from a counsellor or their Employee Assistance Program.

• Create an environment that allows people to talk amongst themselves about fears and hopes related to the tragic events. Openly sharing with others has been known to promote personal recovery. There is also comfort in a shared community supporting one another.
• Be mindful and respectful of individual needs. Some people may feel uncomfortable or scared of sharing their feelings. Remember that there is no right or wrong way to feel.
• There may be feelings of anger and hopelessness; there will intense feelings of anxiety and fear.
• Establish an open door policy that allows people to seek the appropriate care when needed.
• If possible and when appropriate try to establish normal routines as soon as possible.
• Encourage people to communicate their needs, rather than assume you know what their needs may be.
• Maintain communication if an employee or student is away for any length of time.

An incident of this nature has the power to entirely consume those involved, especially when it has an impact on one’s feeling of safety and one’s family. As leaders and managers it is within our control to provide support, reassurance and caring.

For New Zealand - please call 08 0032 7669

For Australia – please call our 24-hour line 1800 818 728

The two biggest barriers for women not maintaining a healthy lifestyle is ‘lack of time’ and ‘health not being a priority’. Women’s Health Week is the time to put ourselves first, for just one week, and start making positive changes that can last a lifetime. We know women are leading busier lives than ever before and we have a tendency to let ourselves slip low on our priority lists. However, the health of those we love starts with us. By investing more time in ourselves, we are better able to look after the ones we love and care about. Click on the image below to find out more.

In September we are promoting  R U OK Day?, the suicide prevention and awareness foundation established by Gavin Larkin following his personal experience of loss to suicide. Having a conversation and encouraging those at risk to seek help is the real impact of this very special foundation.

I want to take the opportunity this September to focus on young people. As an EAP we see and support many young people. In fact 10% of our clients are aged under 25. We see young people who are employed by organisations such as food outlets and retailers, or are family members of employees. Indirect support is also provided to young people through their parents who will often seek our guidance through counselling.

The statistics regarding youth are sombre. Suicide is the second largest cause of death amongst people aged between 15 and 24 years, with motor vehicle accidents being the leading cause. Research also tells us that up to 50% of young people admit to thinking about suicide.

With the emergence of social media we have also witnessed some concerning trends in regard to youth suicide, e.g. cyber bullying leading to suicide attempts. Programs such as “13 Reasons why” appeal to youth as it draws attention to youth suicide, and whilst the storyline is controversial, it highlights the concerning trend that suicide is seen as an option for many youth who are struggling.

You may be reading this as a parent, teacher, or manager of a young person, and wondering what you can do about this. The aim of the R U OK Campaign is prevention through reaching out and connecting with each other. This is particularly relevant for our youth who may find it difficult to talk about feelings. I believe the first step is to educate ourselves about the stressors that are faced by young people, and how they cope or don’t cope.  We need to understand why youth suicide and attempts are occurring at rates not seen before in history. We need to find ways of reaching out.

Communication and having a conversation about suicide is a cornerstone of prevention. However, this can also be a challenge when it comes to young people. It can be difficult for example, to know how to connect with someone for whom a string of emoji’s is the preferred form of self-expression. 

The rates of youth suicide and self-harm in Australia are concerning. Yet many adults, including managers, colleagues, teachers, and even parents, often struggle to know whether, and how, to initiate a conversation with a young person. It can often be difficult to even identify the need to have a conversation. Signs of depression in a young person may, for example, be dismissed as just part of the emotional struggles faced by all youth while they establish their independence and identity, during the transition into adulthood. A young person may also be actively concealing their struggles from others due to factors including pressure to maintain a positive image, and feeling ashamed or embarrassed. 

The clear message from the R U OK? foundation is that conversation is critical to suicide prevention, and if in doubt, we should reach out. This is not always a simple task, particularly when it comes to a young person. Concerns about intruding on a young person’s privacy, anxiety about how they will react, and fear of making things worse, are all common reasons that an important conversation may be postponed or avoided.   

We’ve put together a few tips which we hope will help you to confidently initiate a conversation with a young person.

If you would like to know more about these strategies and others, AccessEAP offers a free and confidential counselling service to all employees. Recognising the preference for different styles of communication; counselling is offered face to face, over the phone, by email or video chat at a convenient appointed time.

For further information please contact us on 1800 818 728.

Sally Kirkright, CEO, AccessEAP recently presented a seminar on The inter-generational workplace - creating a safe and thriving culture at the Safety First Conference in Sydney. In this video recording of the event, Sally explains the issues workplaces face when, for the first time, we see up to five distinct generations in Australian workplaces. Focussing on communicatiuon styles and motivations Sally guides the listener through ways to effectively manage the challenges.

The deepening drought in New South Wales, north-west Victoria and eastern South Australia, in addition to the continuing drought in Queensland, has a far reaching impact on individuals, families and whole communities. These impacts are both physical and emotional; disrupting lives and resulting in great emotional distress. The longer the drought continues, waiting and hoping for rain slowly turns into feelings of hopelessness. Financial hardship increases and with it despair; family tensions may build along with the day to day trauma of watching livestock and crops fail seriously affecting mental health and the ability to keep functioning.

Rick Hanson, a key proponent of positive psychology, says that our brain has a negativity bias to facilitate survival of the species, and we therefore have to work consciously to develop a positivity bias. By actively focusing on the positive we can gradually tune the brain to positive experience and gradually desensitise it to negative ones.

Recent research demonstrates that people who focus on the positive more consistently experience improved mood, energy, and physical wellbeing. Positive thoughts can reduce the stress hormone, cortisol, by 23% according to this research.

You are invited to participate in a 2-week challenge to assist with developing your own positivity bias. An example log is provided with this month's Wellbeing Calendar to get you started with recording tasks and conversations daily that you feel proud of and pleased with.

AccessEAP offers a Supporting Working Parents Workshop specifically designed to assist participants to address the challenges and benefits of being a working parent, understand the impact of high stress levels on parenting and to identify practical strategies and skills to manage these competing roles. The workshop can be organised by contacting your Relationship Manager and is ideal for upto 15 participants.

Here are some Tips for working parents that may help working parents manage their split responsibility more effectively.

Get a Team

You don’t have to do it alone. Think creatively about who may make up your team, it may include a partner, extended family, friends in a similar boat or paid support. Establish your team and then as with all teams, be clear about your goals and roles and work together to make it feel like you’ve shard the load.

A Flexible Parent Is a Resilient Parent

As a parent you will appreciate that eveything will not always go according to plan. When things happen that are unexpected or in a way that was not anticipated, adjust plans and deal with things as they are, don’t get hung up on how they “should” have been.

Focus on quality, not quantity, of time with kids

Kids are different, so ask your kids what’s most important to them when it comes to spending time with you. Listening to your kids will help you prioritise and improve your time with them. It’s also important that recreation activities with your kids include things you really like doing, this way you genuinely all have fun and enjoy your time together.

Make time for your spouse/ self—not just for your kids

A study by the UCLA Sloan Centre on Everyday Lives and Families, found that while parents were spending more time with kids, they were spending far less time with each other—three fewer hours per week since 1975, according to one survey. This trend impacts the parental relationship, which in turn has major implications on parenting. Book in a joint massage together, set a regular date night (and stick to it), schedule in exercise or a walk together. You may also need time in your own to reflect and recharge.

(Jeremy Adam Smith of UC Berkeley's Greater Good Science Center)

Wherever you are, be there—be present

Practicing mindfulness doesn’t just lead to decreased stress and increased pleasure in parenting, but it also brings profound benefits to kids.

Simply put, this is about being at work when you’re at work and being at home when you’re at home—which breaks out into specific parenting skills, like listening with full attention; nonjudgmentally accepting yourself and the people in your life; and cultivating compassion for yourself, your partner, and your child.

Give yourself a little credit—and say “thanks” to your spouse/ supports

Parents need to appreciate and value what they are doing—not beat themselves up over what they can’t do! Also try giving other people some credit as well, especially your partner. Because it is very, very easy for working parents to take each other for granted.

Many organisations and indeed countries are doing just that: minding the gender pay gap. Iceland is well on the way while New Zealand has just announced that no gender pay gaps exist in starting salaries for the same roles in government by 2020. Energy Australia and Salesforce are two organisations that have made a stand to eliminate the gap. Despite these advances there are still some alarming, hard facts surrounding the real limitations on a woman’s financial situation.

Across all workers, from those new to paid employment to those nearing retirement, the mean superannuation account balance for men is $112,000 and just $68,000 for women¹. We are told one of the reasons for this is that women tend to be primary care-givers and are therefore likely to work casually or part-time, and take extended absences from paid work. Another major reason is the gender pay gap, such that across Australia on average women are paid 15.3% less than men each week².

Annual surveys conducted since 2013³ inform us that the top issue consistently impacting on the wellbeing of Australians is financial stress. Women are far more likely than men to be experiencing financial stress. With 55% of women under 35 finding dealing with money stressful and overwhelming⁴.

It makes smart business sense to implement initiatives which address these challenges, particularly as 46.9% of employees in Australia are women⁵. If for no other reason, the bottom line of your organisation is very likely to be impacted by the financial circumstances of your employees. When workers, both male and female, are experiencing chronic financial stress, this will have a significant effect on productivity.

More and more unconscious bias is being recognised and women are actively encouraged to participate in jobs, and at levels, that have previously been male dominated. Further examples of incentives taken by organisations to allow women to participate in the workforce on an equal footing include; transparent and consistent recruitment and remuneration; flexible work arrangements; paid parental leave and access to educational seminars on financial topics.

At age 15 girls are more financially literate than boys⁶ and 40% of women aged 25-29 hold a bachelors degree (compared to 30% of men)⁷ however 85% of women under 35 don't understand fundamental investment concepts⁴. For women looking to learn more and be proactive in terms of planning for life events and retirement there are resources available. At AccessEAP specialist financial coaching is part of the annual EAP allocation and can be requested long before the situation becomes overwhelming for employees struggling financially. There are also several excellent resources offered by the Federal government to help educate and assist in relation to the particular financial challenges women face.

[1] Association of Superannuation Funds Australia.

[2] Workplace Gender Equality Agency.

[3] Australian Psychological Society Stress and Wellbeing in Australia Survey.

[4] 46.9% according to the Workplace Gender Equality Agency.

[5] EY Sweeney, Australian Financial Attitudes and Behaviour Tracker (Wave 5) March 2017.

[6] OECD Report PISA 2015.Financial literacy in Australia.

[7] ABS Gender Indicators; Education, February 2016.

Published in HealthTimes Magazine on 20th July, 2018

Read more

Published in miVision Magazine on 20th July, 2018

Marcela Slepica, Clinical Services Director, at AccessEAP says, “Healthcare organisations need to tackle these unique challenges their employees face, including patient care and mortality, workplace stress and worryingly, a stigma around asking for support with their mental wellbeing.”

Read more

Published in HRD Magazine on 19th July, 2018

“While workplace stressors may be changing, its apparent from the data that the effects are relatively similar, with the same impacts on output,” according to Marcela Slepica, clinical services director at AccessEAP.

Read more

Published in The Guardian on 20th June, 2018

AccessEAP is very proud to be supporting this groundbreaking helpline for the music industry. The Support Act Wellbeing Helpline, is specifically tailored to the unique challenges faced by artists and music workers. It will be staffed by AccessEAP's network of professional counsellors who will offer expertise in all areas related to mental health (e.g. depression, anxiety, addiction, suicidal ideation) as well as issues which can be mental health related (such as loneliness, relationship breakdown, financial worries, illness and workplace conflict). Read more

We love to talk about it when our customers do something quite special. We will be using this space quarterly, to recognise achievements in workplace wellbeing. Often we will know about a particularly beneficial initiative undertaken by our customers as we are part of the project. However, if there is something you would like to share, please feel free to email with the subject line: Customer Shout Out.

Some recent examples are building the AccessEAP Ambassador Program, proactive Domestic Violence Policies, Workplace Wellbeing Challenges and more! Sharing these great initiatives is a wonderful way to recognise excellence and build on learnings.

In the 1970’s, when society was slower paced and all about flower power, Thich Nhat Hanh, famously said "There is no way to happiness, happiness is the way". Unfortunately, now this seems like a throw away sentiment that we may find emblazoned on a t-shirt, but the message it sends actually runs far deeper than that. What Buddhist monks, and psychological theory, has been trying to express to us, is that the way we understand and accept ourselves and our environment, is far more influential on our experience of happiness, than the material things which we accumulate. In other words, each and every one of us has the ability to" live happiness" if we allow ourselves the freedom to do so. This in turn allows us to appreciate more fully, our work, our home, and our hobbies.

Here are a few tips to promote self-acceptance, resilience, and psychological flexibility:

1. Stop the comparisons!

When we take the time to stop and appreciate the people around us, and all the things we have already achieved, we open ourselves up to experiencing something wonderful. All too often, this wonder can be rapidly eroded when we compare ourselves to others who appear to be richer, stronger, faster, more beautiful (and the list goes on and on and on). So stop comparing! There will always be people who appear to have more "things" than we do. Constantly trying to catch up to them prevents us from living our own life to its fullest.

2. Commit to seeing life in a positive way.

Focusing on developing an optimistic outlook not only helps to elevate mood by changing the way we feel – for the better - but when practiced often, cultivating an optimistic outlook protects against problems such as depression, anxiety and stress. Thinking optimistically is a skill that can be learnt, and this type of thinking helps to improve our experience of happiness.

3. Move that body.

The link between our mind and body is clear. When we exercise regularly the benefits become obvious, though please remember, training like an elite athlete is not required! To get the benefit that exercise brings we need to find what suits our lifestyle and daily routine. Walking, swimming and yoga are great when it comes to relieving stress.

4. Laugh in the face of stress.

Stress is inevitable and happiness does not mean we eliminate stress in our lives – in fact some stress is actually beneficial. Firstly, we need to take an inventory and identify the things that make us stress out. Then, we need to make plans which allow us to neutralise the impact of this stress.

Some ideas to manage stress include:

• getting the challenging stuff done first instead of putting it off and dragging out the pressure
• stimulating our senses with music, pleasurable scents (like aromatherapies), or getting a massage, on a regular basis
• spending time with people who make us laugh
• spending time in the outdoors
• reading great books
• enjoying time with pets.

5. Improve your relationship with sleep.

Some of our best growth and learning is done while we sleep – and it is important to note that it’s all about quality, not quantity. Understanding our sleep wake cycles and optimising our sleep environment can help us to get a better quality of sleep. When we feel well rested, we promote a state of openness that allows us to appreciate more fully, our work, our home, and our hobbies. So turn off screens before bed, minimise caffeine intake a few hours before sleep, and make your bedroom a warm and cosy place that entices rest.

6. Get an app to help boost happiness.

There are many apps which are designed to keep us calm, train ourselves to be mindful and help us to appreciate the life we have. Popular options are:

• Gratitude Journal 365
• The Mindfulness App
• Review of 4 popular apps so you can decide what's best for you.

The great thing about apps are that they are usually with you wherever you go, and there are so many to choose from that you can find the app that is perfect for you.

7. Pay it forward.

One of the easiest ways to "live happiness" rather than chase it, is to pay it forward. Ever noticed how a smile from a stranger can change your day? Or how helping someone in need helps you feel on top of the world? Acts of kindness and generosity can do so much more for the giver than the receiver, so if someone reminds you how kind people can be – pay it forward and spread it to someone else.

AccessEAP provides confidential counselling services and psychological related training for employees, managers, family and friends. For more information, please contact us on 1800 818 728.

No one wants to be told what to eat. It takes us back to our childhood, memories of “you can’t leave the table until you have eaten your greens” or “your hair will go curly if you eat your crusts”. Unfortunately the take home message with these statements can often lead to unhealthy relationships with food and body image.

When we talk about diet and nutrition at AccessEAP, our focus is on your mental health and wellbeing. We know that what we eat has direct impacts on people’s emotional resilience, and our intention is to help people achieve an optimal level of wellbeing. Australia’s Deakin University recently conducted pioneering research into this and found that diet has direct links to depression.

Eating a poor quality diet can increase the risk for common mental disorders like depression and anxiety. Eating highly processed food has been associated with a smaller hippocampus – a critical part of the brain that is responsible for learning and memory, as well as regulating mood.  It can also encourage a constant, low level of inflammation throughout the body. These are risk factors for mental illness, and gut bacteria may play a role in the regulation of mood. Omega 3 fatty acids, found in fish, appear to be helpful for people suffering from quite serious depression. Similarly, there are studies starting to emerge to suggest that zinc or vitamin B supplementation may be helpful for some.¹ 

As employers and leaders more and more we find ourselves in the all encompassing workplace wellbeing space. There is an expectation that workplaces will provide healthy solutions in a number of areas not traditionally considered to be an employer's responsibility.

With Food and Mood as our theme this month, how do we incorporate healthy eating options into the workplace without becoming the “food police”?

There are some practical ways that organisations can encourage healthy eating in the workplace without becoming divisive or making employees feel bad about their food choices. Remember the intention is to help your employees bring their best selves to work. Consider what food options you offer at the workplace, including for catered work events. Look at reducing the foods that are known to offer little nutritional benefit and slowly swap them out for healthier choices. At AccessEAP for example, we started by simply adding celery, carrot sticks and grapes to the cheese and dip platter for after work social events. It was incredibly well received.

Also consider whether there is a place set aside for people to eat at your workplace. This is important for several reasons. Firstly it discourages employees from purchasing take-away food (which is usually the less healthy option). Secondly, in addition to what we eat, how we eat it can be very important. Here’s where leadership can play a role, modeling good lunchtime behaviours is crucial. We need an opportunity to take in our lunch and rest for a while before we start back to work. It’s not surprising to learn that a “proper” lunch break will leave you refreshed and much better positioned to be productive after lunch. For this reason, at AccessEAP, our leaders actively discourage people from eating at their desks and encourage designated lunch breaks for mindful eating.

Remember when I said slowly, there isn’t a need to rush and make sweeping changes. Know your people and gauge the right pace of change. We regularly have our Nutritional Consulting partner, Melinda Overall from Overall Nutrition in to help us dispel the myths around food and diet. Straight after her last presentation, which included how milk is processed to become “low fat”, a show of hands unanimously led to the milk order being changed the next day – full cream for AccessEAP!

1. Deakin University Food and Mood Centre http://foodandmoodcentre.com.au/diet-and-mental-health/