Nouriched: Eat, Move and Rest Your way to Wellness

Have you ever taken a really good look at the house you live in? Recently, I have.

And a man on a galloping horse will tell you that my house is neat and tidy. But, if my mother were to visit, she would let me know that she “grow me better than that” and that I need to get my house in order.

Not in a harsh, condescending way—but in the way only Caribbean mothers can. You know the look, the raised eyebrow, the slight tilt of the head. There are levels to “tidy,” and mothers from the Caribbean have expectations that go far beyond surface clean.

So I started surveying my house through her eyes—and let’s just say… I saw things.

• The house is due for a good paint—inside and out.
• The ceiling fans? Dusty.
• The mesh and windows? Screaming for a washdown.
• The kitchen cabinets? Need to be emptied and wiped with some elbow grease.
• The fridge? Needs that ole time bleach water.

The list goes on…But this post isn’t about your physical house. Of course not.

WORK LIFE IN DISARRAY

What kind of clutter and cobwebs have we allowed to fill our workdays? Are we drawn into the unproductive and mundane preventing us from innovating and creating?

Some of us start critically surveying our work-lives around appraisal time. Did I meet my targets? If not, there’s likely a furious 1-month pre-appraisal push to “get it all done” to maximize our scores.

But is there a less anxious way to ensure that the house is always kept in order? How can I avoid a spring clean? How can I prepare for mom’s unexpected visit?

Here are some things I’ve committed to doing regularly, after some furious work-life “spring-cleaning”:

CREATING MEANING THROUGH VALUE ALIGNMENT

I understand my core values and regularly audit the ways interactions and work cultures align with or violate these. Where there are more violations than areas of congruence, I’ll make a plan for pivot. And please note, your core values are not your company’s listed corporate values. There is likely some overlap (or you wouldn’t be there, right?) but you – the gifts and talents you bring to the 9-5 are uniquely yours. You augment that culture. You are not created by it.

CREATING MEANING THROUGH WASTE MANAGEMENT

As a leader, I try not to create and perpetuate the cycle of waste: For example, I don’t call unnecessary meetings. Instead, I’ll conduct asynchronous standups to honour everyone’s time.

I protect my mind from attrition: I intentionally seek out independent opportunities to learn and grow: short courses (I love udemy.com for its affordability and quality), subscriptions with professional publications, webinars, web conferences etc.

Tip: keep your manager in the loop on these activities and block the time in your day to pursue them under “learning and development”. This way, your boss will help you to prioritize urgent tasks and create the space for this.

CREATING MEANING THROUGH THE PURSUIT OF PEACE

I honour my routines to protect my mind: work doesn’t come before my spiritual practice, nourishing my body with food, movement and rest. For example, this could look like taking my lunch break – and not working through it. Or doing a standing desk or working overtime only occasionally (not perpetually). I’ve always said that, if i can’t find 3 hours in my day (i.e. 1 hour for each Nouriched pillar) to eat well, get some exercise in, and spend time connecting with God and my family, then I’m doing something TERRIBLY wrong!

I connect intentionally and deeply with my colleagues to foster a sense of community. Doing so gives me a framework for de-escalating tense situations when they arise.

Wrap Up

So… where might you need to “get your (work) house in order”?

• Do you need to clear some mental or emotional clutter?
• Do you need to reconnect with your values? Maybe make a career pivot ?(See my post on Resignation strategies here)
• Do you need to spark joy in your daily work routine? How might you do so?
• Or maybe it’s time for a full-on spring clean—or even just some quiet, preventative maintenance.

I’d love to hear how you’re tending to your work-life these days.
Drop me a comment and let’s talk about it.

Yours,

Chantelle