Does your organisation run well-being sessions for your team?
Having worked in the HR world for over 25 years, and having learnt a few personal lessons about workload and overwhelm (I am in fact still learning this!), I truly believe in the importance of well-being at work and ‘switch off’.
I taught myself to crochet a few years ago to achieve this exact thing, to have something else concentrate on that would mean I can ‘switch off’ from the challenging day job. I now teach crochet lessons across Southampton and a common theme of reasons as to why people want to learn is for that very same reason. Their lives are manic, filled with demands and they are looking for some downtime and something to help them relax.
Crochet and other creative crafts have known health benefits for both physical as well as mental health. Through recent studies, some of the proven benefits of crochet are;
- It helps us to stop, to sit, and to concentrate on something other than the worries and challenges of the day. The concentration it takes to read a crochet pattern and count the stitches, helps keep our minds in the present, focusing on the task in hand and removing any clutter in your mind from the day to day worries and stresses that bounce around.
- For large simple projects such a blankets, it can provide a repetitive, relaxing motion, which can calm, relax, and in turn have a positive impact on health issues associated with stress such as contributing to reducing blood pressure and anxiety.
- You can develop a new skill and produce beautiful creations just from a little hook and ball of yarn, giving a real sense of satisfaction, pride and contribute to improving confidence and self-esteem.
- There is a strong crafting community. Joining local social groups, either in person or online, can help develop friendships and reduce social isolation.
- Whilst you are crocheting, you cannot pick up your phone or laptop – and you won’t want too.
I know that many organisations promote well-being days/weeks in the workplace and I’ve certainly seen that the crochet lessons I have introduced in the hospice as part of our well-being programme, have proved very popular.
I am keen to build on the well-being aspect of crochet and would love to see organisations introduce crochet or similar crafts into their workplace to enable teams and individuals, to not only relax and learn a new skill, but to build relationships across teams and provide a tool to contribute to their well-being.
If you would like to contact me to find out more about how I can complement your well-being days with some ‘learn to crochet’ sessions, please do not hesitate to contact me for a chat.
