Local soft skills development specialist, CTF Consultancy, has partnered with health and wellbeing expert, ‘M.O.V.E with Lucie’, to launch a bespoke self-care and relaxation workshop, for work teams across Seychelles.

This dynamic workshop – which will be co-delivered by Seychellois facilitators Craig Francourt (CTF Consultancy)and Lucie Harter (M.O.V.E with Lucie) – aims to equip participants with the knowledge and skills to effectively manage stress in the workplace.

The workshop will also aim to empower participants to confidently apply self-care and relaxation techniques during high-pressure situations, as well as aim to improve their physical and emotional wellbeing.

There has never been a more crucial time for workplaces to invest in self-Care and relaxation training for their staff. With the increased nationwide focus on productivity in the workplace – as well as the implementation of Programme Performance-Based Budgeting (PPBB) across the public sector – many working environments across Seychelles are on the precipice of a culture change, where bonuses will be based largely on the performance of staff members and their productivity levels in the workplace.

In some unhealthier working cultures, an increase in the demand for greater productivity may lead to increased workloads – and longer working hours – for staff members. This can contribute significantly towards: increased stress and ‘burn-out’ fatigue; an imbalance between work and life commitments, a negative impact on the quality of work produced by employees, as well as towards a decline in team morale. Forward-thinking and healthier workplaces that are best positioned to thrive, recognise that they require motivated, engaged, loyal and well-balanced staff members, in order to reap the full rewards of a more productive workplace.

Through promoting self-care and relaxation in the workplace, good employers recognise and acknowledge the importance of positive mental and physical health, and the role that this plays towards having a happier, healthier and more productive workforce.

Investing in the wellbeing of staff also promotes the value of encouraging a healthy work-life balance, it increases staff trust and loyalty towards their employer, and it can also bring about long-lasting positive changes in both an organisation’s working culture, as well as an employee’s life. Other benefits may include: a decrease in absenteeism; better communication and teamwork; a reduction in stress levels; a more emotionally intelligent team; increased concentration levels; better coping mechanisms for handling high-pressure situations; increased self-awareness, and increased employee engagement and motivation.

Commenting on the impact of stress, Ms Harter said:

“A simple way to think about our overall health is to think about the concept of the ‘stress bucket’. This ‘inner bucket’ gradually fills up with different types of stress over time. The size of the bucket varies from person to person, and can change from day to day. Some days might feel easy, whereas on other days, your bucket fills up quickly and you become overwhelmed.This is particularly important to know, because your nervous system is continuously learning and adapting. If your stress bucket is overflowing, your brain will make your nervous system know that something is wrong. It doesn’t matter how small or insignificant you think this is; it’s going into the bucket.

“If you are someone who experiences a high amount of stress regularly – whether you are aware of it or not, and do not have a way of releasing that stress – your bucket will overflow and your brain will start to feel threatened and in danger. When we ignore these signals, symptoms such as: chronic stress; pain; stiffness; low energy; dizziness; disease and depression, among others, begin to manifest. Your brain is only trying to do its job; to keep you safe and alive, by sending signals to tell you something is wrong.

“Our self-care and relaxation workshop will not only help you to better understand these signals; it will equip you with the knowledge and skills to manage the signs and symptoms of stress in a way that is easily applicable, sustainable and achievable.”

Commenting on collaborating with ‘M.O.V.E with Lucie’, Mr Francourt said:

“Lucie and I share an excellent professional relationship, and have co-facilitated similar sessions with teams before. With this collaboration, I am excited to merge CTF Consultancy’s dynamic and engaging facilitation style – where we dig deeper into the root causes of stress, and tactfully facilitate discussions on the impact that this has in the workplace – with Lucie’s impressive ability to break down the complex science of stress in a simple and understandable manner.

“Participants will leave this workshop feeling emotionally lighter. They will have a better understanding of the root causes of their stress, they will be equipped with the skills to effectively apply stress management techniques, and they will feel empowered to make the transformational difference required, to improve their quality of life.”

This self-care and relaxation workshop can be tailored to meet the bespoke needs of teams and organisations, and can range from a half-day to a full-day of training. To learn more about this workshop – and to organise a free consultation with the facilitators – contact either Mr Francourt or Ms Harter, using the details provided in the workshop’s poster.

Source: Seychelles Nation