PNO Health
We want to help you take good care of yourself; therefore, we invite you to try different initiatives to help you do so.
We will collect resources from PNO health and the look after yourself initiative on this page.
Get up
Stand up meetings
- Stand-up meetings create shorter and more efficient meetings
- Standing whilst working burns calories. 3 hours daily is approximately the same as running 7 marathons in a year
A few ideas
- When booking a meeting make sure to state that it is a stand-up meeting
- Keep the meeting short and to the point by sharing an agenda in advance
- You can go from sitting to standing up, if the meeting exceeds the planned timeframe
- Why not conduct all morning meetings or team update meetings standing
Let’s go
Walk & talk meetings
- 30 min. of walking = 146 kcal
- Brain working better with fresh air
- Fewer interruptions
- New inspiration is easier obtained outside
A few ideas
- When booking a meeting make sure to state that it is a stand-up meeting
- Keep the meeting short and to the point by sharing an agenda in advance
- Why not conduct all morning meetings or team update meetings standing
- You can go from sitting to standing up, if the meeting exceeds the planned timeframe
Presentation with Susanne Vind
View or revisit the talk with clinical psychiatrist Susanne Vind.
Susanne has worked with psychotherapy for more than 25 years – over the past 15 years mainly with schema therapy, which is a special form of cognitive therapy.
The session covers the topics of mental health, resilience, work-life balance.
The presentation walks you through discussions on highs and lows in life and how proven methods can manage ourselves during different phases of life.
When: March 7th at 12:00 – 12:45 on Teams.
Headspace App
Try the Headspace app to explore meditation. We encourage everyone to download the Headspace app paid for by PNO.
You will find hundreds of meditations on this app, accessible anywhere and anytime. www.headspace.com
Why Headspace? It is an easy and convenient way to access short, medium and long meditations depending on mood, goal and time anywhere at any time.
How does it work? Please reach out to Solvej, as she will register you to the enrollment page for PNO. Once registered, you will be ready to go and start your meditation
Phone Detox
We have all been there – you find yourself “hooked” to the phone and difficult to disconnect. Here are some simple fix suggestions.
- Put a timer on your phone.
- Turn off notificationsTurn off your push notifications. You might think that you’re keeping yourself informed and up-to-date by receiving constant updates on what’s happening in the world, but this practice is also distracting. If you’re being interrupted by notifications two-to-three times in an hour (and in some cases more), you are never properly focused on the task at hand and will find yourself reaching for your phone repeatedly. Start your at-home digital detox by turning off as many notifications as you can live without.
- Try Tech-free breaksDesignate one hour daily where you do not check or use your phone. Try to have one hour per day to set yourself the challenge of not checking your phone; for instance your lunch break, you can gradually wean yourself off needing it all the time; you’ll find it easier to check your phone less frequently and also be able to relax without needing a phone to distract you.
- Buy an alarm clockSmartphone usage can be most problematic when blue light exposure from screens interferes with our sleep patterns. Blue light affects the level of melatonin, our sleep hormone. Start your digital detox by making the bedroom a tech-free zone. However, this is pretty impossible when most of us use our smartphones as alarm clocks. A simple fix? Buy an alarm clock. This means you won’t have your phone beside the bed.
You don’t have to start with all the initiatives. It might be a good idea to start with one initiative to motivate yourself. Start small – small goals are essential. A goal doesn’t have to be big to have an impact.
Look after yourself
There is much that demands our attention, and looking after yourself can sometimes slip down the priority list, so we have gathered a few tips that could help in looking after yourself.
HYDRATE
We all know that we should drink more water; two liters a day cleanses the toxins from the body, improves energy, and helps to combat fatigue plus hydration improves brain function. If you are struggling, set the alarm to remind you to top up and track your progress – a practice that supports us in making new habits become the norm in as little as 8 weeks.
Reach out to Solvej if you would like to have a PNO water bottle to help you get started.
ACTIVE
Research shows that physical activity can boost self-esteem, mood, sleep quality and mitigates the effects of stress. Even (or especially) when it feels a step too far, get some fresh air and take a walk, go for a run or simply stretch to get the blood pumping.
Plant a tree whilst walking, running, etc. Remember to share your kilometres.
DIGITAL DETOX
Get in the habit of having some screen-free time. When it feels as if we are bombarded by incoming information, taking a digital time out can relax the muscles, soothe your eyes and quiet the brain. Find your balance and give your senses a break.
NOTES
It sounds simple, but writing a to-do list can calm the brain which leaps from idea to idea. Whether it is a simple list or a creative journal, a creative expresssion are excellent ways to clear the mind and give you the headspace to get started.
Reach out to Solvej if you would like to have a PNO notebook and pen to help you get started.
World Mental Health Awareness Month Challenge
Our mental health challenges aren’t who we are; they are things we experience. While we all have the capacity for self-compassion, sometimes we forget to show ourselves the same kindness we offer others. If you feel overwhelmed, need to build more time for self-care but don’t know where to begin, or want to learn how to better cope with negative emotions, this mental health checklist is an ideal springboard during World Mental Health Awareness Month and every month after.
At PNO, we agree that mental health is essential, and therefore we want to introduce an add-on to our Health Initiative in May. It’s a “challenge” where we try to implement new habits that support our mental health.
You can revisit the checklist with Mental Health Awareness goals here.
Look after yourself – CORE CLUB
Our new initiative helping you to look after yourself is Core Club.
- Core Club is an online community where you can work out whenever and wherever it suits you.
- All you need is a mat.
- You’ll get access to live and pre-recorded classes.
- Core Club focuses on building your core and back strength, and improving your cardiovascular fitness.
Read more about Core Club here. Contact Solvej to sign up.
A mindful start to 2023
WALKING MEDITATION
Take a walk to come out of your head and into your body. Headspace has a 5-minute Mindful Coffee Walk meditation in the app.
BEGINNER’S COURSE
Want to give meditation a try? Try the beginner’s course Basics in the Headspace App. 10 sessions between 3-10 minutes.
YOGA SESSION
Attend our weekly 30-minute yoga session on Teams. Wednesdays from 7.00 – 7.30 am.
5 A Day. Say what?
Ever heard the German phrase “You are what you eat” (Du bist was du isst)? That’s right – what we eat has a huge impact on our health.
The experts at the WHO recommend eating 5 portions* of different fruits & vegetables a day. So we thought it’s a great idea to recommend the same.
Why? Research shows this is the healthy thing to do & it decreases the risk of certain diseases. So eat your 5 A Day. There’ll be a constant supply of fruits & veggies at the office.
*1 portion = 80grams
