In today’s world of remote work, pandemic-related stress, and economic fluctuation, mental and physical health all too often take a backseat to more seemingly urgent matters. Earlier this year, a CDC study showed that the percentage of adults with recent symptoms of anxiety and depression had increased from 36.4% to 41.5% over the course of the pandemic. It can be hard to unplug in an always-on work environment and to step away from our daily responsibilities to take care of ourselves.
Throughout the month of September, Business Talent Group (BTG) focuses on workplace wellness with activities, ideas, and events to encourage team members to take care of themselves and each other. For inspiration, the BTG Diversity and Inclusion and Culture Committees have compiled a list of books, talks, and podcasts to help us all decrease stress, hone work-life balance, practice mindfulness, improve self-image, and increase our overall wellbeing. We share them here in hopes they help you and your team along your own mental and physical health journeys.
Here’s what we’re reading, watching, and listening to this month:
Books:
- The Power of Habit: Why We Do What We Do in Life and Business
Award-winning business reporter Charles Duhigg takes a deep dive into a scientific basis for why habits exist and how they can be changed for the better—from daily work routines and productivity to exercising and losing weight. - On Mental Toughness
In this compilation of articles from Harvard Business Review, experts examine how to build emotional strength and resilience in order to improve performance. - Why We Sleep: Unlocking the Power of Sleep and Dreams
Prof. Matthew Walker, Director of UC Berkeley’s Sleep and Neuroimaging Lab, explores the purpose and benefits of sleep and dreaming on learning, mood, energy, longevity, productivity, and overall health. - Set Boundaries, Find Peace: A Guide to Reclaiming Yourself
Licensed counselor and relationship expert Nedra Glover Tawwab presents a guide to setting healthy boundaries in order to achieve work-life balance, combat anxiety and depression, and foster rewarding relationships.
Ted Talks:
- All it Takes is 10 Mindful Minutes
Mindfulness expert Andy Puddicombe describes the transformative power of doing absolutely nothing for 10 minutes a day—simply being mindful and watching as thoughts come and go. - How to Make Stress Your Friend
Psychologist Kelly McGonigal encourages us to think differently about stress and presents several studies that reveal the health benefits of doing so. - How to Stay Calm When You Know You’ll be Stressed
Neuroscientist Daniel Levitin shares the concept of “prospective hindsight”—thinking about all the things that could go wrong and minimizing the potential damage. - Changing How We Think About Wellness
Monica Mo, founder and CEO of WellSeek, sheds light on the emotional and cultural lens through which we view health and how that affects our own self-image and wellbeing.
Podcasts:
- 10% Happier
Self-help author Dan Harris interviews guests on a variety of mental health-related topics including joy, relationships, kindness, self-reflection, and love. - Happier
Gretchen Rubin, author of The Happiness Project, and her cohost Elizabeth Craft talk all things happiness, habits, and human nature. - Untangle
Patricia Karpas and Ariel Garten host guests including psychologists, nutritionists, storytellers, and sleep experts for discussions that cover mindfulness, brain health practices, leadership, and life. - Food Psych
Dietitian Christy Harrison’s weekly podcast focuses on helping people break free from diet culture and foster a healthy relationship with food and a positive body image.
BTG’s Remote Work Tips:
- Work from Home Best Practices
BTG has had distributed teams for years prior to the pandemic, so many of our team members are seasoned remote workers. We look at best practices for creating your workspace, optimizing tech, staying focused, and setting boundaries. - Maintaining Work-Life Balance
When your home is your office, boundaries are everything. Here’s how to create weekday and weekend routines to foster balance and connection and enhance productivity. - How to Make a Home Office in a Small Space
We surveyed BTG’s apartment dwellers for their best tips on how to optimize a remote work set-up when options are limited. - How to Work from Home with Kids
Remote work + remote school = a full house.
If you’re a working parent, you’ve likely done this math and discovered the challenge of working and taking care of children simultaneously over the past year. We outline some tips and tricks to balancing remote arrangements as a family.
Productivity and success at work are closely tied to our own wellbeing. Cultivating wellness takes effort and dedication, but it’s more important than ever in today’s remote, socially distanced world.
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