Marketing and Communications
Today I am covering a topic I had so far overlooked, but that is really important. When blogging about a topic such as mental health, most people may not be 100% sure what it is, and whether the topics I cover are relevant. Or perhaps you’re asking yourself “is anxiety really a mental health disorder?”
It has gone to “That’s Mental, a platform to talk freely about mental health“. You can find it here.
I’d like to start coaching people, and I just added a section on my website to that effect.
So before I send out a call for volunteers, I thought it was important to explain what I like about it and why I’ve decided to pursue this path.
Continue reading “Why I like coaching”
* Updated in June 2019 *
While I have been blogging more about mental health consistently, it suddenly occurred to me that a very helpful thing I could do is to share more resources on the topic!
While I very much appreciate everyone who reads my blog posts, I’m also aware that I am not a trained healthcare professional, nor have I ever helped rehabilitate people who have suffered from mental health issues.
It has gone to “That’s mental, a platform to talk freely about mental health”. You can find it here.
Although 2019 has already started and people are furiously writing about trends, goals, and everything future-gazing, I wanted to take the time to reflect on 2018. As I sat down to write an end of year Facebook post I realised that I simply had too much to say, so why not turn it into a blog post?
The main conclusion I reached as I sat going through all my pictures, was that 2018 was amazing! Not only that, but I felt very fortunate and blessed to have been able to experience all of it.
So here is a summary of the best things that happened for me in 2018.
Continue reading “Reflecting on 2018”
Originally this blog post was going to be tongue in cheek – recounting funny experiences of end of year breakdowns. But since no one answered my call for stories – I decided to turn this into something that I hope is more meaningful and helpful.
In my experience, the end of the year at work is madness. You’re rushing to finish off the last projects, leave no loose ends before you go on holiday, but you’re also desperate to finally have a break! Meanwhile you may be reflecting on everything you’ve done this year, thinking about the performance review and conversations you want to have, and wondering what you’ve achieved. Or you may be – as I have in the past – ridiculously overworked and racing against the clock.
It has gone to “That’s mental, a platform to talk freely about mental health.” You can find it here.
Two of my previous blog posts have been about learning & development, a topic I’m very passionate about. Besides talking about resources to support L&D at work, I also wanted to talk about the difference between training and learning, and why it’s important to distinguish the two.
Learning can happen in many different ways, and it doesn’t have to take place during a formal training. On the other hand, training is a specific point in time at which a teaching is delivered or knowledge is imparted. In general, a training session also follows a set structure rather than being ad-hoc, with a specific outcome set for the end of the session.
Both learning and training are important, but I believe that understanding the (subtle) differences helps to better adapt the way we think about L&D. It’s particularly important to think of these differences if you deliver a training so you can think about what might make it most effective for those in front of you. Similarly, if you are in charge of L&D for your company, you will want to know the different ways you can support people in their training.
Learning and development in the workplace is crucial. Sometimes I really feel that work is a bit like school, but for adults. Sure it’s not traditional classroom teaching, but nonetheless we learn a lot. From projects, colleagues, companies, and our own mistakes… All of it creates an ideal learning environment for us to grow and develop as professionals.
And once you’ve worked for a few years, you finally understand a bit better what people mean when they say “X many years of experience”. They don’t just mean years spent practicing your trade, they’re also referring to all that baggage comes from your “schooling”.
If this is truly the case, then learning & development should be made a cornerstone of any workplace. In fact, it should be regularly included in people’s performance plans, discussed with their managers and measured by companies.Continue reading “Simple and cost-effective ways of investing in L&D”
At the very basic level, we all want to do our best at work (unless you really hate your job). We want to make sure we’re doing what’s required, so our colleagues enjoy working with us and we can keep our jobs.
Whilst we busy ourselves with the basic requirements, there are many things that can get in the way of us doing our jobs properly – and I don’t mean finding a sense of purpose. While it’s extremely important and will help you be more engaged, before you’re able to reach the Holy Grail of purpose, first you need to get through the day.
It’s gone to “That’s mental, a platform to talk freely about mental health“. You can find it here.
We hear a lot about learning & development in the workplace, and it’s something we look forward to (or at least I do). And if you’re really lucky, your company may have a special allowance or is well-known for providing training opportunities.
But most of the time (at best), it’s a once a year course everyone gets sent to, someone who comes to give a presentation to the team, or a compulsory online course. Not that exciting and certainly not that personal…Continue reading “Different ways to learn on the job”
Mental wellbeing in the workplace isn’t always related to work induced situations. You may have other things going on in your life that impact how you feel on the job. Considering you spend 80% of your time at work – but luckily you are more than that – it’s only normal that the rest of your life should trickle in to how you feel in the workplace.
It’s gone to “That’s Mental, a platform to talk freely about mental health“. You can find it here.
Emma Brooks