You Can’t Pour From an Empty Cup.
By: Katie Dubnik, President, Forum Communications
Think about how important that first cup of coffee or tea is to your day. Whatever your morning vice, you have something that energizes you, helps you focus, and brings you comfort, happiness and even maybe a little bit of joy. It forces you to take a cleansing breath, gather your thoughts, and start your day off on the right foot.
But what happens if you sit down at your desk and realize you forgot to bring it? What if you are forced to start your day pouring from an empty cup?
According to the CDC, 71% of all adults report at least one symptom of stress, such as headaches or feeling overwhelmed or anxious--in other words, they are pouring from an empty cup. And whether this stress comes from something temporary and situational or prevalent and chronic, I believe as a business owner, I have a role to play and a responsibility to help ensure that my team’s cups remain full.
This is why I have built my company’s core values around work-life balance, respect, and ensuring that everyone’s job is fulfilling them in a meaningful way.
After all, let’s face it, we spend 40+ hours a week in our job. It becomes personally and emotionally connected to who we are as individuals. We crave purpose, maybe a sense of accomplishment, and even appreciation from our work. And thus, it is no surprise that we can be impacted, both positively and negatively, by the environment in which we work. In fact, in the 2021 State of Workplace Mental Health in the US report, 84% of employees reported at least one workplace factor had negatively impacted their mental health in the past year—the most common being emotionally draining work (37%) followed by challenges with work-life balance (32%).
In this day and age, we are all busier than ever, and things seem to happen faster than ever. Between work, friends, family, kids and community commitments we are pulled in many competing directions. I recognize that many of life’s most precious gifts and moments do not occur within the walls of an office building. Thus, ensuring and maintaining a healthy work-life balance for my team is a priceless gift I feel like I can give, not only for the mental well-being of my individual team members, but also for the well-being of our company. Healthy and happy people result in a more productive, positive and successful workplace environment.
The importance of mental well-being and its impact on workplace productivity is more than just a feeling or my opinion. It is a proven symbiotic relationship grounded in facts and data. In a report published by Mind Share Partners’ Mental Health at Work, 61% of workers said their productivity was affected by their mental health, with 37% saying their work environment contributed to their symptoms.
By encouraging a healthy work-life balance, like making sure employees understand they have the freedom to attend school plays, serve on community boards, take loved ones to doctors’ appointments and completely disconnect from work while on vacation, I have found that as a team we are less distracted, better able to focus and more energized in our work. I have helped keep my team’s cups full by simply recognizing and valuing that there is a world outside the walls of our office that is meant to be enjoyed and lived fully.
While we don’t have a full-blown corporate wellness program at Forum, everyone knows that family, health and a life well-lived come first. They also know that if there is an imbalance, I am going to be the first to point it out.
So, think about what you can do within your workplace to fill the cups of those around you. It does not have to be some big formal program or giant pot of coffee, but I challenge you to start somewhere—cup by cup. You may be surprised by the results.