New normal: A state to which an economy, society, etc. settles following a crisis, when this differs from the situation that prevailed prior to the start of the crisis - Wikipedia This term boggles me, because what did we use to define as ‘normal’? and was that old ‘normal’ necessarily a positive one? In the first article in this series we looked at the human response to change, and how we experience a process similar to grieving when we face a shift in our lives. I believe t

I’m not sure I’ve met a single member of the drinks industry who doesn’t have a passion for dining – eating well, drinking better, and sharing the experience with colleagues, family and friends. I recall learning the importance of a proper lunch in my early career working in the industry, too often spending way above the average for a top quality deli sandwich for someone on a modest salary! If food and drink is a love of our lives, then it deserves our attention and consider

“Stress results when something that happens or something that you observe exceeds your ability to effectively cope with the event.” This definition of stress comes from Dr Bruce Rabin, a specialist in stress and stress management techniques. It makes a lot of sense when applied to the world we currently live in, and no wonder we are seeing, and perhaps experiencing, increased stress levels due to the Covid-19 impact. But in this article will ask the question… is all stress ba

It’s been all hands-on deck since the government announced re-opening of hospitality venues could start from July 4th. Whilst this is a positive move for the industry as a whole, it’s also a source of anxiety and stress for many going back to work for the first time in 3 months. The first thing I want to say is that if you are feeling at all apprehensive, nervous, scared (albeit alongside some excitement) then this is totally normal and a reality for many people across the UK

This is such a big topic, so resilience is coming to you in two stages. In this article we’ll look at practical strategies and actions for strengthening your resilience. You may first wish to rewind to Part 1 and see what resilience is! With so many ways to strengthen our resilience, it can be helpful to sort the approaches into three pillars: 1. Holistic wellbeing 2. In the moment helping coping strategies 3. Knowing ourselves and shifting our patterns Holistic wellbeing Whe

This is such a big topic, so resilience is coming to you in two stages. In this article we’ll explore what resilience is and then look out for Part 2 containing practical strategies for strengthening your resilience. The word resilience is often coupled with the phrase ‘bouncing back’, like a coiled spring returning to its original shape after being stretched. However, anyone who has faced any level of challenge or adversity will know first-hand that we can learn from these e

This is a message of support to all of you who lead others. Whether you’re holding together a strategic vision for your organisation or managing a newly remote team on a daily basis, there is not a single leader who hasn’t had their confidence and competence stretched in the recent months. I’m writing this post to you during Mental Health Awareness Week 2020 where the theme for the week is Kindness. Even though you will likely be reading this in the weeks still to come, kindn

“This is not homeworking. This is being at home and doing your best to work during a global pandemic.” We now find ourselves in our 8th + week since Boris Johnson announced the UK lockdown. It’s likely that, by now, those who are continuing to work from home have found ourselves in a new routine of healthy (and unhealthy!) habits. With the reality of home and flexible working likely to continue, and perhaps it will be a long-term change for some of us, this a good time to pre

Welcome back to the wellbeing updates. My hope is that through exploring our human response to change and ways to check in with your wellbeing, you’ve now increased your self-awareness and self-acceptance around how the COVID-19 outbreak is affecting you. I also hope you’ve been kind to yourself in the process! Whether or not you’re finding life difficult right now, or whether or not you’re feeling pretty good in lockdown, this is an opportunity to enhance your wellbeing fo

Our physical health has a big impact on how we feel, and how we feel has a big impact on how we behave. At times like these, it can be easy to fall into unhelpful habits that end up making us feel worse. Here are 5 ways to look after your physical wellbeing every day for a more resilient body and mind. 1) Sleep – The biggest challenge we usually face is how to find enough hours to rest when our reality is shift patterns, travelling long distances to see customers, or entertai

The often-forgotten piece of the wellbeing puzzle – our financial health can impact how we think and feel about the world around us. It’s a common trigger for anxiety, as when we feel out of control of our money, we can start to feel out of control of much more. The good news is, it doesn’t need to be that way. Here are 5 ways to look after your financial wellbeing during the COVID-19 outbreak (and beyond!) 1) Get well informed. Every one of us will be in a different financia

“If you take care of your mind, you take care of the world.” Arianna Huffington Here are 5 ways to look after your mental and emotional wellbeing every day. 1) Check-in with how you’re feeling on a regular basis. In the previous article, ‘How are you today?’ you’ll find techniques for observing your mental & emotional wellbeing. Tracking our wellbeing can help to keep things in perspective – it’s too easy for one bad day to feel like the end of the world. Tracking also allo

Us human beings are social creatures. Building meaningful relationships and feeling connected improves our quality of life, enhances our wellbeing and some studies even suggest it helps us live longer too. Here are 5 ways to look after your social wellbeing every day – even when social distancing. 1) Schedule regular video calls with family and friends. Whether it’s via Zoom, Facetime, or Whatsapp calling, we’ve become pretty slick at connecting online. In the coming days, we

Purposeful wellbeing, sometimes referred to as ‘spiritual wellbeing’, is easy to neglect when we don’t realise it’s something we need. It’s all about identifying who we are, what matters to us and how we can contribute to something greater than ourselves. A source of energy, providing sense of fulfilment and strengthening our resiliency in times of change and high stress. Here are 5 ways to look after your purposeful wellbeing during the COVID-19 outbreak. 1) Set yourself an

This article was originally written for The Drinks Trust as part of their COVID-19 updates. If you haven't heard of this wonderful charity then do pay their website a visit and see how you can support, or be supported, as a member of the drinks and hospitality industry. Every one of us is going through change. As human beings, change is a constant within our lives. We experience it throughout our careers, in our social lives, our family dynamics, our well-being, even our look

It is estimated that, in the last week, 1 in 6 people across the world experienced a common mental health problem. Poor mental health affects people from all cultures, ages and genders which means it’s present in every industry globally. This includes the wine and spirits industry, where factors such as increased exposure to alcohol, working late nights, travel demands, and more can make achieving positive wellbeing more challenging for many. The good news is that important c