Martial Arts and Mindfulness: cultivating present-moment awareness

Martial Arts and Mindfulness: cultivating present-moment awareness

Mindfulness is a state of present-moment awareness characterised by non-judgmental attention to one's thoughts, feelings, and sensations. It involves paying attention to the present moment with openness and curiosity without getting lost in the past or the future.

On the other hand, martial arts are a physical practice encompassing various forms of combat training. Martial arts disciplines emphasise values such as respect, humility, self-control, and perseverance, which align with the principles of mindfulness, making martial arts an ideal platform for incorporating mindfulness practices to enhance mental well-being and reduce stress.

In this week’s guest blog, Richard Sison explores the connection between Mindfulness and Martial Arts, and shares practical techniques for incorporating Mindfulness in Martial Arts training.

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How to build a workplace culture of wellbeing in a new business

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How to build a workplace culture of wellbeing in a new business

If you are an entrepreneur and have just started a new business, there are many things to consider, such as establishing your company’s finances and promoting your services. While tending to these matters, it is easy to overlook the importance of wellbeing for both yourself and your staff, even though it is one of the most significant factors that play a role in your business' success.

By ensuring both you and your team are at your best while working, you can maximise productivity, improve work quality, and boost your overall business outcomes. In fact, Elite Business Magazine reported that small businesses who invested more than £1,000 in mental health experienced improved revenue growth and employee retention between 2020 and 2022.

This week, guest writer Megan Lance shares her top tips on how to start building a workplace culture of wellbeing in your new business.

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Balancing people and profit: The importance of workplace sustainability and wellbeing

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Balancing people and profit: The importance of workplace sustainability and wellbeing

Emails, smartphones, and video communications evolved to increase productivity and make our working lives easier. Inside and outside of the office, over the years we’ve been presented with ways to be more connected than ever; though this can come at a cost to our health, happiness and productivity. In large, technological advances around work have encouraged unsustainable working practices, leaving many professionals vulnerable to stress and burnout as the boundaries between work and life dissolves.

What if technology like mental health apps for employees could be used to improve sustainability and wellbeing in the workplace? The demand for virtual mental healthcare is certainly there, with an analysis of over 1 million health plan members revealing that telemedicine health visits increased from 0 to 39 per thousand health scheme members between 2019 and 2021.

This week, guest writer Remy Daroowala explores the benefits of healthy workplaces, how mental health and sustainability are connected and how mental health apps for employees can improve sustainability and wellbeing.

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How to deal with stress at work

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How to deal with stress at work

Are you struggling to cope with stress?

With April marking Stress Awareness Month, we wanted to share our expertise on managing stress at work. Stress is common in work, and many people who take Calmer’s masterclasses and training courses come to us reporting everything from high-intensity pressure, to long-term, unresolved episodes of stress that lead to burnout.

The reality is that burnout has hit record levels in recent years, and there’s never been a more significant time to educate ourselves on the impact of unresolved stress and explore evidence-based ways to prevent burnout from escalating. In this article, we explore the common signs of stress, how stress manifests, and ways to cope with stress at work.

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Define your own success to live a happier, healthier life

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Define your own success to live a happier, healthier life

How often do you consider what you are really working towards – happiness or success?

In this week’s guest post, Life Coach Simon Tomkins explains why the key to a happy, healthy life lies in questioning and defining what success means to you, and shares his top coaching tips to help you align your values and goals.