The well-being of managers and employees: part 3 - Environment

The last big point is the environment.

I've summarized it in 2 parts, but of course it's far from exhaustive:

• Light therapy 
• The environment

Light therapy is the act of exposing yourself to natural or artificial daylight using a light therapy lamp.

Light therapy aims to 

• Reduce stress and improve mood: studies have shown that exposure to daylight can be effective in treating various types of depression. One analysis showed that light therapy can be as effective as antidepressants. Light therapy acts on serotonin, the happiness hormone, and thus helps to reduce stress.
• Improved sleep: light therapy affects melatonin secretion (the hormone that regulates the sleep-wake cycle). A Sherbrook study showed that 85% of study participants had improved sleep thanks to light therapy.
• Improved intellectual capacity: A Cambridge study showed that exposure to daylight improved employee productivity by 10-15%.
• Weight and appetite regulation
• Improved immunity
• Improvement of fertility

In practice, you can either go on vacation in the sun in winter, or equip yourself with a light therapy lamp:

• Use a light therapy lamp of at least 10,000 lux
• Use your lamp in the morning until 12 noon
• 30 minutes a day in the morning
• Stand about 30-50 cm from your lamp
• Do not expose yourself to light therapy in the evening or afternoon.

• Importance of relationships: Participants who had warmer relationships with family, friends and community tended to be happier and in better mental and physical health.
• Correlation with longevity: The men in the study who were most satisfied in their relationships at age 50 were most likely to live longer, healthier lives.
• Relationship quality vs. quantity : Relationship quality was more important than quantity. Participants with quality relationships, even in limited numbers, showed better results in terms of happiness and health than those with many relationships but of lesser quality.
• Impact on physical health: There were indications that strong relationships could have a positive impact on physical health, including a correlation with better stress management and fewer chronic health problems in later life.
• Predictability of happiness : Relationships were a better predictor of long-term happiness than other traditional factors such as wealth, education or IQ.

"We are the average of the five people we hang out with the most" is a quote often attributed to Jim Rohn, an American entrepreneur and motivational speaker. 

• Social and behavioral influence: This idea suggests that the individuals we interact with on a regular basis have a considerable impact on our behavior and attitudes. Humans are social beings, and we are naturally influenced by those around us. This influence can affect various aspects of life, such as our career choices, our health habits, our interests and even our values.

• Exchange of ideas and experience: By interacting with others, we exchange ideas, experience and knowledge. If these people have skills, experiences or perspectives that we don't, they can enrich our understanding and vision of the world.

• Group norms and expectations: Social norms within our circle of friends or colleagues can strongly influence our actions. If those around us value certain attitudes or behaviors, such as professional success, physical exercise or lifelong learning, it's likely that these values are also reflected in our own lives.

• Support and motivation: The people we associate with can also play a crucial role in providing us with emotional support and motivation. Being surrounded by people who believe in our abilities and encourage us can boost our self-confidence and motivation to pursue our goals.

• Mirror effect: Often, we unconsciously choose to spend time with people who reflect our own interests and values. This can reinforce our current beliefs and behaviors, but it can also limit our exposure to new perspectives and experiences.

• Conscious choice of entourage: Understanding the impact of our entourage on our personal and professional development underlines the importance of consciously choosing with whom we spend our time. Cultivating relationships with people who inspire, challenge and support us can have a positive effect on our personal growth.

• Diversity and balance: It's also important to seek balance and diversity in our relationships. Surrounding ourselves exclusively with people similar to ourselves can create an echo of our own thoughts and beliefs, limiting our ability to learn and evolve. Diversity of perspective and experience can enrich our understanding of the world.

• Self-reflection: This phrase invites us to self-reflect on the people around us. It prompts us to assess whether our current relationships support us in the pursuit of our goals and aspirations, or whether they are dragging us down.

• Two-way influence: It's important to remember that this influence is reciprocal. Just as we are influenced by those around us, we also influence those around us. This underlines everyone's responsibility to build a mutually beneficial environment.

In summary, this quote from Jim Rohn highlights the crucial importance of the social environment in our personal and professional development. It encourages us to pay attention to the people we choose to spend our time with, recognizing the profound influence they can have on our lives.

I hope this "training" on the well-being of managers and employees has been of benefit to you, and if you would like us to develop any points that might be useful to your well-being, please don't hesitate to write to us.