The Great Outdoors

During Mental Health Awareness Week, in our latest blog Marketing Manager Adam Fairbank discusses how exploring the wonderful Welsh countryside helps the ION team's wellbeing. 

The whole of the ION team is currently working from home. We traditionally deliver face-to-face and believe in the power of the relationships we build. We are currently all getting our heads around how to deliver and engage with our alumni, delegates, and networks in a virtual world - it's been a steep learning curve. We have been spending a lot of time on Zoom.

Like many, no-one in the ION team had ever used Zoom before the lockdown began, and now it is the primary tool we use to stay in touch as a team - even using it to complete our daily Popmaster session!

Much has been written since lockdown about the disadvantages of video calling and 'Zoom fatigue'. This article from the BBC provides some fantastic insights into the reason why Zoom calls can drain your energy.

So how does Team ION overcome Zoom burnout?

We go outdoors!

There have been many articles and studies completed discussing the impact of spending time outdoors on peoples mental health. Mind, the mental health charity, say 'spending time in nature has been found to help with mental health problems including anxiety and depression' and in a paper by David Pearson and Tony Craig for Frontiers in Psychology, they found that 'proximity to green space has been associated with lower levels of stress and reduced symptomology for depression and anxiety, while interacting with nature can improve cognition for children with attention deficits and individuals with depression'.

From Gower to Anglesey, Kidwelly to Ystradgynlais, Team ION are very lucky to have some beautiful Welsh scenery on our doorsteps. Our Bangor Senior Programme Manager Gwenllian blogged for us earlier this week about how living in 'the most beautiful place on earth' encourages here to run/walk and cycle around Anglesey. Gwenllian's colleague Mannon is currently taking part in a 'virtual' challenge from Land's End to John O'Groats and has so far contributed 148.8 miles towards the total mileage by exercising close to her home. 

In our Swansea team, Programme Manager Suzanne explores the beautiful Gower coastline with her family (including Waggs the dog) every day, as does Finance Manager Clare (who is usually running!) and Recruitment Officer Kaye, who loves exploring the coastline around her home, especially Three Cliffs Bay. Programme Director Gary explores Barry Island, Adam completes regular #FairbankFamilyWalks (he loves a hashtag!) near his home in the Upper Swansea Valley and Linda loves exploring Penllergaer Woods where she can really 'unlock the chain from the PC and walk into a quiet space to find the Cuckoos calling, the trees rustling and the tadpoles and lizards swimming in the little stream'. Sounds lush.

At ION we are huge advocates of the importance of reflection, and this time spent outside provides us with an opportunity to reflect on the day - what's worked well and what we can do better.

All outdoor activity completed by members of the ION team is completed within the guidelines set by the Welsh Government regarding health and wellbeing during the lockdown.

We fully appreciate that not everybody may have the opportunity to explore the great outdoors as much as we have just discussed, but any time spent outdoors and away from your computer will be hugely beneficial for your wellbeing.

So log off, switch off your social media feeds and enjoy the great outdoors. It's good for your soul!