Strong social connections not only impact our mental health but our physical health too. In today’s world, we lead increasingly busy lives and often our relationships can sadly fall by the wayside. Feeling socially connected is more important than ever, especially after a long period where our social interactions are restricted, and our close circle reduced. In celebration of International Friendship Day, CA Support discuss the importance of maintaining and prioritising our relationships for our overall health. We're designed to be social We all know that comforting upbeat feeling of human connection, when you come away from a catch up with friends feeling more positive, happier, and even lighter. As a species, human beings are inherently social creatures.  We are biologically wired to seek out connection from a time where humans hunted in tribes and being part of a group was necessary for survival. Humans need closeness, connection, and a sense of unity to thrive. Social connection is one of our core psychological needs which means it plays an essential role in how safe and satisfied we feel in our lives. Social groups provide us with an important part of our identity, forming who we are and teach us a set of skills and norms that help us to function throughout life. In today’s world though we lead increasingly busy lives trying to juggle and balance work, family, and other commitments. Often our friendships can fall to the wayside. However, strong connection and belonging to something bigger than ourselves are important for our overall health and wellbeing. The benefits of connectedness should not be overlooked, and therefore as a society we should be placing greater emphasis on investing in our friendships. The more connected we feel to other people, the more enriched our life becomes. Friendship and being part of a social group offer a variety of mental health benefits. It increases our feeling of belonging, boosts our sense of purpose, and improves our self-worth and confidence. Connectiveness helps us regulate our emotions, leads to higher levels of empathy and compassion, and can even reduce our stress levels. Studies show that people who feel connected to others report lower rates of anxiety and depression. Not only does good social connection impact our psychological wellbeing, its impacts our physical health as well. Countless studies have shown a lack of human connection and feelings of loneliness are more harmful to our health than obesity, smoking and high blood pressure. By neglecting our need to connect, we put our health at risk. It can even lengthen our lives. Extensive research that looked at the lifestyles of inhabitants within Blue Zone areas, a term given to geographically regions that are home to some of the world’s oldest people, found healthy social networks and high levels of community engagement were commonalities among the differing zones. Our relationships and social groups can alter the course of our life, shape the person we are and can change our perception of ourselves and the world as well as offer an important support system.  So as you can see, social connectedness creates a positive cycle of good social, emotional and physical wellbeing. To forge happy and healthy relationships, it is very important we continually attend to and nurture our connection with the people we consider important in our lives. After an incredibly long period where our social interactions were restricted and ultimately reduced, you may find your sense of connection has diminished. Here are some ways you can improve your social health and reignite your connection with others; Reach out to a friend you may have lost touch with, remember it’s never too late to spark up an old friendship! Take time to ring or meet up with a friend you have not seen in a while. Join a new club or try out a group activity: focus in on your interests and you’ll be sure to find a club or group full of like-minded people. Volunteer: this can strengthen your sense of purpose, provides an opportunity to meet new people and give back to your community. Invite a co-worker out for lunch: now we have more freedom to socialise why not reconnect with your favourite work colleague or arrange a work group activity. Spend quality time with family: this could be planning a family BBQ, a movie night on the weekend or a family day out. Be Present: Step away from your devices when you are in company and have an uninterrupted chat. Social isolation is a challenging aspect of life to cope with and is detrimental to your health, please know the Thrive team  is here to lend a friendly ear, if and when you need it.

A good night’s sleep should not be underestimated at any time but when you are trying to delicately balance work, family, hobbies and study, it is even more important. Sleep is just as important a part of your success and health as other parts of your day like eating, exercising, studying and working. Just as you prepare and plan your study time or work time to optimise the benefits, have you thought that you might need to invest a little more in your sleep? If you do not sleep well or if you have poor quality sleep, there may be something fundamental that needs attention. If it’s ongoing it may well impact on other parts of your life in a detrimental way and this needs to be looked at. Poor sleep has been linked to wider physical and mental health implications such as diabetes, depression, obesity, high blood pressure amongst others. Not only these but our moods can deteriorate, we can get clumsier, but critically for any of us studying and working, our concentration and memory retention is lowered. A lot of our hard work may therefore be being sabotaged by our sleep cycles. Anyone who has listened to the Freakonomics podcasts may have heard two episodes of the economics of sleep. Many of those with poorer sleep patterns had lower economic and educational outcomes. These are all very tangible effects that should not be ignored. If you feel you are not sleeping properly, you can certainly try to address environmental and lifestyle factors in the first instance. It could be that you are unfortunately doing this to yourself but little changes may well improve your sleep. One of the main things to note is that mental stimulation and sleep are just not compatible. 1.       Don’t work or study in your bedroom. It’s really important to separate your leisure and relaxation space from your workspace. If you are working through course notes or a work project propped up on your pillows, you’re probably not working very productively but crucially you are blurring the lines for your mind between the two activities. You may not be able to switch off and have trouble getting to sleep or poor sleep. 2.       Keep your sleep space organised Your mind will get frazzled in a cluttered, hectic physical space. Try to do a little neaten up to make it a pleasant sanctuary at night time: hang up clothes, neaten up the piles of papers and books, have as soft lighting as possible, make your bed in the morning. That way when you walk in at bedtime, it is restful which will relax your mind. 3.       No screens! Any kind of screen in the bedroom is a no-no. The blue light in devices like television screens, tablets, smartphones and energy saving light bulbs are proven to disrupt our day-night rhythm. Effectively you are telling your body and mind that it’s daytime, activity time. To avoid temptation to tweet that witty musing at midnight, just leave all of these devices in another room. Read a book, flick through a magazine or newspaper if you need to wind down your brain after the day. And what’s more, you’ll probably really enjoy the mental retreat. 4.       Have a bedtime It’s really important to establish a rhythm. Our bodies and minds love routine. The hours between 2am and 6am are when your body is best at healing and regenerating after the rigours of the day so this is when you should really try to be asleep. Going to bed at a set time each night is a really positive way to encourage good sleep. There is an adage that an hour of sleep before midnight is worth two after, so it’s well worth trying to get to bed and lights out by 12. 5.       Have a good pre-bed routine Don’t do too much just before bed. Again, if you’re busy right before bedtime, you won’t have a lot of time to wind down before you need to be asleep, plus you might find your heart and mind racing. You might think physical exercise is a good way to get tired, but that 10km run at 10pm isn’t such a good idea. Pull it back to 8pm and your body will have time to cool and slow down. Basically before you go to bed you should try to do calm, leisurely activities: reading, TV in another room, a stroll around the block, a phone call with a friend…anything that tells your mind it’s now time to switch off. 6.       Limit fluids before bed It’s fairly obvious that what goes in must come out! Don’t drink too much just before bedtime. Avoid in particular caffeine and alcohol as they are too stimulating. 7.       Temperature and comfort The temperature and ambience of your bedroom is important: you will wake up if you are too hot or too cold, if the room is stuffy, your covers are too hot…simple changes like more comfortable pyjamas, opening the window a little to allow fresh air, a better quality duvet or even a new mattress might all be excellent investments. Good sleep will make you feel fresher, more energetic and motivated, as well as improve your mental concentration and physical health. With all these factors in place, you may be setting yourself up to perform better at work and study tasks which can lead to better professional outcomes too. As a former insomniac myself, I can attest that making the changes is well worth it. Feeling like the walking dead at work and at social functions is really not very nice. Try the small changes first and see how much better you’ll feel (and hopefully how much better you’ll do too!) Good luck and sleep tight! (If you need information about sleep clinics around Ireland, see your GP or visit http://irishsleepsociety.org/index.htm)    Amy Dawson Amy is a member of the Specialist Qualifications team at Chartered Accountants Ireland. With over ten years experience in arts administration, she has also worked in education administration providing support for distance learners. From a postgraduate diploma to an online Masters to swimming, oil painting and theatre production, she's always looking for the next learning indulgence or to help you find yours.

The Five Ways to Wellbeing was developed by the New Economics Foundation in 2008, where their project collated research from around the world on proven actions that can help us feel good. Wellbeing is a term that has gained popularity in recent years but in its simplest form it is a state of being comfortable, healthy, or happy. In a broader sense, it’s how satisfied you are with life, your sense of purpose, and how in control you feel. The framework is used globally in various ways to build more awareness on our collective wellbeing and help people take action to improve it. Each action can make a positive impact in our lives and most of us will engage with these activities without being aware of it. To get the most from the five steps, it is important to incorporate all of them on a daily basis. Why not try the five today? Connect Social connection is extremely important for our wellbeing. We are social animals, and our need for connection can help us feel happier, increase our feelings of security and safety and gives us a greater sense of belonging and purpose. Make time to connect with others each day. Nurture and invest in your relationships with loved ones.  This could be talking to someone rather than sending an email, speaking to someone new - possibly chatting to another in your local coffee shop or supermarket or taking time out to ask a loved one how they are truly feeling. Be Active Look for ways to be active each day. This doesn’t mean spending hours in the gym though; find an activity you can enjoy and try to incorporate it into your everyday life. Physical activity is intrinsically linked with lower rates of depression and anxiety. Why not take the stairs rather than the lift, go for a walk at lunch, or explore your local park – little changes can reap huge rewards. Take Notice Simply put, be in the moment. Being aware of the now can help you feel calmer and reduce stress. Take stock of what is around you and paying attention to the present – to your own thoughts, feelings and to the world around you. Keep Learning Be curious and ever learning! Continuing to learn throughout life can help boost our self-confidence and self-esteem. As adults, we can be time poor with other day-to-day responsibilities but simple activities such as learning a new recipe, getting around to that DIY project, doing a puzzle or setting yourself a new challenge can help achieve a higher level of wellbeing. Give Giving to others makes us feel good. When we give or help others, it activates parts of the brain associated with trust, social connection and pleasure. It provides a sense of meaning, improves our life satisfaction and mood, and can even reduce stress. Giving up your time to others can also help strengthen relationships or build new ones. Try to complete a small act of kindness today. Research into actions for improving happiness has shown that committing an act of kindness once a week over a six-week period is associated with an increase in wellbeing. And there you have it, the five ways to wellbeing! If you are struggling with your mental or emotional wellbeing, Thrive can help you on your journey to better emotional health. For wellbeing advice, contact the team by email at: thrive@charteredaccountants.ie or by phone: (+353) 86 0243294.

Being ‘in the zone’ or feeling your Flow can help you revise more easily – and actually enjoy it more. Discover what a Flow state of mind is, the benefits, and how you can find yours. Have you ever been so engrossed in something that you don’t think about anything else and time seems to absolutely fly by? When ‘you’re in the zone?’ That’s your Flow. When you’re in this state of mind, your attention is 100% focused on the moment. And if that moment is when you’re revising for your exams, then you’re more likely to retain what you’re learning about.  In this article, we explore what Flow state is and how to find yours so you can optimise your revision performance.  what do we mean by Flow state?  According to the psychologist, Mihaly Csíkszentmihályi, who has carried out extensive research into Flow, it’s: ‘The holistic sensation people feel when they act with total involvement.’ Added to that is the fact people enjoy what they are doing at the time when they are in a state of Flow, which has been captured in this quote from one of Csíkszentmihályi’s research candidates: ‘My mind isn’t wandering. I am not thinking of something else. I am totally involved in what I am doing. My body feels good. I don’t seem to hear anything. The world seems to be cut off from me. I am less aware of myself and my problems.’  What are the benefits of Flow?   The advantages of feeling your Flow are reportedly widespread and span beyond making you enjoy certain activities. Benefits include: greater fulfilment - when you’re in a Flow state, you tend to enjoy what you’re doing more, which is a rewarding and fulfilling experience.   increased happiness - studies have linked Flow to greater levels of happiness and satisfaction.  enhanced intrinsic motivation - people are more inclined to embark on an activity for the fun or challenge of it rather than because they feel pressure or are going to be rewarded.  improved engagement - people who are in a Flow state feel fully involved in the tasks they are carrying out.  greater performance - researchers have found that Flow can enhance performance in a range of areas, including teaching, learning, creative arts and sports-related activities.  How to know if you’re feeling your Flow   According to Csíkszentmihályi, there are 10 common characteristics associated with Flow. You do not have to experience them all in order to be in a state of Flow.  Whether you’re revising or doing something else, you’ve found your Flow if you:  find what you are doing intrinsically rewarding  have clear goals that may be challenging, but are still achievable  are fully focused on what you are doing  feel in control over the situation and outcome  feel serene and aren’t fully conscious of what you are doing  are experiencing immediate feedback  find the task is achievable and there’s a balance between skill level and challenge  aren’t aware of your physical needs  are really concentrating and paying attention  lose track of time  How to find your Flow   Now that you’ve read about what Flow is, what the benefits are of feeling it, and how you can identify it, are you keen to know how to feel your Flow, so you can boost your revision performance?   Follow these 8 practical steps:  switch off your email notifications and mobile phone - and any other interruptions that will distract you from focusing on revising.  schedule time to do your revision - and let other people know you are doing it so they don’t disrupt your focus.  choose revision tasks that will stretch you - in a state of Flow, you should feel confident you have the skills to complete your task, but it should still provide an enjoyable level of challenge.  revise somewhere quiet - you may find it more difficult to become immersed in your revision if you’re surrounded by constant distractions and the temptation to get up and do other things.  be patient - it can take anywhere between 5 and 20 minutes for your Flow to kick in.  shift your mindset away from unhelpful thoughts - thinking ‘I can’t do this’ or ‘I’ll never remember this’ is counterproductive. Focus on how you learn best and try not to put too much pressure on yourself.  record your progress and stay on track - by ticking off your revision as you complete it. It’ll also help you feel more positive about it too.  take short breaks to stretch - rest your eyes and stay hydrated, but avoid engaging with other tasks that may disrupt your sense of Flow.  Four practical exercises for tapping into your Flow   These exercises can help you find your Flow too, whether you’re revising or at work:  exercise one:  When were you last working in a Flow state? Identify the specific details - what was the type of work, where were you working, who were you working with, did you have a deadline?  exercise two:  When you were last in a Flow state, as identified above, what skills were you using? Do you have time to do more challenging tasks that better match your skillset?  exercise three:  What practical steps can you take to set up the conditions for more Flow working?  exercise four:   What should you stop doing that prevents you from finding time to work in Flow?  While it may not be something you’ve really thought about until now, finding your Flow is incredibly useful, not just when it comes to revising for exams, but boosting your productivity at work too.  Article reproduced with the kind permission of CABA, the organisation providing lifelong support to ICAEW members, ACA students and their close family around the world.

Many of us will be planning our some all-important time off in the coming months. However, with the lines between work and home now blurred, it can be difficult to switch off completely and enjoy a few days of well-deserved rest. Switching off and taking some time out for relaxation is important for our health and wellbeing so we can recuperate and step back from the day-to-day responsibilities that preoccupy our mind. If you are struggling to switch off, here we share some simple and easy ways you can learn to relax, reset and appreciate a rest period guilt-free. Benefits of Downtime Downtime is an opportunity to take a proper break away from the stressors and pressures we experience, if you are still struggling to switch off think of the benefits some R&R will bring. Switching off is essential for your personal wellbeing and can prevent burnout. It will leave you happier, rejuvenated, and revitalised, ready to hit the ground running. Time out can even make us more productive and more focused. One American study found that employees are 40% more productive after time off. Out of Office Before heading off, delegate some of your usual duties and tasks to work colleagues. This might require a 1:1 handover or a quick email to the team. Mentally, a status update to colleagues can give a sense of closing out and a feeling of peace that your work is being looked after while away. Set up an appropriate Out of Office message with clear boundaries for your time off. We have all seen the generic OOO emails but sharing a meaningful piece of information, such as where you are going or how you will be spending your time off, can make that automatic reply feel more personable and a conversation starter for when you speak to that person next. Colleagues might even be inclined not to send you an email until you are back at your desk. Establish a point of contact that can field queries and respond to emails in your absence. Some email providers even offer an option to automatically forward emails to others. Literally Switch off and Unplug In this always-on culture, we carry the office around with us and many of us will have work on our phones. While removing it completely might not be possible, consider turning off push notifications for your apps and free yourself from distractions. With pings from teams, emails and other communications, there can be an urge to check on them as soon as they come in eating into your time off and delaying relaxation mode. If you have a designated work phone, turn it off and put it away or if that feels too much, simply turn on the do-not-disturb setting and set aside a few minutes at the start or end of the day to briefly browse through it. Our home space has turned into our workplace. If your work/study station is in a main part the house, if possible, hide away all related equipment for a few days.  The visual reminder of your to do list can make it difficult to completely relax and unwind. Live in the Moment Be present and make the most of your rest days - guilt free! Plan some activities you enjoy, this can help distract you from thinking about the responsibilities you may need time away from. It can also help keep those stress levels down. Before you know it, you will be back at it, so enjoy and appreciate the time you have off. If you are struggling to maintain good wellbeing, Thrive provides a holistic selection of services that can help you get back on track.  

People’s productivity and wellbeing go hand-in-hand, but how can organisations go about achieving the best balance in a hybrid working environment? David Keane explains. The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in one of the most significant shifts in working practices ever seen. This enforced experiment has allowed organisations to reimagine how and where work gets done, and the changes they introduce will be here to stay. As offices reopen and organisations decide on the most appropriate workforce model for their staff, customers and business, they must define how their teams will enhance productivity. They will also need to ensure that flexibility and employee well-being take centre stage in driving performance. There are several steps managers can take to ensure employees perform well in a flexible working environment that also supports their well-being. 1. Implement the digital tools that drive performance Investing in digital tools that support your hybrid-working model will enable business leaders to address critical challenges. Digital tools should facilitate team and cross-team communication. They should be fast and flexible and provide real-time data to managers and team members on their daily, weekly and quarterly performance indicators. A dedicated digital space for collaborative team-wide tasks will improve employee engagement and facilitate transparency on value-add activities. 2. Improve internal communication While communication is important for employees and management alike, top-down and organisation-wide communication must be clear, concise and continuous. This approach will foster a culture of adaptability and trust throughout the organisation. Maintaining clear lines of communication, especially among hybrid teams, will be essential to improving operational performance. Consider starting each day with functional and team performance meetings. Fifteen-minute huddles – virtual or face-to-face – will enable teams to assess their performance targets, prioritise tasks for the day ahead, and discuss risks and issues that may hamper performance. 3. Drive new ways of working With dispersed team members, business leaders may have to implement new ways to drive team performance. Relying on what worked for a purely traditional or remote-working model will not be as effective in a hybrid working environment. Focus on establishing clear roles and responsibilities to ensure smooth operational transitions between and within teams. Be metrics-led and allow decision-making based on measures that matter to the organisation. And finally, drive new behaviours that align with the team's overall values. These actions will ensure that employees are going in the right direction, are aligned to team objectives, and clear on their role in adding value to your organisation. 4. Train team leads to manage a more flexible workforce As the work environment and team dynamics continue to evolve, managers will need to adapt their skills to manage staff, both in-person and digitally. Creating a dynamic that works in a hybrid environment places more pressure on management to balance the need for task-orientated outputs with employee satisfaction and well-being. Daily coaching with team leaders can support businesses in embedding a management style that enhances performance while enabling team leaders to have productive conversations and develop team members. 5. Optimise processes and embed a proactive approach to change As working models are changing and adapting, it is time to review existing processes and assess whether they are still fit for purpose. By analysing current practices and eliminating non-value-add activities, your team can become more agile and lean. This should be a continuous exercise. Each staff member should feel empowered to drive change, and organisations should strive to foster a proactive view of change that positively impacts team performance. David Keane is Director of People & Organisation at PwC.