We jumped at the chance to work with one of Hong Kong’s oldest and largest organisations employing approximately 25,000 full and part-time staff. Recognising the need to support the mental and emotional health of his team, especially during the most work demanding times of the year, Anthony Crampton – Head of Audit department – approached us to design an off-site stress management programme for 40 of his staff.
His aim was to equip his staff with some tools to help them manage their stress levels prior to entering the “stressful months”. He also stipulated that the workshop should remain a surprise, to maximise curiosity and engagement.
Wellness for Life designed a half day retreat and arranged for it to be delivered at an adventure camp, set in a country park. Equipped with focus enhancing and resilience building physical activities, such as rock climbing, archery and adventure ropes, it was the perfect setting to put the tools and techniques they learned into physical practice.
With the help of Neuroscience, the mind / body connection was explained via a multimedia platform and then combined with several fun effective exercises conducted in pairs and teams. Breathing techniques to calm the nervous system, visualisations, meditations and mindfulness and resilience tools were shared, to prepare participants to face any mental, emotional and physical challenges that they may encounter during the physical activities.
What a change a few hours of fun and being present can make! Initially when the team arrived, they seemed a little sceptical, especially not knowing what to expect from the afternoon. Yet after a fun-filled, relaxed afternoon, we noticed signs of them being more open, curious, courageous, creative and forthcoming.