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On this WorkWell episode, Deloitte chief well-being office Jen Fisher shares six of her favorite books and reflects on how the themes of the books mirrored her experiences of 2020 and 2021.
The WorkWell Podcast™ is back and I am so excited about the inspiring guests we have lined up. Wellbeing at work is the issue of our time. This podcast is your lens into what the experts are seeing, thinking, and doing.
Hi, I am Jen Fisher, host, bestselling author and influential speaker in the corporate wellbeing movement and the first-ever Chief Wellbeing Officer in the professional services industry. On this show, I sit down with inspiring individuals for wide-ranging conversations on all things wellbeing at work. Wellbeing is the future of work. This podcast will help you as an individual, but also support you in being part of the movement for change in your own organizations and communities. Wellbeing can be the outcome of work well designed. And we all have a role to play in this critical transformation!
This podcast provides general information and discussions about health and wellness. The content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have heard on this podcast. The podcast owner, producer and any sponsors are not liable for any health-related claims or decisions made based on the information presented or discussed.
Jen Fisher’s favorite reads
Jen Fisher (Jen): Hi WorkWell listeners, I'm really excited to share that my book Work Better Together is officially out. Conversations with WorkWell guests and feedback from listeners like you inspired this book. It's all about how to create a more human centered workplace. And as we return to the office for many of us, this book can help you move forward into post-pandemic life with strategies and tools to strengthen your relationships and focus on your well-being. It's available now from your favorite book retailer.
Hi WorkWell listeners, with the holidays approaching, we're wrapping up the season early. I'll be taking time to focus on my own wellbeing so that I can be fully present for my family and friends during the holidays. I hope you'll all do the same. I've been reflecting on the past couple of years that we've been living through a pandemic and I wanted to share some of my thoughts before I sign off. When I think about the pandemic, I think a lot about my bookcase. Now that may seem weird, but I'm an avid reader and a self-proclaimed book nerd, so one of the ways I escaped the pandemic was through my books.
And I realized the other day that a lot of the experiences that I've had throughout the pandemic mirror many of the same themes from some of my favorite books.
In March 2020, when the pandemic hit and the shutdown went into place, I felt so much uncertainty and frustration from a lack of control. Anxiety is something that I've struggled with for years, and it shot straight through the roof. I could have really used a lot of the mindfulness techniques and strategies to break the worry cycle that Dr. Judson Brewer writes about in his recent book, “Unwinding Anxiety”.
As we move through our day-to-day lives, stuck in our homes, socially distant from our family, friends, and colleagues, I thought about another one of my favorite books, “The Great Alone”, by Kristin Hannah. In this novel, the Albright family moves to a remote part of Alaska where they struggle to survive, cut off from society and the rest of the world. And while that may seem dramatic as we approached the winter months, the days got shorter and darker and without holiday gatherings, I think we could all relate to the Albright's experience.
For those of us working in an all virtual environment, we started to feel the impact of being constantly connected to our technology. This was something that we struggled with before, but the pandemic made it hit a new level. We all felt the effects of digital exhaustion and virtual meeting fatigue, the same kind of phenomenon that Cal Newport talks about in his book, “A World Without Email”. I think we've all realized like the book suggests that human beings are simply not wired for constant digital communication.
As we approached the new year, vaccines gave us all a renewed hope that we could once again embrace our loved ones. And like the book, “Together by US Surgeon General”, Dr. Vivek Murthy states we all need the healing power of human connection and this was true more so than ever before at the time.
And after a year of working in a world where work and life boundaries were completely erased, we were all reminded of the critical importance of making time for rest and recovery. Our planned vacations may not have been in the cards for us, but like one of my favorite books, “Time Off” by Max Frenzel and John Fitch explains, we've all had the opportunity to reframe what time off means to us and how important it is to our mental health.
Throughout the pandemic there was a word that I used often, and it's a word you'll find a lot in Greg McKeown's book “Essentialism”, that word is intention. If there's one thing that the pandemic has taught me, it's that we all need to act with intention because if we don't intentionally create time for the things that matter most to us, this simply won't happen. So whether it's setting boundaries, planning for your time off, or disconnecting from technology, making selfcare a priority is something that we all had to intentionally do during the pandemic and I hope that it's something that we continue to do moving forward.
So as the holidays approach, we're all eager to gather safely with our loved ones and experience the joy of human to human interaction because social connection is the number one driver of health and happiness. I recently released a book titled, “Work Better Together” with my coauthor Anh Phillips about why relationships in the workplace are critical to our work and lives. We started writing it pre- pandemic and could have never imagined at the time how timely the topic would be when it was released. As we end the year, remember, the most important thing that you can do for your well-being, your career, and your happiness is to create strong, authentic relationships with the people in your life and at your work. I hope that you all take the opportunity to enhance those relationships this holiday season and make them a priority all year long.
Thank you to our producers and our listeners. You can find the WorkWell podcast series on Deloitte.com or you can visit various podcatchers using the keyword WorkWell to hear more. And if you like the show, don't forget to subscribe so you'll get all of our future episodes. If you have a topic, we'd like to hear on the WorkWell podcast series or maybe a story you would like to share, reach out to me on LinkedIn, my profile is under the name Jen Fisher or on Twitter and Instagram @jenfish 23. We're always open to recommendations and feedback. And of course, if you like what you hear, please share host and like this podcast. We'll see you next year. Happy holidays to all and be well.