Winter brings the usual challenges of short days and cold and rainy weather, but coupled with lockdown 3.0, it can be difficult to remain motivated to stay active and to focus on your wellbeing.
Greene & Greene has therefore launched a Winter Wellness Challenge to staff, setting a goal to complete a virtual lap of England over 7 weeks alongside encouraging staff to stay connected. The aim is to work together as a team to achieve this goal and to invest some time in their own wellbeing.
To help them along the way, they have enlisted the guidance of Tom Boother to support and encourage the team. A long-distance runner, Tom uses running as a metaphor in his day-to-day work of motivational speaking, company training and as a personal coach helping people to start and finish their biggest challenges. Tom launched this event recently with a virtual event to all staff and remains on hand to support everyone as they progress through the challenge.
The Challenge
Starting at the Greene & Greene offices in Bury St Edmunds, the virtual lap of England will head straight to the coast at Aldeburgh before turning South. All in all, they will cover 3,140 miles, including 2,795 miles of coastline, the 160 miles of the Welsh / English border and the 95 miles of the Scottish border.
Staff are encouraged to take part with any activity they are comfortable with, including:
- Walking with their family or dog
- Cycling
- Running the couch to 5k (or further if they like!)
- Indoor rowing or bike
- Any at home exercise routine
Everyone taking part has received a Winter Wellness Challenge information pack with tips for getting started, tracking their progress, warming up and cooling down and keeping safe. A group WhatsApp chat has also been set up so that those taking part can keep each other motivated with their progress.
The Coffee Connection
Alongside staying active, the firm recognises that human interaction plays a key part in everyone’s wellbeing and has therefore set up ‘The Coffee Connection’ to allow staff the chance to chat to colleagues as they usually would in the office environment.
All staff are invited to sign up and commit to a 30-minute virtual coffee with another colleague once a week throughout the 7 weeks of the Winter Wellness Challenge. Everyone will be matched at random with another participant, giving them the chance to catch up with colleagues old and new. Those taking part will also receive a treat from Greene & Greene to enjoy whilst catching up with a colleague over coffee.
One of the treats sent to staff taking part in the Coffee Connection
Competitions
Throughout the 7 weeks, the firm will also be running a number of competitions which will be awarded at the end of the challenge including a prize draw, a Most Valuable Player award who will be rewarded for their motivational skills and a Photography Award for the person who captures the best image along the way.
We will keep you posted with how everyone at Greene & Greene gets on, and whether we make it back to Bury St Edmunds at the end of the 7 weeks!
