How can I feel more productive and fulfilled? Is it possible to combine success and happiness? How can I become a positive leader? Does Workplace Wellness really matter?
These questions have one thing in common: the need to value our mental health, 24/7, seven days a week in order to achieve our personal as well as our professional goals, and promoting this is the mission of The Renewal retreat.
1. Productivity
Did you know that breathwork is considered the next major skill for creatives, healers, CEOs, entrepreneurs, athletes, Navy Seals, and Special Forces? And the reason behind this is quite simple: when we have control of our breathing we have control of ourselves.
Learning such techniques can improve your daily productivity, the reason why we included several types of wellness sessions in the program of The Renewal retreat, promoted by world-renowned instructors such as Tracy Jane Sullivan, Paul Johnson, Johanna Hellinger, Lorna Garcia, and Filipa Veiga.
In fact, research has shown that there is a connection between wellness and productivity and an urgent need to stop unhealthy practices that lead to burnout and increased levels of absenteeism.
According to The Future of Wellness at Work 2016 Research Report by the Global Wellness Institute, “Workforce unwellness could be costing the global economy 10-15 percent of annual economic output”. Such negative impact not only jeopardizes the company in financial terms as it puts in danger one of its major assets: human capital.
2. Stress-related problems
The ability to solve problems and to deal with stressful situations are some of the most valuable skills on a CV. But does this priority include the ability to manage its consequences, such as sleep deficiency problems?
According to a joint report by the International Labour Organization (ILO) and Eurofound, some of the effects of telework are the interference between work and personal life, with more working hours and higher levels of stress. While the current context may have blurred the lines between work and home, it also reminded us how taking care of our mental health needs to urgently become a well-implemented methodology.
The idea behind the Renewal is to provide methods to achieve a complete body, mind, and soul wellbeing, before, during, and after working hours. One of our activities will be Yin Yoga which is a practice that helps to slow down, improves sleep and flexibility, reduces stress and anxiety… And Restorative Yoga sessions will help with this too. At the same time, meditation and sound healing sessions are unique experiences that can encourage you to find the right balance between your professional and personal life.
The importance of breaks is also important and not only The Renewal is a break from this difficult year as it also provides examples of healthy breaks that you can do in your free time. For example, forest bathing helps to restore your energy that you can implement into your weekly routine. If you have already tried it and felt its benefits, it is an extremely powerful activity, isn’t it?
3. Positive attitude
We are honored to start the retreat with a keynote about resilience, happiness and workplace wellness with Silvia Garcia, the Global Director of the Coca- Cola Happiness Institute and a recognized expert in positive leadership in high-performance teams. She even collaborated with the Prime Minister of Bhutan, which was the first country measuring Gross Internal Happiness.
During The Renewal, there will also be Laughter Yoga sessions that help to create a positive mental state during challenging times, boost the immune system, reduce stress, increase your chance to experience happiness, and improve the quality of life and social connection. In short, it helps to release the “good mood” hormone (endorphins) in your brain.
Then, you will have the opportunity to go deeper into Ayurveda, which says that most diseases come from the mind and will help to remove inner-negativity and self-harming beliefs. With this practice, you will cultivate the energy, awareness, and positivity to be happy. At the same time, learning a simple but effective morning yoga routine gives you a relaxed and happy feeling throughout the day and promotes empathy towards yourself.
But The Renewal is not just a yoga retreat, it is a holistic experience! It includes wine tasting, excursions to explore Portugal’s hidden gems, cultural moments, walking or riding a bike, talking and sharing a great meal with other like-minded people, feeling reconnected and renewed!
3. Engagement and community
For 5 days a week, one thing is for sure: you wake up and you go to work. How does it feel? Do you like your job? Do you feel well with this routine? While having to work for a living is a complex reality, there is more than your job can and should offer and that includes prioritizing workplace wellness.
For example, lunchtime is one of the moments that are included in your routine which have a bigger impact on your health and on your working day. All the nutrients you welcome to your body are essential to all your tasks.
Leslie Durso is one of the chefs that will be at The Renewal and she is creating a fresh-plant-based movement while leading exclusive wellness tours even to celebrities such as Leonardo DiCaprio, Chris Pratt, and others. Simultaneously, Ali Waldegrave will bring her deep knowledge about the several diets you may follow and how to feel passionate about all things food-related. Plus, you will also have the opportunity to experience the Portuguese cuisine and its great symbolism with Marco Pinto and Daniel Gomes that will season your meals with a lot of innovation and love.
Establishing a work purpose or a social responsibility program can also increase your levels of motivation and commitment, through several volunteer activities or other creative ideas. To be honest, this is one of our main priorities and we can’t wait to share how much we felt inspired by the Cork Oak Tree or, as we call her, the giving tree. She is the foundation of our giving back mission and we are so glad to invite you to be part of this commitment as a percentage of your registration at The Renewal will be donated to our youth mental health partner Desafio Jovem, in Portugal.
The Renewal Retreat
The Retreat itself will also be a place where you can meet other people and share ideas about sustainable practices, ethical travel, workplace wellness and many other topics that you would like to explore. It is also an opportunity for team building after being apart or to create new friendships with people from all over the world and to bring new knowledge back home and to your office.
If you are looking for ways on how to become a more positive leader, a fulfilled and healthy employee or just improve your own physical and mental skills, The Renewal is for you. Discover all the details here.
