Every seven days, Monday through Sunday, there are a total of 168 hours. Assuming an eight hour average sleep time, we spend roughly 112 of those hours awake. Of our awake hours, 32 of them get allocated to our respective “weekend”. Of the remaining 80 hours of weekly wake up time, we spend at least 50% of those hours working.

In the book, Happiness at Work, author Jessica Pryce-Jones cites the average person will spend around 90,000 hours, or one third of their life at work. With almost triple the amount of people working from home post-COVID, the lines are blurred even further between where the workday ends and the rest of your life begins. With work occupying such a large portion of our waking hours, prioritizing mental wellness in the workplace is a topic of concern and focus for employers and employees alike. And it stems beyond just health benefits and a fitness room to a larger emphasis on workplace culture as a whole.

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Burning the candle at both ends to burnout

With our roots firmly planted within startups, topics like hustle culture, work-life balance, and burnout are often par for the course. However, burnout is not just unique to startups. In 2019, the World Health Organization defined it as:

“[...] a syndrome conceptualized as resulting from chronic workplace stress that has not been successfully managed.” It is characterized by three dimensions:

• feelings of energy depletion or exhaustion;
• increased mental distance from one’s job, or feelings of negativism or cynicism related to one's job; and
• reduced professional efficacy.

A 2015 Deloitte external workplace well-being survey of more than 1,000 U.S. professionals revealed that:

• 77% of respondents experience employee burnout at their current job, with more than half citing more than one occurrence; 
• nearly 70% of professionals felt employers were not doing enough to prevent or alleviate burnout; and
• companies should consider workplace culture, not just well-being programs.
  

Culture as a catalyst to workplace well-being

Creating a positive workplace culture has positive business impacts from employee retention to revenue increases. At SGV, we designed a Culture Code to help us envision and codify a workplace culture prioritizing work-life balance.  

Here is what we include:

1. Mission, vision, and values. Highlight priorities and reduce organizational whiplash by setting a destination (vision), determining how you will get there (mission), and the pillars to make the mission come to life (values).
2. Workplace roadmap. Get crystal clear on the workplace you want your team to experience day-in and day-out and the best practices to reinforce that workplace. Performance management, clearly defined expectations and benefits, resources, and weekly check-ins are all actionable items to reinforce the Small Great workplace we strive to maintain. If you can’t define  the workplace you want, it is unrealistic to expect anyone to reinforce and exemplify.
3. Employee development and wellness initiatives. At SGV, we offer product co-founder opportunities, employee development plans, and training reimbursement along with mental health days, health benefits, and mandatory time-off requirements. To us, providing a space for our team to grow is equally as essential to providing space for us to rest. ‍
4. Business strategy. Culture is essential to the foundation of Small Great Ventures. Our strategy is built around our culture to ensure our focus on impact and people remain consistent in our day-to-day work.

What setting expectations in a well balanced work environment looks like to us

Setting, enforcing, and managing a culture of high performance requires very clear boundaries on where work ends and life starts. Small Great Ventures’ team members are expected to maintain ownership and quality oversight of their domain, projects, and tasks. This means independent management and work schedule, but it also means we expect quality work, a high-level of attention to detail, and the ability to manage time and tasks autonomously.

While we provide ample benefits, it also comes with high-performance expectations, which is important to note. We are building a culture that believes Discipline Equals Freedom. 

Living a healthy lifestyle comes with discipline, commitment, and grace, which in turn enables an individual to be better positioned to live the life they desire and do the things they love.

Words of workplace wellness wisdom (from the SGV team)

One of our core values at Small Great Ventures is to “take good care of ourselves”. We show up energized and empowered to fulfill our mission. 

To us, "good care" begins with respecting ourselves, setting healthy boundaries, and living well. Here are some of the ways the SGV team prioritizes health & wellness in the workplace:

Julie 

• I take a lunch every day! 
• Ending the day on time - and not working late is also super important. "Working late" sets unrealistic expectations for what it "really takes" to achieve a particular outcome and is a core tenet of "hustle culture" that is so unhealthy and unreasonable, I think.
• If you don’t feel great, take the day off. Staring at a screen never helped anyone get better.
• Restart the computer! I do this whenever I feel overwhelmed.

‍Jake

• I meditate each morning to set the tone for my day, as well as, work with a therapist bi-weekly.
• We do breath work as an opt-in group exercise during each Monday team meeting: low, slow, and through the nose calms the nervous system and refocuses us to the present moment.
• Pup walks break up the day and allow us both to stretch our legs.

‍Emily 

• Even though I set my own schedule, I make sure to block off an hour lunch every day. No exceptions.
• Workouts are key for me. They help me release stress and tension that build up without even realizing it through the day. Hot yoga and boxing are my go-tos, but a walk with a friend does a body (and mind) good too.
• Sundays are for unplugged relaxation and rejuvenation. I don’t check email or even open my computer. No screens, no work talk, no matter what.

‍Paisley

• I start my day with fresh air. A walk or cold dip (when I can) helps set the tone for my day. Cold dips are better than a triple shot of espresso without the caffeine anxiety (and then I look forward to sitting at my desk near the heater!)
• Working in social media makes it so easy to get lost in the screen world. I use the Freedom App which limits me from spending my evenings stuck there.
• I try to get out to a co-working space or library every couple days. Working remotely can be so isolating and it's nice to be around other people doing the same.
• Switching gears when I'm done at my computer helps to make the distinction between work time and personal time. I love getting out again at the end of the day for a walk or yoga class. 

Aaron

• This is VERY much a work in progress for me, but I find that it's what I do outside of the workplace that allows me to be thoughtful and focused inside the workplace.
• Starting the day with movement helps me clear my head. I get up early, take my dog for a walk, and supplement with workouts at the gym, hiking or golf.
• Playing music while working is helpful, as well. Usually Jazz or Classical melodies are on at all times. 
• I shut down when the office shuts down and do my best to refrain from working after hours. This includes putting devices down which allows me to be present and refuel by spending thoughtful, real time with my family…especially my daughter Cru.

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Aristotle once famously said, “the whole is greater than the sum of its parts.” In order to ensure that SGV as a whole is always operating at its best, we place wellness in the workplace front and center within our culture. We salute our fellow social impact companies walking the walk.

Small, but mighty ideas can turn into world-changing movements; at the heart of it all are the people behind them. It’s our duty to encourage them and champion their well-being. The world is counting on us!

What are mental wellness best practices you honor in the workplace? We'd love to learn more!