Wellness practitioner Robin Wilson is concerned about burnout with many of us getting sent too much information, which is leading to us feeling as if we’re always on.
“We are bombarded by information and not hitting the off button. We’re constantly on and wired. We need to stop. If we’re constantly in the red zone of stress, we will run out of fuel. We need to listen to the warning signs.”
Robin’s businesses, Holistic Wellness and Workplace Wellness, is built around helping people and workplaces avoid burnout and achieve health and wellbeing. These journeys to wellness began with her own.
It began with a moment of realisation one morning, when she and her family were camping with friends.
As she says in a blog, “I woke feeling dreadful… The previous day had been awesome, and we’d enjoyed a fun night, but somehow, my off switch once again malfunctioned.
“By the time enough was enough, it was too late.”
Robin had made the decision to stop drinking and get well before, but this time, she was determined to make it stick.
At the time, she had a stressful and busy career in banking and a seriously unwell husband.
“I look back at some decisions and wonder what I was thinking – like going to a bank conference rather than my son’s Year 13 prizegiving and finding out afterwards he was awarded a scholarship. This wasn’t a rational decision, it was fear based.”
She embarked on a quest for wellness but considered only her physical health.
“My life was still out of balance, as I only addressed one aspect. The warning signs were there, and I ended up with the autoimmune disease Ulcerative Colitis.”
Robin’s focus on her own wellness eventually became an exploration of how she could help others on the same journey. After leaving the bank, she trained as a massage therapist, and a health and wellness coach and through taking a holistic approach, Robin healed herself.
Now, she helps people in similar situations, supporting clients on their journey to get their life back on track with better balance.
During a brief interlude working for a charity, Robin met Leonie Wallwork, who could become a friend and business partner.
They decided to go to Outward Bound together, and it was there that the idea for a Workplace Wellness business was born.
Workplace Wellness applies the same principles to workplaces as Robin does to individuals: it helps them increase productivity by becoming resilient, robust and resourceful through a purposeful, strategic approach.
Robin says the need for support has increased exponentially with COVID-19.
“What are we seeing? Tired people, who limped to Christmas last year without a break.
“People with capacity issues. People with a great work ethic, who don’t set boundaries or hit the pause button.
“People whose values are being tested, who are feeling unsure about having difficult conversations in their workplaces. People working from home and working through when sick… not taking leave despite their employers’ strong encouragement.”
Robin credits her own tenacity and curiosity with how far she has come personally, and with her two businesses.
“I love learning new things; my coaching studies were a game changer for me.”
She believes that both individuals and businesses need to seek help to understand.
“So many of our issues stem from a lack of conversations and understanding.”
At its simplest, Robin says that businesses, and people, should be clear about their core principles.
“Values are like our GPS. If we’re not living in line with our values and purpose, that’s when it goes bad.”
“We need multiple tools in our toolkit, and we need to be open to learning. That way, we’re better equipped to deal with the inevitable rocks in the road.”
