December Newsletter

Hello and welcome to the latest helpful, informative, (hopefully) funny and slightly sweary new issue of the PUSH newsletter.?

This month we’re talking about the huge new challenges middle managers face in the?Point of View,?and introducing a brilliant new mental health platform in the?PUSH spotlight, which we know is going to do a?wholelot of good.?

And did we mention that we hung out with the genius that is Russell Kane for our?Safe Spaces?interview? Not only was he hilarious (naturally) he was also brutally honest about his former anger issues, and revealed the Safe Spaces mistake people may not realise they’re making.?

Feedback is always welcome!

Cate x

PUSH Pause for Thought

We’d all like to be?that?person.The one who is constantly there for our friends, family, colleagues or employees. Or that person on the bus who wants to tell you their life story. But sometimes you’ve got to cut yourself some slack and remember that you’re only one person and you can’t do it all.?

In the PUSH Point of View this month we’re discussing how middle managers are increasingly being squeezed from all angles, and that situation can also equate to our everyday lives.?

When you feel like you’ve given all you have and your emotional bin is full to bursting, you have no choice but to dig deep and say a firm ‘no’.?

If you end up exhausted and unwell you won’t be able to help anyone, so remember it really is okay to put yourself first as often as you need to.?

PUSH Up

Amazing news just in for anyone who’s on a healing journey! You’re not doing it wrong, there is no straight line to enlightenment! Does anyone else feel very fucking relieved to hear that??

This amazing gif that?shreemwellbeing?shared on Instagram?says it all; healing isn’t linear.?

You rise, you fall. You fail, you succeed. And every one of those things, no matter how shit or wonderful, is teaching us who really are and helping up to move forward in life - even if we have to take a couple of steps back now and again to do that.

Our biggest takeaway from this? Trust your journey and don’t compare it to anyone else’s because we’re all going to have different experiences.?

And they all are, in their own way, perfect.?

PUSH POV: Why it sucks to be stuck in the middle

Middle management – the key to connected workplaces

Middle managers are the engine of your business, the cog that keeps the wheels turning and the glue that keeps it together - but they’re in a giant game of tug-of-war between their bosses and direct reports. Put bluntly, businesses are on the verge of a mass mental breakdown around their midriffs.

With the world of work turning on its axis, middle managers are experiencing more financial and emotional pressure than ever before. So, who is supporting the supporters? Who is managing the middle managers’ ‘mental wealth?'?Organisations looking to improve productivity, reduce sick leave and improve employee retention must pay more attention to this increasingly put-upon section of the workforce.?It’s time for CEOs to step up and realise that it’s their employees who drive their profits and those people need looking after.?

Pull quote: “It’s time for CEOs to step up and realise that it’s their employees who drive their profits and those people need looking after.”

Additionally, middle managers are having to prove their worth and keep people in line so they don’t lose?their?jobs. They are being squeezed from every angle.

They are managing both up and down and are not given the appropriate tools to look after their teams; many of whom will need individual support.

They are even more susceptible to mental health issues or burnout. A recent Microsoft investigation reported that?48% of employees say that they’re already burned out at work, while 53% of managers feel the same.?How do we ensure they are equipped to top up their own - as well as many other people's - 'mental wealth' banks? They must be cared for on every level because they are going to need support systems more than anyone.

So why?aren’t?they getting the help they need?

Read More

PUSH Safe Spaces:?This month I chatted to comedian, presenter, biohacker and all-round bloody great bloke Russell Kane for an interview that was every bit as insightful as it was surprising. Find out why he believes?talking has the edge over medication and that?the key to major personal change and healing is self-insight (but it’s not the faint-hearted).

Watch the full interview here

PUSH spotlight on… Jaaq.org

When we heard about Jaaq here at PUSH we knew it was the kind of thing you guys would want to know about. This amazing new non-profit mental health social media platform is all about getting people to open up (its name is an acronym for 'just ask a question') and it's an initiative that is for?everyone.?Its aim is to change the world of mental health one question at a time.

It boasts incredibly inclusive content covering everything from anxiety and autism, and disability and race. It gives people the opportunity to search for answers according to whatever difficulties they’re facing at the click of a button.?

You can get feedback from world-leading experts as well as people who have experienced the same things as you, and we bloody love it.?

You can follow them on Instagram at?jaaqofficial.?

PUSH Person

Coach of the month:?

Jo Ketley

If you're feeling stuck or confused about your next work move, Jo is just the person help you get unstuck and back on the right career path. She worked in the advertising industry for 15 years before becoming a career and personal development coach, so she knows a thing or two about pressure/job plot twists. She promises to 'supercharge your motivation' and we can definitely attest to that.?

See you next year! Have an incredible festive break x