THE latest in a series of Continuing Professional Development (CPD) events hosted by the Isle of Man Insurance and Financial Services Institute took place recently at the Claremont Hotel, Douglas.
The event was titled Positive Psychology in the Workplace and was led by Dr Helen Nightingale.
As a chartered clinical and occupational psychologist with more than 35 years experience, Dr Nightingale has worked as a change consultant in London for the NHS and as a consultant in Harley Street for many years as well as having worked in the USA and Australia.
She has been working in the Isle of Man for the past 12 years as a mental health commissioner for the Island.
The talk was about positive psychology in the work place. The school of positive psychology, which was launched by Martin Seligman about 15 years ago, has helped many people improve their wellbeing and resilience in a range of environments, including in schools, at home and in the workplace.
According to Dr Nightingale, these new helpful behaviours and thoughts can be trained up in a few weeks.
She said: "Positive psychology is focused heavily on the cognitive basis of psychology and looks at how authentic happiness is not based on money and material goods but on how we attribute our life experiences and achievements to ourselves.
"We remember past times better when four main factors are operating: sociability, generosity, kindness and compassion.
"These factors always encourage happiness. So we can conclude that when we are outgoing and giving of our time in a positive and altruistic way we shall benefit from a better feeling of wellbeing. No matter how many cars, new kitchens, golf clubs or shoes we buy, the 'feeling good' mode lasts far less time than the 'wellbeing' mode."
The audience were invited to take part in a brief experiment for themselves by just recording their thoughts and understandings over the period of a week and then revisiting them after sometime had passed.
At that time they are asked to reappraise those thoughts and worries when the anxiety has passed.
The idea is that most people will conclude that much of their worrying is a complete waste of time and reduces their opportunities to engage in purposeful and interesting thinking and behaviour.
Dr Nightingale added: "People can be trained to use their emotional intelligence and reliance in the workplace.
"The key messages are focused on managing and balancing emotions and attending to helpful and rational thoughts, which are based on clear evidence rather than speculation and worrying.
"This can be done over the period of a week and supported over a further three weeks.
"Research has shown that over a four week period a person’s wellbeing at work can be improved by this small experiment."
Left to right, Ann Collins, Isle of Man Insurance and Financial Services Institute education secretary, Dr Helen Nightingale and Sharon Sutton, deputy president of the Isle of Man Insurance and Financial Services Institute
(Photo courtesy of Isle of Man Newspapers)
