Supporting you to support yourself

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There are many resources available to promote, support and improve health and wellbeing for individuals, teams and organisations. To help navigate the wide range of tools and learning available, experts working in the field have shared the resources they find most valuable.

Resources for health and wellbeing

Amanda Super is a Chartered Occupational Psychologist who specialises in developing self-compassion in the workplace. She suggests a range of tools:

  • Self-Compassion (2011) by Dr Kristin Neff: A seminal book that helped bring self-compassion into the mainstream. It provides an accessible and insightful introduction to the practice and benefits of self-compassion.
  • Headspace: Meditation app offering a wide range of guided meditation sessions of different lengths. Suitable for beginners, with introductory content available for free.
  • Self-compassion.org: A dedicated website featuring guided relaxation exercises and self-assessment tools that help individuals understand and develop their level of self-compassion.
  • Food Psych with Christy Harrison (podcast): A podcast exploring topics including relationships with food, body image, eating disorders, weight and size acceptance, non-diet nutrition, exercise, self-compassion and self-care from a body-positive at every size perspective.
  • NHS Employers: A comprehensive collection of health and wellbeing resources designed to support the health and wellbeing of NHS employees and their colleagues. Resources include an emotional wellbeing toolkit and a wide range of practical guidance and information

Rene Barrett is an independent development consultant with a focus on improving organisational and individual performance, resilience and wellbeing. Below are her ‘top five’ suggestions:

  • Positive Psychology – A toolkit for happiness, purpose and wellbeing by Bridget Grenville Cleave: This is a practical translation of the research evidence that suggests around 40% of our happiness and wellbeing is determined by intentional activities, i.e. the things people can do every day. It provides dozens of different activities and exercises which show how to apply the scientific findings at home and at work.
  • Action For Happiness: A website that provides hundreds of resources, books, worksheets, posters, exercises, etc., designed to support happier and more fulfilling lives. Drawing on evidence-based research 10 Keys to Happier Living its approach centres around ten keys to happier living and practical ways to apply them.
  • On Managing Yourself: HBR 10 Must Reads: A collection of articles and insights from leading thinkers on personal effectiveness, resilience and self-management. The book provides practical advice for managing the pressures of modern working life, improving performance and achieving greater work-life balance.