We’re all familiar with the idea of a music playlist: the party playlist, 80s playlist, Star Lord’s playlist. I’ve even got a yacht rock playlist on spotify!. But have you ever come across the ‘wellbeing playlist’? I was introduced to this idea when I was studying positive psychology years ago, and like all the best ideas, it’s really simple.
In summary you make a list of all the things that give you a lift, put a smile on your face, make you feel happy, at peace, content… you decide. The idea is that you consciously pay attention to the stuff that gives you a hit of positive emotions. My wellbeing playlist involves the following:
- Listening to great music
- Playing my bass guitar
- A walk on the beach
- A swim in the sea
- Going to a gig
- Reading a good book
- A BBQ with friends
- Having half an hour with a cup of tea and a magazine
- Cooking a roast dinner with my family
- Dancing with my friends
- Enjoying a lovely meal with good company
- Giving my kids a hug
You get the idea…. It’s very simple, write down the stuff that gives you a lift and make sure you make time for the things that make you smile. A simple smile triggers the release of mood-enhancing neurotransmitters such as dopamine and serotonin, and this in turn relaxes you and can lower your heart-rate and blood pressure. Granted you may need to tweak your list for our current situation.
With this in mind, we have decided to launch the weekly “People Lab Playlist’ which is full of stuff to (hopefully) make you smile. Every week we’re going to share good news stories from around the world, as well as stories from companies who are getting it right with their people in these challenging times. We’re also going to share stories from the ‘new normal’ from everyday people around the world and hear about their playlists and positives. There’s also lots of really cool stuff happening right now: a virtual day at Chester Zoo, pub quizzes and free cooking lessons from a michelin-starred chef!
If you’d like to receive the People Lab Playlist direct to your inbox sign up here (you can unsubscribe really easily if it’s not for you). Or keep an eye on our social feeds for all the uplifting content we’ll be sharing. And don’t forget, we’re also hosting a weekly Wellbeing Lunch, we’d love it if you can join us.
