Finding our ‘headspace in housing’: An honest conversation about wellbeing

Working in housing can be incredibly rewarding, but let's be honest, it's also incredibly demanding. We're on the front lines, helping people with one of life's most fundamental needs – a safe and secure home. This often means dealing with complex situations and carrying a significant emotional load. That's why events like ‘headspace in housing’ are so vital.

CIH Futures recently brought together young housing professionals and mental health experts for a truly honest conversation about managing our mental health and wellbeing in the workplace. It was a powerful session, and we were thrilled to welcome Patricia Martin from Tricia Wellness and Stephen Wray from Leno (formerly Inspire Wellbeing).

Understanding compassion fatigue: you can't fix everything

Stephen kicked off the session with an excellent and much-needed discussion on compassion fatigue, guilt, and the crucial lesson that you can't fix everything. This resonated with everyone in the room. In housing, we're constantly striving to help tenants and service users, but sometimes the issues we face are simply beyond our direct control. Stephen reminded us how important it is to recognise our boundaries – we can only do what we can, so long as we've genuinely tried to achieve the best outcome for the person.

A key takeaway for me was Stephen's emphasis on regularly assessing our motivations, enjoyments, strengths, achievements, feelings, and attitudes. This simple practice can make a huge difference in maintaining a healthier mental headspace. He also highlighted the power of finding that all-important 'me-time', stressing the value of taking breaks and truly being ’in the moment’ for reflection.

Breathing our way to calm

Stephen's points led beautifully into Patricia's session, where she guided the group through a breathwork workshop. This was all about relaxing our minds and bodies through different breathing techniques which encouraged us to become more aware of our bodies and concentrate solely on reaching a state of deep relaxation and mental clarity.

What a fantastic way to wind down the working week. Given the daily stresses of our jobs in housing, these techniques are incredibly useful for relieving everyday work stress and fatigue.

Why events like these matter so much

Events like ‘headspace in housing’ are truly fantastic. They provide invaluable tools and insights for those of us working in the housing sector. If you're looking to learn something beneficial for your role and connect with others facing similar challenges, I'd strongly encourage you to get involved with CIH Futures events in the future. Each one tackles a different, pressing issue, and you're guaranteed to finish the session having learned something you can immediately apply.