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Glimmers at Work: Small Moments That Support Employee Wellbeing

Workdays are full of demands, deadlines, and constant stimulation. Over time, this can lead us into a low-level stress state that in turn can create to fatigue, disengagement, and burnout. So where do ‘glimmers’ come in and how can they help?

What are Glimmers?

Glimmers are small, positive cues that signal safety and calm to the nervous system. They offer a simple, practical way to counterbalance stress during the workday. When we start to notice and create these micro-moments of calm, they can regulate our nervous systems, improve focus, and help us feel more grounded at work.

From workplace triggers to workplace glimmers

In a work environment, triggers are everywhere:

  • A flood of emails
  • Back-to-back meetings
  • Tight deadlines
  • Difficult conversations
  • Notifications and interruptions

These cues can push the body into a stress response: faster heart rate, shallow breathing, tension, and mental overload. While this response can help in short bursts, staying in it all day reduces productivity, creativity, and wellbeing.

Glimmers do the opposite. They are brief experiences that shift the nervous system from stress mode into a calmer, more regulated state. They don’t require time off or a major schedule change, they can happen right at a desk, in a meeting, or on a quick break.

Why glimmers matter at work

We naturally focus on problems and pressures. In the workplace, this can mean that we spend most of the day reacting to what’s urgent, stressful, or demanding. Intentionally noticing small positive moments helps rebalance that experience. Over time, this can:

  • Reduce feelings of overwhelm
  • Improve emotional regulation
  • Support focus and decision-making
  • Increase resilience during busy periods
  • Contribute to a more positive workplace culture

Glimmers are not about ignoring challenges, they are about giving the nervous system moments to reset so that you can better handle those challenges.

What workplace glimmers look like

Glimmers at work are often subtle and easy to overlook:

  • A warm drink during a pause between tasks
  • Natural light coming through a window
  • A friendly chat with a colleague
  • A moment of quiet before a meeting starts
  • Crossing something off a to-do list
  • Listening to a favourite song on the way to work
  • Taking a deep breath before opening the next email

These moments are brief but noticing them helps create small pockets of calm throughout the day.

5 ways we can find glimmers during the workday

1. Set a simple intention
Look for one or two glimmers during your workday — perhaps during your morning coffee, lunch break, or between meetings.

2. Build mindful pauses into the day
Short pauses to breathe, stretch, or look away from a screen can make it easier to notice what feels good or calming in the moment.

3. Let the moment register
When a glimmer appears, pause for a few seconds to really notice it. What do you see, hear, or feel? This helps the nervous system absorb the benefit.

4. Keep a glimmer log
A quick note at the end of the day about small positive moments can shift attention away from only remembering what was stressful.

5. Share glimmers as a team
Managers or teams can normalise this practice by inviting each other to share a small positive moment at the start of a meeting. This builds connection while reinforcing the habit.

Supporting a culture of glimmers

Leaders and organisations can make it easier for employees to experience glimmers by:

  • Encouraging real breaks away from screens
  • Providing access to natural light or calming spaces
  • Modelling mindful pauses and realistic pacing
  • Recognising small wins and everyday contributions
  • Creating moments of genuine connection within teams

Glimmers are small by nature, but their impact on workplace wellbeing can be significant. By helping employees notice and value these micro-moments of calm, organisations can support a healthier, more resilient, and more focused workforce.

Blue Monday – Spend time, not money

You’ve all probably heard of Blue Monday. A widely reported day in the media telling us that it’s the most depressing day of the year. But why? Blue Monday was first introduced in 2005 for a marketing campaign by a UK travel company working with a psychologist to increase holiday sales at a time when businesses was generally slow. They came up with a formula which looked at typical weather in January (grey, cold, grim), the levels of post-Christmas debt (high), time since the holidays and people’s overall levels of motivation as a result. They decided that this ‘formula’ came up with the third Monday of January – often considered a month that feels long and challenging – was the most depressing day of the year and do the perfect day to book a holiday to cheer ourselves up. The formula had no real scientific basis and was widely criticised and discredited as simply being a marketing gimmick, however the phrase stuck and has continued to be used for both marketing purposes but also as a way of raising awareness of mental health.

While Blue Monday continues to put money in the pockets of retail companies looking to offload old stock with sales and discounts to prepare for their spring lines, many mental health organisations and charities have adopted the day and given it a positive spin.

Rather than encouraging us to spend money, Blue Monday is considered by many as a way to remind us to spend time to reflect and talk about the importance of mental wellbeing, the stigma surrounding mental health and to check in on friends and family who may be struggling and facing challenges especially at the time of year when some people are affected by symptoms of Seasonal Affective Disorder (link to find out more below), or feel ‘flat’ after the overwhelm of the Christmas period, or those who may be experiencing grief or loss which can be exacerbated by the chaos and franticness of the holidays.

How can we promote Blue Monday positively?

  • Use your social media channels to encourage open conversation about how people are feeling during the winter months and post-Christmas.
  • Share your own story and thoughts (if you feel comfortable doing so) and tell others what helps you cope and get through this period.
  • Have a moment of self-reflection – how do you feel? Why are you feeling this way? What will help you?
  • Promote the idea of a gentle, quiet month to ease into the year and embrace the winter as a cosy opportunity to slow down a little if that’s what’s needed. It doesn’t have to be about resolutions, diets, pressure to set goals, exercise regimes and noise. But if that’s what works for you, that’s fine too.
  • Encourage and share information about mental health. There’s so many great free resources out there from mental health organisations and charities. A simple web search will send you in the right direction.
  • Encourage your workplace to get involved by reminding employees of what’s on offer to support their wellbeing and doing this regularly not just on key mental health dates during the year.
  • Remember that our mental health and wellbeing is important all day, every day not just on Blue Monday or Mental Health Awareness Day. Make it a habit to check in on yourself and others and reach out for support when you need it.

Find out more about Seasonal Affective Disorder here:

https://www.mentalhealth.org.uk/explore-mental-health/a-z-topics/seasonal-affective-disorder-sad

Midlife crisis or something more?

November marks Men’s Health Month, raising awareness of both mental health and physical health. With International Men’s Day coming up on Wednesday 19th November, Maria took some time to talk to Alban about his experiences of midlife changes and the little talked about Andropause.

What is Andropause?

We’ve all heard of Menopause and likely to know something about it, but did you know that many men also go through something linked to mid-age called Andropause. There has been much debate (and still is) whether Andropause actually exists, however it is now generally accepted in medical circles that it is indeed real. Similar to Menopause, Andropause is due to age-related hormonal changes in men, but the decline is far more gradual making it harder to understand and recognise. Symptoms are often shrugged off as a ‘midlife crisis’ and not spoken about or taken seriously.

“The first thing I noticed was a change in my mood. I was experiencing mood swings which just didn’t feel normal for me. I then found there were changes in what I was eating, how I was behaving towards people, my tolerance levels were affected, there was a loss in libido, body changes, not sleeping properly and I was finding it harder to motivate myself to do things I had usually enjoyed.

It was clear to me that something had changed. I didn’t feel like myself, so I started researching my symptoms and found out about Andropause. I realised I was going through a mixture of Andropause and the more widely known mid-life symptoms. What I was experiencing began to make sense.

I sought help and advice and eventually was able to speak with a therapist. Once these natural changes were explained to me, I was able to begin to accept the changes and find ways to manage them, rather than fight them. Prior to seeking help, I was finding it very difficult to accept that I was going through a change, and this is linked to aging.

I started to work on my mindset and do things that helped my mental health and also encouraged myself to get up and get on with things which made me feel better. I realised that there were imply some things that were no longer of interest to me, and that was OK.

I really believe that this is something we need to talk more about instead of sweeping it under the carpet or laughing it off as a midlife crisis. It’s important that everyone has some understanding of this so that men aren’t nervous to bring it up and to ensure that they’re supported through difficult feelings and emotions, as well as the physical symptoms which occur. I found that when I was going through this initially, friends didn’t understand what was happening and were choosing to stay away due to my difficult mood swings. It had a large effect on my social life, as things which were previously exciting were no longer appealing. Friends found this hard as I wasn’t that person anymore.

I’d say to anyone potentially going through similar to seek help and talk to someone. Go to your GP and make an effort to understand your symptoms and find how best to manage them.”

The facts

What Is Andropause?

  • Unlike Menopause, which involves a sharp drop in oestrogen, Andropause is gradual and starts in the early 40s and 50s.
  • Testosterone levels decline slowly over years, and not all men experience noticeable symptoms.
  • It’s also known medically as androgen deficiency in the aging male.

Common Symptoms

  • Low energy and fatigue
  • Mood swings, irritability, or depression
  • Reduced libido and erectile dysfunction
  • Loss of muscle mass and strength
  • Increased body fat
  • Difficulty concentrating and memory issues
  • Poor sleep or insomnia

Midlife Crisis vs. Andropause

  • A midlife crisis is more psychological — often triggered by life reflection, career dissatisfaction, or aging fears.
  • Andropause is physiological — driven by hormonal changes.
  • However, they can overlap: hormonal shifts may amplify emotional struggles during midlife.

Is It Treatable?

  • Yes, but treatment depends on severity and cause.
  • Options include lifestyle changes, stress management, and in some cases, testosterone replacement therapy (TRT) — though TRT has risks and must be medically supervised.

To find out more about Andropause and help available visit www.nhs.uk/conditions/male-menopause