Self Help

Current COVID-19 restrictions mean we are confined with all but essential movements banned for the immediate future. For many of us, this has meant working from home and staying indoors. For those in our community experiencing domestic and family violence, it can make it even harder to get
help.

This training aims to provide an awareness of domestic and family violence and support staff to respond confidently and appropriately to employees who may be affected by it.

In Australia, domestic and family violence is a prevalent issue which is impacting employees in most workplaces.
Domestic and family violence is characterised by a dynamic between people in an intimate personal or family relationship where 'violent, threatening or other behaviour by a person coerces or controls another person and/or causes that person to be fearful'. More than ever, workplaces are now required
to find ways to support employees impacted by Domestic and Family Violence and provide options for employees to seek assistance.

Topics covered include:

• What is Domestic and Family Violence (DFV)
• The impact of DFV
• Patterns of behaviour
• What constitutes violence against women (VAW)?
• Why violence against women occurs  - gender equality
• Attitudes to Gender Equality & VAW
• Common emotional responses
• Responding to disclosures of DFV
• Ways to support an employee experiencing DFV
• Referral options
• Available support

Please contact whs@westernsydney.edu.au for a list of available sessions.

Please note: This training is intended for ALL staff.

Western Sydney University values the physical and mental health of our workers, students and community. We have developed a range of programs promoting the importance of health and wellbeing. For information and assistance with Family Violence matters please see links below.

• 1800 Respect 
• Men’s Referral Service 
• Kid’s Helpline 
• White Ribbon Australia 
• Advice on how to get help or creating a safety plan

Presented by Dr Carolyn Ee, GP and Senior Research Fellow, NICM Health Research Institute

Productivity

• Stop multitasking (it reduces productivity by 40%)
• Timing is everything -  schedule in time before noon for deep/complex work, save the afternoon for creative or big picture work. This aligns better with our natural daily rhythms.
• When taking breaks, aim for movement, social connection, getting outdoors, and/or full detachment from work for the break to be of most benefit
• Full psychological detachment after work hours is crucial for building resilience and preventing burnout. Have set times for start and end of the day to prevent work creeping into leisure hours and take proper breaks in the evening and on weekends.
• Reduce workload by thinking about how to do meetings better: Reconsider recurrent meetings (can they be an email); aim for 30 minutes for a default meeting instead of 60; strict time allocations to keep people on track; count the cost of your meetings Wellness/self care
• Forest bathing – taking a walk among trees, use mindfulness to notice sounds, sights, smells of the forest – reduces stress and blood pressure
• Gratitude
• Getting enough sleep – important for optimal physical and mental health
• Get outdoors – several times a day if possible, for exercise and sunlight, improves physical and mental health, focus and creativity

Wellbeing, Productivity and Burnout presentation (PDF, 8230.2 KB) (opens in a new window)