MURWork-related stress is a real thing, and it can turn the office environment toxic. There are infinite deadlines and a host of individual personal issues weighing on everyone’s mind. And the ever-increasing demands of management can in turn give birth to additional work-related stress . Employees are constantly exposed to tough situations; decisions of management can burden the tender shoulders of employees. Not only is this harmful to their mental and physical health, but it largely reflects in their work too.
It is necessary that organisations come forward to help their employees find an effective work-life balance. However, a lot of therapies suggested by psychiatrists might put your budget off the trail where as art therapies like Mandalas can work wonders while easily fitting within your budget.
What Is Art Therapy And Why It Is Better?
Practically speaking, not every member of your team would be able to afford traditional therapy. Also, it rarely happens that a person walks through the doors of a psychiatrist instantly is Able to confront their problems. Therapy often taken days, if not weeks depending on a person’s stress-level and problems.
What mandala art (or any other art therapy) does is, it instantly starts working on reducing the stress of a person. No one has to open up to anybody, but instead people can reflect their problems in the form of colors. Art can be therapeutic, and can help put at ease the emotional whirlpool that might be consuming your team members.
Art can be self-revealing and is less painful than talking. Every member of your team is going through their unique set of problems. Modern life, especially in urban cities can get hectic and people end up compromising their work-life balance over time. At the same time, people often find it uncomfortable to talk about their problems. And this bottling up of their emotions and problems wrecks havoc on their mental health, even leading to clinical depression in some cases.
Thus, art therapy can help your team members find an effective release for their inner most turmoil.
Significance Of Working With Art Therapists
Working with a licensed mandala artist provides professional counselling to understand one’s state of mind and emotions. It can be beneficial to provide tailor-made therapy.
Who should try art therapy?
One of the biggest perils of the modern life is a permanent state of stress, anxiety, and unpredictability. Add to this, a sudden change in the physical environment or a lifestyle change can result in addition stress. We live in a hectic world, which forces us to follow a monotonous pattern of life.
Creativity is lost in the same and what remains is the residue that lacks the “wow-factor” in the delivered work. Along with the management being disappointed, the people themselves are unhappy with their poor performance. Not being able to concentrate on work is one of the major issues faced by employees under stress. Mandala art helps them slow down and calm their minds. Art rejuvenates them and refuels new energy to take on the challenges.
Any of your team members who feel pressured with work, or has mental health issues including anxiety, attention disorder, or is processing grief and loss is bound to benefit from Mandala art therapy.
Organisational benefits of art therapy activities
The process of art therapy doesn’t imply finding the next Picasso in your office. Rather, it focuses on the process of creating something new. Mandala artists use color psychology to assess a person’s current state and help them cope with their problems using therapeutic methods. Thus, it is about connecting the dots of one’s life. And, the best thing is that you can start from where you find it the easiest.
Self-discovery
Self-discovery is important as over time, people start to lose themselves bit by bit. Their mental health suffers owing to the notions and expectations other people have from them. Creating art can help them effectively acknowledge their own subdued feelings and repressed pain. This helps them readjust their objectives and allows them to realise their responsibilities towards an organization.
Better team work
There are mandala art therapies, specifically designed for improving teamwork amongst your employees. They have proved to be beneficial in enhancing inter-team relationships. The emotional release experienced by your team members can help eliminate negativity and boost effective collaboration. Also, it can help your team discover each other’s creative side.
Emotional outlet
Life is complicated and emotions add to its complexity. People usually find it difficult to let go of grief and negative emotions and move on. Their feeling and fears stop them from becoming the best version of themselves. Sadness and anger sometimes can be more devastating than we think. Art provides a healthy way to release all such pent up emotions. Whether it is in the form of colours or patterns, art provides a safe space for your team members to process their most difficult emotions.
Self-esteem
Nothing makes a person more confident than knowing they can tackle their problems on their own. The path of self-discovery can help them untangle their innermost thoughts with ease. This can further reinstate a newfound confidence in their own abilities. This will result in your team taking on bigger challenges with passion and a sense of ownership. They will also exhibit an improved decision making and ability to assess a situation close to accurate.
Stress relief
Will I be able to retain my job next fiscal? My poor performance might hinder my chances of getting a promotion? The new employee hired, is he my replacement? People are worried all the time with these and many other problems; it only results in a lack of concentration and reduced self-esteem. Creating art can help them relax their mind and start over again.
Inculcating creativity
Each person is creative in their own way; they have their unique talents, and art can be very beneficial in enhancing creativity. The best thing about mandala art is; it gives them the freedom to take the lead of their own life and their talent. As I said earlier it is not about finding the next Picasso, but surely it will help them find themselves.Putting it all together
Mandala Art is a beautiful process but most importantly it is self-revealing. Even professional painters express their emotions, thoughts with colors and patterns. Mandala art therapy can thus serve the same purpose in your organization to create a very healthy work environment. It works with each employee individually or in a group. Your employee well-being is your responsibility, plus it will always benefit you in the form of their piqued energy, creativity, productivity and unshakeable belief in your values and vision!
This blog was contributed to us by Ranjini Rao. She is a Mandala Art expert, Executive Coach, Design Thinker, Wellness & Arts Counsellor, Growth Mindset Mentor, B2B Digital Strategy Consultant and one of our favourite associate facilitators!
