At Bloom 360 Workplace we believe that caring for oneself is fundamental to creating peace and transformation in the world around us. We also believe that to create the type of transformation we are seeking, it is essential to honor the fullness of humanity of those working toward that goal. As both stakeholders and active changemakers in this transformation, the issues we work on permeate every facet of our lives, both personal and professional. 

Often the work we all do - whether in the food industry, private business, social work, government positions, healthcare, non-profit, technology, transportation or any other industry - the demands are 24/7 and can often feel unending. When compounded with a mentality of scarcity and competition that tends to be a predominant societal paradigm, this often leads to cycles of constant work with few breaks or opportunities to step away, which then breeds burnout, mental health concerns and an overall diminishing of enjoyment of life.  

Over the course of our combined decades in social justice, our team directly experienced and witnessed the cycles of toxicity, competition and overexertion of individuals working in organizations who espouse external values of dignity, balance, and respect, yet who do not always prioritize these tenets for their own employees and staff. To set an example of how to counter this long-standing trend and intentionally create a culture that authentically, boldly, and proudly puts into practice our own company values, Bloom 360 Workplace implements dedicated, consistent and fully paid time and space for self-care, reflection, quiet work and rebalancing. 

One example of this is through “Self-Retreat Weeks” where for one week each quarter, and sometimes more during the summer, we carve out dedicated time for our team to exist without any meetings - internal or external - and without any deadlines that would necessitate regular work hours. Instead, each team member is given the space and opportunity to use the week in whatever way feels most nourishing to them: spending time in nature; finding time to reflect on long-term goals and aspirations; spending time with loved ones; starting or deepening a self-care practice; reflecting on what will most help them maintain balance when they return to work, and so much more. 

This intentional time of rest and rebalancing seeks to counter a culture that constantly demands our attention, responsiveness, and expects that we be available 24/7 in a state of crisis, sacrifice and tension. This practice reflects our understanding that in order to fully unlock and harness the potential of every team member, a balanced, holistic, supportive and flexible work environment is essential. As a small team, we often produce high caliber work beyond what our team size would suggest we are capable of. We believe this achievement is made possible by:

• creating a work culture that supports each of us as full-humans,

• respects the peaks and valleys of life, offers moments for bursts of intensity and creativity balanced with long stretches of lower impact expectations, 

• rewards and celebrates each of us individually and together, 

• and focuses on the excellence of the work, trusting that each person can calibrate, self-regulate and choose to be accountable for playing their part toward our common goals and objectives.

Here’s a glimpse of what our team members value the most about self-retreat weeks:

Sadia: Self-Retreat weeks are usually a time of tremendous growth for me personally, as my days find reprieve from the busyness of everyday work tasks and focus more deeply on reflection, creativity, self-care and rest. In the process, my ideas, creativity and energy tend to refuel allowing me to return to the day to day work with a fresh perspective and a more optimized mindset that allows me to work efficiently with more ease. 

Samantha: Though it seems counterintuitive at first, taking time away from work to recover, reset and have the space to nourish myself yields tangible improvements in my ability to perform prolifically when I return. Taking time to go out and enjoy my home in New York City with my family for example, rejuvenates me and opens up space in my mind to ideate new ways Bloom 360 Workplace can make positive change in the world, and that is so exciting!

Self-Retreat Weeks are one unique way that we reflect a number of our core operating values in practice. From Operating with a Spirit of Trust, Transparency and Abundance, to Promoting Thriving Work Environments that Optimize Talent, while Creating Nourishing New Beliefs and Solutions as well as Modeling Best Practices Through Our Work, we believe that this is a practice that can really help to enhance and transform your team’s productivity, impact and sustainability. It conveys a true spirit of spaciousness and a recognition that talent needs creative space to be nurtured, that new ideas and innovation can crystallize in those quieter moments and that each person is deeply valued and offered an opportunity for rest, reflection and nourishment. It also debunks the myth that being busy is the same as being productive and is quite likely to surprise you as it works to optimize your team and level them up in ways you have previously not experienced. It is also one wonderful way to implement our Essential Building Block for Thriving Workplaces that focuses on Embracing a Culture of Flexibility & Ease. To learn more about our core values, please click here; to learn more about the 7 Essential Building Blocks, please click here; to learn more about our self-retreat weeks feel free to reach out to Sadia Hameed at sadia@bloom360workplace.com.