A Heart-Healthy Valentine’s: Practical Ways to Care for Your Heart at Work

Heart health isn’t just a personal goal; it’s a workplace essential. In highly regulated environments, where precision, consistency and time pressure are part of the job, stress and sedentary routines can quietly chip away at wellbeing. The good news? Small, repeatable habits at work – the kind you can fit into a normal shift – can meaningfully protect your heart and steady your mind.

Below are practical, psychology-informed strategies employees can use right away, followed by a look at how Aviagroup brought these ideas to life during its “A Heart-Healthy Valentine’s” event.

Practical Strategies for Managing Stress at Work

Stress is inevitable; suffering is optional. While workplaces can (and should) provide resources and support, responsibility for daily choices ultimately sits with each of us. These techniques put control back in your hands.

1) Strengthen Your Internal Locus of Control

An internal locus of control means recognising that your actions influence outcomes more than external circumstances do. This mindset lowers stress because it increases your sense of agency.

Try this:

· Language shift: Replace “I have to…” with “I choose to… because…”. “I choose to complete this checklist carefully because safety matters.”

· Control the controllables: Your preparation, effort, communication and follow-through.

· Micro-goals per shift: Three small wins (e.g., prep tools early, tidy workstation, clarify one instruction).

· The 10–10–10 reset: Will this matter in 10 minutes, 10 days, 10 months? Respond accordingly.

2) Build Everyday Resilience

Resilience isn’t about never feeling pressure; it’s about recovering quickly and learning from it.

Habits that help:

· One-minute pre-brief: “What’s likely today? What will I do well?”

· One-minute debrief: “What worked? What will I tweak tomorrow?”

· Pause power: Before reacting, pause for 10 seconds. Breathe, then respond.

· Resilience log (weekly): Note two challenges you handled and one lesson learned.

3) Reduce the Impact of Gossip

Gossip increases tension and drains focus. You may not stop it, but you can opt out.

Practical lines and boundaries:

· Neutral exit: “I’m not sure — best to ask them directly.”

· No airtime: A brief “Hmm” and a pivot back to the task.

· Address issues at the source: If it affects your work, speak calmly to the person involved.

· Protect your headspace: Remind yourself that rumours reflect the environment, not your value.

4) Create Micro-Moments of Calm

You don’t need long meditation sessions. Short resets regulate the nervous system fast.

Rapid techniques (use between tasks):

· Box breathing (1 minute): Inhale 4 → hold 4 → exhale 4 → hold 4.

· Grounding (30 seconds): Name 3 things you see, 2 you feel, 1 you hear.

· Movement reset: Stand, roll shoulders, 20-step walk, gentle back stretch.

5) Support Your Heart With Simple Daily Choices

Behaviour change is a series of small commitments you keep with yourself.

Own your routine:

· Snack smart: Raw vegetables, fresh fruit, yoghurt, nuts or pulses over sugary options.

· Hydrate on schedule: A few sips at the top of each hour.

· Move every 60–90 minutes: A quick walk or stretch breaks up sitting.

· Ask early: If you’re stuck or stressed, reach out for help before it snowballs.

“A Heart-Healthy Valentine’s” at Aviagroup

To turn principles into practice, Aviagroup marked Valentine’s Day with a hands-on wellbeing initiative focused on cardiovascular health.

· On-site health checks with Matter of Care: Professional nurses from Matter of Care were available to take employees’ vitals and offer personalised guidance. The approachable setup made it easy for team members to ask questions and understand their numbers.

· Lifestyle talk with Diane Borg: Lifestyle coach Diane Borg delivered a practical session on building everyday habits around balanced nutrition, dietary diversity and achievable movement. Her key message: sustainable change comes from small, repeatable choices you can keep – not perfection.

· Heart-healthy treats and take-home tools: Employees enjoyed fresh fruit, yoghurts and nuts, plus practical souvenirs to support wellbeing at home: packets of pulses, recipe books and a stress ball – a nod to both physical and mental health.

The response across the workforce was enthusiastic, with strong attendance and active engagement throughout. Many participants highlighted how useful it was to pair immediate health checks with actionable strategies they could use on the next shift.

From One Event to an Ongoing Commitment

Given the positive uptake, Aviagroup is now developing a regular wellbeing calendar to help employees take better care of their health year-round. The aim is simple: keep making it easy for people to choose well — while emphasising that personal responsibility remains the driving force behind lasting change.

With thanks to our collaborators, whose services and supplies were integral to the success of the day: Matter of Care, Diane Borg, Benna, Toyland, and Lamb Brand.

Take This With You: Five One-Minute Resets

1. Box breathing: 4-4-4-4 cycle.

2. 20-step walk + shoulder rolls.

3. Language shift: “I choose to… because…”

4. Neutral exit from gossip: “Best ask them directly.”

5. Hydration cue: 6 deep breaths + a few sips of water.

Healthy hearts beat stronger — at home and at work.