Planning your company wellbeing programme for 2024? Plotting best dates for team building and social activities?

Let me help with a few ideas to weave a calligraphy workshop into your company’s calendar for 2024…

When you think of creative activities, you might immediately think of drawing or painting classes. But I want to share the beautiful art of calligraphy, and its mindful benefits - with just a brush pen.

I teach 60 min to 2 hour sessions, ideal for teams and groups, whether you’re looking for something beginners can do, or even the most creative colleagues can enjoy. Accessible, low mess, and a calming moment shared together.

Below I have listed some key awareness days, weeks and months to look out for if you want to tie-in raising awareness with some practical sessions. But there are also other reasons you might want to bring some calligraphy into the office…

18-24 March: Neurodiversity Celebration Week

A brilliant week to celebrate the diversity of minds in your company - after all, that’s what’s making the cogs turn, the business innovate and grow.

For many neurodivergents, like myself, there’s often a strong creative drive, so a lack of creative activities can impact general wellbeing and capacity to think clearly, and calmly. I found calligraphy reduces my anxiety, stress, blood pressure…and more!

But for all minds, however they’re wired, creativity can become a sanctuary and place to explore, play and grow, strengthening coping mechanisms, focus and productivity.

April: Stress Awareness Month

A whole month to raise awareness of stress - good and bad. We think of stress as feeling overwhelmed, unable to cope or undertake tasks easily, perhaps even being signed off work like I was. And there are signs of stress that managers can look out for.

But stress can also be found in planning a wedding, moving house, upcoming holidays, new projects, having a family…yet these are all great things.

Some stress is good stress. It can propel us forward: gentle pressures of deadlines, task initiation and autonomy in our work can be a positive.

But…without awareness and understanding, conversations around stress, can be…well, stressful! Especially if there’s a fear of judgement, challenge with trust between colleagues or relationships that aren’t open enough to talk or support when needed - all leading to higher levels of absenteeism, presenteeism or staff turnover.

Inviting a creative workshop like calligraphy into your company, allows colleagues to put down their existing skill sets, learn something new, be vulnerable and encourage more open conversations - connecting together, and improving relationships.

13-19 May: Mental Health Awareness Week

For May, we have a week to anchor some mental health awareness within the company culture. This year’s theme is “Movement: Moving more for our mental health"

So, what could calligraphy bring here? Taking the same impact as the Stress Awareness Month in April (see above), brush pen calligraphy sessions explore how finding flow, slowing down physically, and calming the mind are tools to add to any colleague’s wellbeing toolkit.

Movement isn’t just about being fast. Calligraphy encourages people to use their hands and its accessible nature allows people to become more aware of their posture and positioning as they create, and find awareness in smaller, even micro movements.

Using just a pen, we look at breaking down the shapes and strokes in calligraphy - a single-focus activity which invites mindfulness, deeper breathing and a way to recharge, whether it’s a morning boost, during a busy working day, or after work, once the laptops are closed.

Breathe written in blue brush pen calligraphy

26-30 June: World Wellbeing Week

As summer kicks-in, the longer days allow for more playfulness, travel, socialising, colours in nature get us feeling more joy and connection.

Weaving in some creative activities reinforces the message to your employees that we can - and should - be giving ourselves permission to make, create and explore!

Perhaps they already have a great wellbeing practice, perhaps they eat well, exercise and rest… but how do they help reduce their screen time? Step-away from the busy world of work, or home life? That pendulum swing from home-to-work…and back again.

Calligraphy can introduce a space that isn’t just a list of ‘self-care’ ideas, or prompting a yoga session or soaking up some summer sun… putting a pen in your employees hands reminds them to reconnect. Swapping the mouse for a brush pen encourages a new way to decompress from the day - or at any moment throughout the day, for a creative practice, and beautiful new skill.

Colourful pens in use at desk, calming moment to do calligraphy

23-27 September: International Happiness at Work Week

September for me triggers an immediate TIME FOR NEW STATIONERY moment. We might not be going to school anymore, but the desire to learn, the excitement of a new pen is all still there (probably more there now, than when we were at school).

A brush pen calligraphy session reduces stress, anxiety, and actually releases happy hormones through the process of mark making. Based on three ‘Behavourial Activation’ themes that affect our brain chemistry we can bring a sense of balance and wellbeing, by acting directly on the release of neurotransmitters - our natural anti-stress and antidepressants:

Achievement - stimulates dopamine

Connection - stimulates oxytocin

Enjoyment - stimulates endorphins

Science-backed for a great boost of happiness!

10 October: World Mental Health Day

So, autumn’s kicked in at this point and the days are getting shorter, cooler… soggier. World Mental Health Day is an opportunity to bring in a creative activity that shares learning and exploration in groups - opening up access to minds and connecting over calligraphy.

A single calligraphy session for your workplace can be a perfect moment to identify the benefits of creativity as a tool to support employees' mental health.

Team enjoying a creative workshop learning calligraphy in their office

6 November: Stress Awareness Day

As with the Stress Awareness Month in May, this is a dedicated day in November where you might want to connect, create and invite calm ahead of winter’s treats, whether it’s winding down, or ramping up, for Christmas activities, projects, deadlines - and of course festive celebrations for many.

Bringing calligraphy to the workplace in November ties in a creative social activity - reminding everyone to address their stress. Plus, with Christmas on the horizon businesses might like to add a personal touch to thank clients, customers, stake-holders… or take home to share with families as we celebrate the end of year - and you do just that can with calligraphy!

The possibilities are endless, but I hope the dates above help you plot and plan when, where and how you might bring some creative wellbeing into your company.

If you’re keen to find out more about bringing a session to your company, click here to find out about my workplace workshop options, or get in touch to discuss more.