Summary
World Wellbeing Week (24 to 30 June) is a global awareness initiative focused on improving health and wellbeing in the workplace and wider society. It encourages us all to pause, reflect, and take meaningful steps towards better wellbeing.
This World Wellbeing Week, Dominic Anderson, PCB programme manager and lead for wellbeing, reminds us why it's worth investing in ‘learning time’ to maintain our wellbeing.
There’s a quiet truth about wellbeing that often gets overlooked in the day-to-day rhythm of primary care: learning isn’t an ‘extra’. It’s not something to squeeze in, if and when the inbox is empty (because that’s never going to happen). Learning is part of how we stay well.
When we continue to learn and stretch ourselves, something important happens. We reconnect with a sense of who we’re becoming, not just what we are doing. And in a workforce that gives so much of itself to others, that sense of growth and possibility really matters.
I’ve been reflecting on this through the ongoing delivery of the Being Well Leadership Development Programme in Greater Manchester, which has been running over the last two years. Programmes like this create space – not just to gain knowledge, but to pause, reflect, and consider how we look after ourselves and each other at work. They remind us that development isn’t just about skills; it’s about sustainability.
Because one of the questions I hear most often is “How do I fit it all in?” The work, the meetings, the emails – it can feel relentless. And if we frame the challenge purely in terms of time, we’ll always come up short. Time is finite. There are only so many hours in the day.
But energy? Energy is something we can influence. Our wellbeing naturally ebbs and flows, along with our energy. So perhaps the more helpful question becomes: “How do I take care of my energy so I can stay in my Performance Zone more of the time?“.
That might mean noticing when you’re depleted and allowing yourself a moment to reset. It might mean protecting small pockets of time for learning, even if they’re brief. It might mean recognising that rest and reflection are not indulgent – they are essential.
In our hierarchy of needs, self-fulfilment needs are at the top, and we can meet that need through fulfilling our unique potential when we grow through learning and development. That doesn’t have to be formal or time-consuming, even if you’re spending five minutes reading a book, watching a Ted Talk or TikTok video, listening to a podcast, mental stimulation, keeping ourselves interested, we need to be doing something of that every day.
This is where ideas like self-compassion and compassionate leadership come into sharper focus. These aren’t just jargon; they are practical approaches to sustaining ourselves and our teams. When we lead with kindness – towards ourselves and others – we create conditions where people can learn, adapt, and thrive.
I recently spent some time working through the Nurturing Compassionate and Inclusive NHS Cultures programme, which links closely to the NHS Culture and Leadership Programme.
What stood out to me was how it connects our individual experiences to the wider culture we’re all part of. It explores themes that will feel familiar to many of us:
- Vision and values – grounded in high-quality, compassionate care
- Goals and performance – how we measure and make progress
- Learning and innovation – including quality improvement
- Support and compassion – especially the role of psychological safety
- Equity and inclusion – ensuring everyone feels they belong
- Team working – within and across organisations
None of these sits in isolation. They’re woven into the everyday interactions we have with colleagues and patients alike. And crucially, they are shaped by how we show up – especially when things feel pressured.
Learning opportunities like The King’s Fund’s An Introduction to Leading with Kindness and Compassion in Healthcare provide simple, accessible ways into this, including reflections from healthcare staff. They provide a framework, but more importantly, they invite reflection. What does kindness look like in my role? How do I respond when I’m stretched? How do I contribute to the culture around me?
There’s no perfect answer. But there is value in asking the question. So perhaps the invitation here is, not to add more to your list, but to think differently about what’s already there. Learning doesn’t have to be another demand on your time. It can be a way of restoring energy, reconnecting with purpose, and remembering that growth is still possible – even on the busiest days.
And in that sense, learning isn’t separate from wellbeing at all. It’s part of how we sustain it.
*We are fortunate in Greater Manchester to have a wide range of development and training offers that could enhance your wellbeing and general leadership skills.
Many of these are available to colleagues working in community pharmacy, dentistry, general practice and optometry. You can explore the PCB workforce hub for support and check out some of the training offers currently available, collated in this overview.
