INESC TEC promoted mental health and well-being with activities for the community

Yoga, meditation, literature, sleep and nutrition. These are some of the topics covered in the various activities promoted by the Technical Committee for Social Responsibility during October, regarding the celebrations of the World Mental Health Day. 

Some were more practical, others more theoretical; but they all sought to contribute to the psychological well-being of the members of the INESC TEC community – both personally and professionally.  

These initiatives included a yoga and meditation class, a session on the importance of sleep and a nutrition class, and were led by experts in their respective areas who shared relevant information on the topics, as well as tools that we can use in our daily lives. 

The INESC TEC Book Club, an internal initiative that regularly brings together employees with a special taste for reading, also dedicated the October session to this theme, promoting the sharing and discussion of certain books – thus contributing to a community of readers committed to personal growth and mental well-being. 

Besides these activities, which took place at INESC TEC headquarters, the whole community was asked to write different definitions of “well-being” on Post-it notes and place them in common areas of the buildings.  

“The participation of our community was quite positive! It was rewarding to witness how each person contributed with their own definition of well-being. In fact, the feedback shows the importance of promoting moments to reflect and connect with each other and mental health,” stated Susana Rodrigues and Rita Cardoso, members of the Technical Committee for Social Responsibility and promoters of said actions. “Several people stated that these initiatives should be regular, since they provide a sense of well-being and raise awareness of practices that we could integrate into our daily lives,”, they stated. 

Also, within the scope of INESC TEC’s partnership with EU-OSHA – 2023-2025 Healthy Workplaces Campaign – “Safe and Healthy Work in the Digital Age”, the Institute disseminated the webinar on Hybrid and Teleworking, focusing on providing information on research studies carried out in Portugal, while exploring opportunities and risks of both work models, as well as the challenges associated with safety and health at work.