The Spectrum.Life Podcast: Recent Episodes
Spectrum.Life
One solution for workplace wellbeing. Combining bespoke wellbeing strategies, onsite services, always-on mental health support and wellbeing software, this is where wellbeing works.
In this episode we speak with TEAM GB Athlete, Shelayna Oskan-Clarke. Shelayna is an 800m runner. Her achievements include being a six time British 800m Champion, competing in the 2016 Olympic Games and winning Gold, Silver and Bronze Medals at the European and World Championships. We discuss her journey from childhood to competing at an Olympic level and achieving so much in the space of only five years! An inspiring discussion with an inspirational athlete!
This episode will focus on Diversity and Inclusion in Sports and Society in general with Shairoze Akram. Shairoze is a young man, born in Pakistan, who came to Ireland at an early age. Shairoze is the first Pakistani in history to win an All-Ireland medal with the U21 Mayo Gaelic Football Team. He has since gone on to start up his own company, a student at TU Dublin and an advocate and public speaker for Sport Against Racism Ireland, hosting and participating in discussions on diversity and inclusion.
We discuss his background, his transition to rural life in Ireland, challenges, adversity, being a part of the GAA community, mentors, support, his current path and more.
We know that resilience is having the ability to respond to life’s stressors in a manner that will allow us to learn and grow, a skill that is so important and especially for young children. It will also allow our children to learn how they can become independent and resilient into later life as they mature and grow.
In this episode, we chat about Building resilience and independence in Children.
It's clear that the internet presents fantastic opportunities for children through creativity, connectivity and education.
However, in this episode we will highlight the concerns that we have as parents about our children spending too much time online, accessing inappropriate content, and communicating with people with the intent to harm or exploit them.
Creating a routine for you and your children may seem like a daunting task, but a predictable routine built around structure, consistency and patience will see huge improvements in all aspects of your home life including moods, confidence, self-control, sleep and more.
In this episode, we will discuss some of these techniques and what you may be able to bring into your home life.
In this episode, we spoke with Jack Kavanagh about his own journey and the importance of International Day of People With Disabilities - these can be both seen and unseen.
Jack had a life-altering event some years ago. While it was a tragic event he found within himself the resilience and courage to begin a new path of self-discovery, finding ways in which to cope and through an astounding and inspirational level of self-awareness, compassion, and understanding - help others to find their way and express the courage to lay bare their own vulnerability and take positive steps to improve their overall wellbeing.
This has ultimately enabled Jack to become a beacon of hope and support - through his work as a pharmacist, healthcare professional, professional coach, and speaker.
The idea that creativity can improve our health is not a new one, but many of us still think that the arts are just for a talented few. The reality is that we all have an ability to create, and to express ourselves. We spoke with Sam Moorehead of creative collective, The Side Project (https://thesideproject.ie/) to discuss how we can all tap into our innate creativity and improve our physical and mental wellbeing.
In this, the final part of our Munster Rugby series, we spoke with CEO Ian Flanagan. Ian has been involved with some of the biggest brands in sport, having previously worked with Barcelona FC and was commercial director of Leicester City FC during the most successful period in the clubs history. As the man tasked with bringing Munster to the next level, has shared some insights with us on what it takes to make a successful organisation and trying to build a global brand.
Dublin Pride festival has grown over the last 40 years to become of the biggest festivals in Ireland. Along the way it has given a voice to the LGBT community and we have helped change the laws and constitution of Ireland as well as the hearts and minds of many of its citizens. We wanted to mark the launch of Pride Week by speaking with festival director, Jed Dowling. We talked about the importance of diversity in the workplace and about the journey of LGBT rights to date, and the road ahead.
In the penultimate episode of our Munster Rugby series, we were given an opportunity to chat with 3 of the brightest playing talents in the country. Niall Scannell, and Tommy O’Donnell have together made over 270 appearances for Munster and represented Ireland at Senior level. Eimear Considine is one of Irelands best known sportswomen as well as being one of the most versatile, having also played Rugby Sevens as well as senior camogie and football with Clare. We caught up with them to chat about what it takes to perform consistently at the highest level and what it means to be a team player in such a competitive environment.
As we move through the phases of reopening, a lot of workplaces and teams will begin to adopt new models of working - a blend of onsite and remote. These will present us with challenges but also some opportunities which, if we get right, can radically change the way we work – for the better.
The launch of our High Performance Programme with Munster Rugby has given us the opportunity to collaborate with some of the amazing talent who work behind the scenes to help Munster compete at the highest level. This week we spoke with Dr. Catherine Norton, who is a Performance nutritionist and registered dietitian at UL and also with Dr. Patrick Ryan who is a Clinical Psychologist, Director of Psychology Department with UL. During our conversation, we got to speak about optimising performance for both body and mind. We also talk about Stress and how we have to fuel both our bodies and our brains to cope with stress and perform optimally.
Parents everywhere are struggling with the challenges of working from home while looking after their children, and sometimes they can feel overwhelmed. We invited our parenting expert, Anita Fletcher, to come back and talk us through how parents can deal with challenges around home-schooling and challenging behaviour. We also talked about what our kids classrooms may look like in the months ahead.
In this episode, we got the opportunity to speak with Jerry Flannery. Jerry is a former Munster, Ireland and Lions Player & Coach and is now a Business Leader across multiple industries. We spoke with Jerry about his time as a player and how the lessons he learned helped forge his own leadership style, both as a coach with Munster and later as a businessman and entrepreneur.
In this episode, Gary got the opportunity to speak with Munster Head Coach, Johann Van Graan. They spoke about leadership and what it takes to become a great leader of teams and of individuals. They also spoke about resilience and how we can face up to adversity during this uncertain time. Spectrum.Life recently launched its Wellbeing Partnership with Munster Rugby, bringing the principals of High-Performance Leadership into the workplace.
As part of our Leadership in Lockdown series, we spoke with Sinead Proos, head of Health & Wellbeing at Laya Healthcare, and with Claire Murray, Culture & Engagement Manager at Bank of Ireland. We talked about the challenges faced by organisations across the country and how they can use this time to reset how they look after employee health & wellbeing.
Gareth Chick is an expert on corporate cultures and corporate psychology, regularly lecturing and presenting on leadership, cultural change and coaching. He is a highly sought after consultant and we were delighted to have him with us to talk about the shifting leadership landscape and what this means not just for managers but for all of us in the workplace during these uncertain times.
In this week's podcast we are joined by David Bergin. David is a Health Promotion Officer who works onsite in Microsoft and Citibank in Dublin. We asked David to come along and talk to us about the role of a Health Promotion officer, what it entails and how it affects the wellbeing of thousands of employees on a day to day basis. In particular, we wanted to ask him about the challenges presented by the current working from home restrictions and how he can continue to prioritise health and wellbeing.
In this episode we spoke with Dr. John Sullivan, a Urologist based in New York and originally from Dublin, who has been working in University Hospital Brooklyn in a Covid-19 ward. New York has been the epicentre of the pandemic in the US, and we spoke with John as New York reached the peak of the outbreak.
In this episode, we are joined by psychologist and psychotherapist, Dr. Linda Finnegan, who spoke with us about the news, technology and how we manage the flood of information we are currently faced with during this pandemic. We also spoke about how best to look after our emotional wellbeing at times at heightened anxiety.
As we enter our 7th week of living with the restrictions brought about by the coronavirus pandemic, we talk to Prof. Trish Kearney, who is an Epidemiologist in UCC. We ask how we got to where we are now, and how we can avoid a second wave of infection.
Some of us may wish things were easier, but for others they just wish they were better. In this podcast, we interviewed marathon runner Stephen Scullion and talked about how hard work, focus and discipline can help us through challenging times and help us enjoy the rewards at the other end of the journey.
Registered Dietitian Michelle Loughlin joins us to discuss how diet can support good health while many of us are forced to stay at home and may have fewer opportunities to consume fresh foods and be physically active. We also talk about some of the emotional triggers brought on by isolation, which can play havoc with our diet.
Many of us suffered from poor sleep before the COVID-19 outbreak, and unfortunately, the pandemic has created a host of new challenges for us all - even those of us who previously had no problems with sleep. In this podcast sleep Technician Deirdre McSwiney helps us navigate the perfect storm we currently find ourselves in when it comes to getting sufficient sleep.
How we confront challenges can determine our success. This episode tells the inspiring story of adventurer and endurance athlete, Damian Browne. Damian provides some key lessons on how starting out by doing what’s necessary, and then doing what’s possible can soon help us do what previously seemed impossible. Instagram: auld_stock
As the outbreak of COVID-19 has developed, it has put added stress on our GP’s and placed them at the forefront of our response.
In this episode, we are joined by Dr. Maitiú Ó Tuathail who talks about the challenges ahead of how our actions can slow the spread of the virus and keep us and our loved ones safe.
Feeling overwhelmed by self-isolation and the pressures it brings to our relationships?
In this podcast, Associate Vice President of the University of Limerick, Dr Patrick Ryan, talks to us about the need to stay connected and compassionate while giving ourselves the space we need in order to get through these challenging times.
During this difficult time, many people have been asked to work remotely. Many of us for the first time. In this podcast, Gary & Brendan are joined by our guest Rowena Hennigan to talk through the challenges. Rowena has been working remotely since 2007, and is both a lecturer and project consultant, and co-founded and authored a ‘Future of Work’ module at TU Dublin. www.rowenahennigan.com.
Working remotely presents some challenges to us physically as we try to adjust to an environment which is designed primarily for comfort and not necessarily for work. Improper sitting postures generate a lot of strain on the human body which, over time, can lead to serious medical issues. The key thing is to get into the right habits early. In this podcast, Brendan and Gary are joined by Ergomonics specialist Brian Crinnion, who talks us through some of the do's and dont's of working remotely.
With the closure of school and day-care, as well as workplaces, shutting down or moving to remote working, many families around the country face the prospect of long days under challenging circumstances. So, what can parents do to maintain productivity while caring for their children?
In this podcast, we will discuss some habits and hacks to help parents ensure that their children can continue to learn and thrive during this uncertain time.