Sidsel Norvik, Director of Nor-Shipping, enjoys the relaxation that yin yoga offers to both her body and mind, as well as listening to audiobooks when walking, driving, and doing other activities. Sidsel finds her role at Nor-Shipping to be dynamic and engaging, giving her the chance to connect with a global audience. Despite the blending of personal and professional boundaries, she views this as a positive aspect of her job.
Regarding the maritime industry, Sidsel supports the idea that wellness-promoting initiatives and team-building activities can have a positive effect on performance and communication between colleagues. Specifically for seafarers, she recommends systematic and personal follow-up and support. This approach can help identify problems at an early stage and increase the feeling of well-being by providing the necessary attention and advice before an issue escalates into a crisis.
SAFETY4SEA: What does ‘wellness’ mean to you? What do you do in your every day life to embrace wellness?
Sidsel Norvik: Wellness to me is to have the ability to exercise and be able to stay in good physical shape. I have broken bones occasionally and experienced periods on crutches and limbs in plaster and it’s when you are physically prohibited from doing what you want, that you realize how important the ability to get to exercise is.
S4S: What are the two things to do that can make you feel happy after a challenging day?
S.N.: A good and hard class at the gym – preferably with my sister and training partner – makes me happy after a challenging day. It’s the best way to get renewed energy and ultimately a good night’s sleep. A visit or a call from my son also makes me super-happy any time any day!
S4S: What is the most worthwhile wellbeing investment (in energy, time, money) you’ve ever made?
S.N.: I bought a small cabin in the Norwegian mountains some years ago and its definitely the most worthwhile wellbeing investment for me! It’s where I go to relax with family and friends and it is where I spend time hiking, skiing, relaxing and preparing and enjoying really nice food and wine!
S4S: What do you do to keep balance between your personal and business life?
S.N.: Nor-Shipping is all about creating a world-leading exhibition mixed with an ideal contribution of insight and social/networking activities and the latter can easily cross-over to my personal life and create a “gray zone”. It is, however, such a fun brand to work with attracting an amazing professional global crowd making that gray zone a very positive one.
S4S: In the last five years, what new belief, behavior, or habit has most improved your personal life?
S.N.: Over the past few years, I have taken up yin yoga and I have to say that the combo of very light, slow gym and stretching makes me feel extremely relaxed and good afterwards. I sometimes do it in a heated room too (Bikram yoga) a perfect way to shut everything out and focus 100% on myself. I also took out a subscription on audio books during covid, which has proven a good investment! I get to “read” books when walking, driving, cleaning etc so it’s easier to find the time to “read” more books again, which I love!
S4S: What would you like to change in the current maritime landscape with regards to wellbeing?
S.N.: Seafarers are often exposed to social isolation, poor physical conditions, long and demanding work hours and many other risk-factors for mental health in general. Systematic and personal follow-up and support, I believe will reveal problems early and increase the feeling of wellbeing by getting the needed attention and advice before an issue becomes an unbearable problem.
S4S: What wellness-promoting initiatives would you like to see in the workplace?
S.N.: Wellness-promoting initiatives in the workplace are very important and I am fortunate to work with a company that supports a certain working flexibility, offer paid work-out, healthy and subsidised lunch, a great health insurance package and some team-building activities. I would say that team-building activities are what creates the best effect on improved team-work, communication, trust between colleagues and fun at work and is probably what I would like to see more of.
S4S: What is the one thing that you are feeling grateful at the moment?
S.N.: My son just got a puppy – the cutest puppy I ever (objectively!) and the closest I get to becoming a “grandma” at the moment. I am truly grateful to get to know him and to love this new family member and I look forward to the next decade + with him.
S4S: What are your hobbies/ favorite activities?
S.N.: I have many hobbies! I love rearrange old furniture and paint the house, but the absolute favourite hobby of mine is for sure skiing! Skiing for me include cross country (what I do the most), but also downhill, Randonnée and waterskiing. Skiing is good exercise, fresh air, beautiful scenery and a great way to put your mind to rest – it’s like therapy to me.
S4S: What is your personal motto?
S.N.: “Carpe diem” (seize the day) is my definite personal motto! I would be lying if I said I am 100% true to my motto, but no days are coming back again and I am now past mid-fifties and very conscious that I need to make most out of each and every day.
The views presented are only those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect those of SAFETY4SEA and are for information sharing and discussion purposes only.
