Meet Jennifer Doheney | Corporate Wellbeing Strategist and Founder of WELLOGA

We had the good fortune of connecting with Jennifer Doheney and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Jennifer, how has your work-life balance changed over time?

Until the age of 36 work-life balance was not a focus. As soon as I graduated from university I worked as hard as I could to move up the corporate ladder. 

My career was my focus and my goal was to buy a home as a young independent woman. As long as I had weekend social time and weekday gym time I was happy.  That was my balance for many years, the scale tipped more toward work.

A small road bump was being diagnosed with celiac disease at 29 (serious gluten allergy), but other than having a limited diet and needing to learn to cook there was not much change in how I lived my life.

In those years my morning routine was….

Wake up at 7:30 am, shower, get ready, pack lunch & dinner, and get in the car. Listen to the news, sing a few songs, drink my coffee and 45 minutes later I would arrive at the office all pumped up for my day. I had a lot of energy in those days and a tight routine.

Fast forward 8 years later my current routine is….

Wake up at 5:30 am, make coffee sit and journal. The journal is a combo of professional goals for the day, pressing personal matters, and deciding what requires priority. Followed by a gratitude list and meditation. This change allows me to feel like I own my day and my attitude towards it.

Then ….

Shower, get ready, and start work, usually from home. No jammies behind the computer for me! Not ever over Covid. Getting ready is a part of my self-care routine. 

Another life balance change that followed, as an entrepreneur, instead of a one-speed in-office work day, now it’s a combo of sales, marketing, client relationship building, teaching (physical, mental and emotional wellness practices) and social media content creation in many locations. You never know what the day will bring. I love that.

During the 8 years in between this transition, I lived in Dubai and Bali. Resulting in me learning a ton about myself and what I needed. I experienced a few health challenges; a thyroid issue, and adrenal exhaustion coupled with my celiac symptoms. It was a bit rough.

These challenges gave me a strong nudge to take a break for a few months and take care of myself in a holistic way. I completed a great deal of training in the field of yoga and yoga therapy and put it into practice personally and professionally.

In the end, I’d say I had a real transformation from this time of slowing down and healing. I decided to change my professional direction and start my own wellness company WELLOGA. You can check out the BIO on my website for the full journey.

I learned that what you need to feel balanced in your 20s and 30s might not work in your 40s. And, most of the time this is a result of life-changing around you not because you are doing something wrong. Big lesson roll with the punches don’t beat yourself up.

Two noteworthy highlights are:

#1: I LOVE the morning and I like to be slow and enjoy it. Self-care/downtime and having a positive mindset are incredibly important as an entrepreneur. You are responsible to prop yourself up. Journaling and meditation do that for me. You can work morning to night as a founder you have to create boundaries. So love yourself first then you have more to give others and your business.

#2: I find JOY in my dynamic work days; strategy, creativity & management each fill my soul differently. I am always a student and teacher, always learning. I am fortunate to be so balanced. Added benefits to working for myself are cooking from home, working out when I like and scheduling my days to suit my energy level and personal schedule.

We must continually listen to what our bodies, minds and souls need and be ok with changing. This took me a while to figure out what I needed to feel good again as an entrepreneur, and what balance meant, but I got there. Self-awareness, passion, discipline, fun & downtime rule my life.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?

WELLOGA builds corporate well-being strategies and programs for small and medium-sized companies. We consult with businesses that don’t have a department dedicated to well-being. It’s a big world to navigate and we are experts. No matter how big your team everyone deserves to feel healthy and it’s possible on any budget to offer perks. We build annual strategies and calendars and follow up by getting both leadership and team buy-in.

What a strategy looks like depends on the industry, business operations, the demographics of the team, physical set up and more. Classes, workshops, events, discount programs, perks, and incentive concepts are all possible components of any program. 

Well-being for those new to this world is not only physical but mental, emotional, spiritual, social and environmental.

WELLOGA has been in business for over 3 years and has worked with over 20 companies. Well-being in the corporate world is still new and continuously evolving – so we as a business have had to follow suit. We evolve with every client we work with as they each have unique needs.

Was it easy to get here? 

No, it was a challenge like all good things worth experiencing. But keeping our eyes open and learning from every experience good or bad has done the trick. Now I find myself using both my past education for complex program management, relationship building and budgeting combined with my expertise in wellness – for me the perfect working world and honestly it feels like a gift.

Our 2 biggest learnings since our launch…

#1 No one Well-being program fits all. 

What makes WELLOGA unique is we build bespoke programs. We consider annual business objectives, company values, soft skills gaps, workplace boundaries and community building.

#2 Well-being programs need to focus more on proactive solutions, not reactive ones.

Most companies have medical benefits but what about before we get ill well-being benefits? That is what prevents burnout, low productivity and turnover and saves money on medical expenses. We aim to move the business forward and help employees feel happier and healthier at the same time. We help you focus on areas that will benefit you the most.

We can’t do everything as employers but it’s important to look after the most relevant areas. Don’t assume your team needs a gym membership when what they may need instead are ways to manage anxiety and build better relationships. 

To make life easy for our clients we have access to over 66 wellness experiences that can be run by certified experts. We can connect you with employee personal services. You don’t only get an annual strategy we can support you all the way through.

It all starts with a chat.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?

This is hard to answer I’ve been blessed with many teachers, coaches & mentors in my life I’m a combination of all of them. My family has always supported me no matter what I’m working on. Can I make a shout-out to “the journey” and the road lined with people bestowing wisdom?

Twice this has happened to me in my life, most recently running WELLOGA.

It’s the moment you realize that every skill you have ever learned, every course you have taken, the books you have read, experiences you have had all help. Even the strangers that questioned you and sent you off reflecting deserve a shootout in my eyes.

It’s the everyday learning, no matter how small, all stacked up over time that makes us knowledgeable. It’s all the teachers, coaches and mentors even the ones that did not fulfill their roles. They all still taught me something. Sometimes we pay for this wisdom, sometimes we study for free, and organic learning adds up over time. It’s all important. Maybe the universe needs a shout-out today.

Website: https://www.welloga.space/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jennifer_doheney/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jennifer-doheney-3a341612/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/welloga

Other: SELF LED MINI RETREAT: COOKING AND YOGA (UDEMY) 7 HOURS https://www.udemy.com/course/nourishment-your-home-retreat-cooking-yoga-relaxation/?referralCode=FF94C38444F157F9B46F SELF LED TIME MANAGMENT COURSE : SELF CARE 1 HOUR + BONUS VIDEOS https://www.udemy.com/course/the-tired-to-do-list-junkie/?referralCode=E3638180C8CE3A58F3B1 COOKING CLASSES https://www.welloga.space/online-cooking-classes

Image Credits
Self taken, zoom recording or friend all ok. Professional of me (black and white yoga and bio pic : Helen Tansey Photography (IG handle)