This year, the theme of CMHA’s annual Mental Health Week is understanding our emotions. Recognizing, labeling and accepting our feelings are all part of protecting and promoting good mental health for everyone. Naming, expressing and dealing with our emotions – even when they’re uncomfortable – can make us feel better.
May 3 to 7 is our annual Be Well, Be Safe Week at U of G. I hope you'll join us for some of the virtual events Wellness@Work has planned to celebrate National Mental Health Week and North American Occupational Safety and Health Week.
View the full Be Well, Be Safe Week schedule of events and explore the 5-day Workplace Wellness Reset in the attachments below.
Having friends to rely on and relax with is really important for your health. Research shows that having personal connections with others is one of the key factors that make you live longer. But, it’s even harder to connect, now that we are all so separated! Continuing to build strong relationships is important at this time - having community helps in coping with stress!
Balancing work and life is even more difficult under these circumstances - with schools and many workplaces closed, the boundaries between work and life may be even more blurry. For those still working outside of home, work can look different and be much more exhausting. Below are some tips that will help you to improve your work-life balance (even though perfect balance is almost impossible!), during a time when home time and work time are very different than usual.
It is important to take breaks to help us re-energize throughout the day. Research shows it’s important to disconnect throughout the day to help you feel more positive. These breaks can either be used to give your mind a rest, so that you are less likely to burn out, or to make sure that you are re-energizing your body. We are all staying indoors now, so the risk of working too long without a break or sitting too long without any movement are even greater!
Thursday, April 22nd is Earth Day, the perfect time to both celebrate the planet we share and reflect on our relationship with the environment. While you likely don’t need me to tell you about the benefits of going outside and taking a walk or roll to break up your work day, soak up some sunshine, and get your body moving, I did want to share some tips and tricks for working towards environmental wellness.
Winter, and the cold and darkness that comes with it, can be difficult for many people. Winter during a pandemic provides additional challenges, such as sadness, nostalgia about life before COVID-19, uncertainty, and fear of loss, illness, and medical facilities. If you find you are experiencing changes in your mood, you are not alone.
University Wellness Supports
Regularly eating a variety of fruits and vegetables is an important part of healthy eating. During March Nutrition Month, participate in four Paint Your Plate With Fruits and Vegetables mini-challenges.
Challenge #1. Give them a try. Try one new vegetable or fruit or try a vegetable or fruit on your dislike list again.
Challenge #2. Snack attack. Have a vegetable or fruit as a snack.
Explore the February Wellness@Work calendar for upcoming events and opportunities, including: