8 Ways to Motivate Yourself to Exercise

challengeYou know that exercise is important, but there are plenty of times you may not feel up to it. Here are eight ways to stay motivated to stick with your exercise program. Try at least one of these tips today. You’ll be glad you did!

  1. Choose activities you enjoy. Hate running? Don’t do it! Maybe you prefer walking around your neighborhood in the evening or taking an exercise class at the gym after work. If you enjoy the activity, you’re more likely to stick with it.
  2. Get others to join you. Whether it’s a family member, friend, or coworker, you can encourage each other to get out there and exercise even on days when you don’t feel like it.
  3. Do 10 minutes at a time. If fitting 30 minutes of exercise into your day feels too daunting, aim for two or three 10- to 15-minute bouts of activity.
  4. Plug it into your calendar. Schedule exercise sessions just like you would any other important event in your week.
  5. Focus on how you’ll feel afterward. Think about how much better you’ll feel, how much more energy you’ll have, and how glad you’ll be that you did it.
  6. Set goals. Do you want to lose weight? Run your first 5K? Get clear about your goal and create a plan for achieving it. Thinking about your goal can encourage you to exercise even when the couch is calling your name.
  7. Track your progress. Once you identify your goals, keep track of your achievements along the way. Seeing your progress can inspire you to keep going.
  8. Celebrate your success. Plan a reward for achieving milestones in your fitness journey. Choose non-food-related prizes, such as a new item of clothing, a pedicure, a night out with friends, or concert tickets.

Article from the StayWell Company, LLC

Get energized in the morning today!

Sure, an endless pot of delicious hot coffee can give you a morning jolt. But there are other ways to wake up raring to go. Try one for a more energized start to your day:

  • Say no to the snooze button. Those five extra minutes of sleep aren’t going to be restorative ones. Set your alarm for the time you actually need to get up.
  • Let the light in. Open your curtains or turn on the lights as soon as you awake. It’ll signal your body to stop producing melatonin, the hormone that induces sleep.
  • Put your sneakers on. Physical activity gets your blood flowing and ups your endorphins for a morning mood boost. Take the dog for a stroll, do an exercise DVD, or walk your kids to school.
  • Eat a healthy breakfast. You won’t be dragging after a fruit-and-Greek-yogurt smoothie, a vegetable omelet, or wheat toast topped with peanut butter and banana.

Article from the StayWell Company, LLC

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Start Prioritizing Your Tasks

ToDoListIt’s all too easy to feel overwhelmed by your day-to-day life. And if you’re like most people, one of your big stressors is work. In fact, according to a recent survey by the American Psychological Association, work is the second biggest stressor for most people (money being the first).

Even if you love your job, there are probably days when it’s challenging. One of the easiest ways to combat stress at work is to get organized. Take a few minutes at the beginning of each day to determine your priorities—the tasks you must accomplish before work is over for the day. List them in order of importance, and plan how you’ll get them done. Check each task off the list as you complete it, and you’ll feel less stress—not to mention a greater sense of accomplishment at the end of the day.

Article from the StayWell Company, LLC

Write out Your Gratitude Today

Man writing in a journal.Mom was right—don’t forget to count your blessings. When you focus on the good things in your life, your upbeat attitude helps fight stress and depression. Research shows that practicing gratitude may also improve your social life and enhance your physical health.

One way to do it? Keeping a gratitude journal. Start tonight. You could try it every day for a month, or jot down an entry once a week—whatever’s easiest to maintain. Simply write a list of several things for which you’re grateful. In studies, when people made such lists on a regular basis, they tended to feel happier. Some were also less bothered by illness symptoms.

Article from the StayWell Company, LLC

Well Wisconsin Webinar – Managing Time, Managing Stress

What better season to talk about stress and time management than around the holidays? Stop feeling excess pressure, anxiety, and stress, and be in control of your life with ideas you can implement now. It’s about you this holiday season.

Learn about:ThanksgivingBusy

  • The effects of long term stress on our health
  • Stress and time management techniques
  • How to manage holiday stress

Date: Wednesday, November 21, 2018

Time: 12:00 to 12:30 p.m.

Location: Cofrin Library, 7th floor, room 735

No need to RSVP – just mark your calendar to join us, and bring your lunch!

You could also participate in this webinar at your workstation if you prefer – please visit wellwisconsin.staywell.com and go to Wellness Webinars to register.

All webinars are recorded and available to Well Wisconsin Program participants on the StayWell wellness portal after the event date.

To access the StayWell wellness portal, you must be an employee, retiree, or spouse enrolled in the State of Wisconsin or Wisconsin Public Employers Group Health Insurance Programs.

 

Listen to a sleep podcast today

SleepWe’ve all been there—nodding off during a slow movie or a particularly long meeting. It’s no secret that boredom can help induce sleep, even at inconvenient times. So if you have trouble dropping off, why not try the latest in fall-asleep strategies and listen to a sleep-inducing podcast? The aural opposite of a page-turner, these podcasts are typically dull in subject matter and delivery. The idea is that listening to a boring subject distracts your brain from the things you might ordinarily be thinking of, letting you relax into sleep. Search for “sleep podcast” to find lots of options. Listen to one tonight, and you may find that the next thing you know, it’s morning!

Article from the StayWell Company, LLC

Annual Benefits & Wellness Fair

HealthInsBooth

Mark your calendar to attend the Annual UW-Green Bay Employee Benefits & Wellness Fair!

When: Tuesday, October 9, 2018

Time: 11:30 am to 2:00 pm

Where: University Union Phoenix Rooms

Please stop by to talk with vendors about your benefits and wellness, help yourself to some refreshments and goodies, and get helpful information as you consider options for the annual It’s Your Choice benefit enrollment period.  This year’s annual benefits enrollment period is October 1st – 26th.  There will also be a flu shot clinic during the fair.

Representatives from the following organizations will be looking forward to talking with you during the fair: Aging & Disability Resource Center, Aurora, Chartwells, Cornerstone Chiropractic, UWGB Counseling & Health Services, Curative Connections, Dean Health, Delta Dental, Edvest College Savings Plan, Department of Employee Trust Funds (ETF), Fidelity, Foundation Chiropractic, Green Bay Custom Health, Herb Blue’s Total Self Defense, Kress Events Center, Massage Envy, Navitus, Network Health, UWGB Public Safety, Rediscover Yourself Energy Sound Healing, Reflexology, Robin with HealthPartners, Securian Life Insurance, Social Security, StayWell, T. Rowe Price, TASC, TIAA-CREF, United Health Care, Unity Hospice, UW-Credit Union, VSP, WEA Trust, UWGB Wellness Committee, Wisconsin Deferred Compensation, YMCA Green Bay, and Zurich.

Questions? Please contact us at payrollandbenefits@uwgb.edu or (920) 465-2390.

9/11 Memorial Stair Climb

ThreeOfficers Military IMG_7511 IMG_7510 IMG_7509 IMG_7507 IMG_7501Thanks to all who helped and participated in the 9/11 Memorial Stair Climb on Tuesday, September 11th.  About 35 students, employees, community members, area protective services representatives, and members of the military walked the stairs from the 2nd to 8th floor of the Cofrin Library.

Thank you to Tony Decker and Dave Jones of Public Safety, as well as representatives of UWGB ROTC and Vets 4 Vets for sharing military and protective services items for display, being on hand during the event, and putting up the posters on each level which served as a poignant reminder.  Thank you also to Elaina Koltz and Lisa Schmelzer for handing out flag pins and providing encouragement to walkers, and to the Wellness Committee for providing refreshments.

Summer Yoga Challenge Wraps Up

This summer, 12 employees completed the Yoga Challenge by attending free yoga classes at the Kress Events Center over the lunch hour. Thank you to Alex Reichenberger, Fitness Coordinator (and excellent Yoga Instructor!) at the Kress, for coordinating this challenge!  The employees who completed this challenge will select an incentive prize, compliments of the Department of Employee Trust Funds wellness grant!

Do you have any ideas for another Wellness Challenge?  Please email wellness@uwgb.edu with your ideas or comments.

Yoga

9/11 Memorial Stair Climb

StairsFlagJoin local protective services representatives, students, and staff to walk the Cofrin Library stairwell in memory of the brave souls who lost their lives the day of the 9/11 attacks. The four attacks killed almost 3,000 people and injured over 6,000 others.

When: Tuesday, September 11, 2018 at 11 am – 1 pm

Where: Cofrin Library – 2nd to 8th floor stairwell

ROTC, Vets 4 Vets and Public Safety representatives will be on hand, and there will be military, firefighter, and police related items/memorabilia on display at the plaza area of the library’s second floor.  Representatives will be handing out flag pins to the first 50 people who climb to the 8th floor, and refreshments (granola bars, fruit infused water and fruit) will be available too!

Event presented by UW-Green Bay ROTC, Vets 4 Vets Student Club, Public Safety and the Wellness Committee.