Category: Intellectual Wellness

Intellectual wellness is the ability to open our minds to new ideas and experiences that can be applied to personal decisions, group interaction and community betterment. The desire to learn new concepts, improve skills and seek challenges in pursuit of lifelong learning.

Don’t Dwell on Guilt Today

Guilty feelings are common. But are they healthy? Sometimes guilt can motivate us to do better. Studies have shown that people who experience guilt are more likely to be proactive in solving a problem. They are also more likely to reassess the problem later, see how they may have contributed to it, and learn from it.

Guilt over something trivial, such as eating an extra dessert, guilt that turns into shame, feeling that you’re not good enough, or blaming yourself for something that’s not your fault can be harmful. Both can diminish self-esteem and lead to depression.

Here are some tips to help you start handling guilt today:

  • Learn from what’s making you feel guilty.
  • Don’t be too hard on yourself. You can’t be kind and understanding all the time.
  • If you’re troubled by chronic feelings of guilt, a counselor may help to sort out the contributing emotions and issues

 

Article from the StayWell Company, LLCopportunity-road-sign-wooden-shining-blue-sky-background-47231617

Treat Yourself Today!

Treat yourself to tea and bookcoffee or tea and a good book today. You read emails. You read text messages. You read the news. But have you read a good book lately? Reading for pleasure can be an escape from the stresses of everyday life, help keep your mind sharp, and even make you more likely to empathize with others.

So set aside a half-hour to curl up with a book. Grab a comforting cup of coffee or tea, too. Drinking black, green, or oolong tea can boost the body’s defense against disease, research says. Tea has also been linked to lower risk for heart disease, cancer, osteoporosis, and allergy symptoms. And coffee has been associated with a lower risk for type 2 diabetes. We’ll toast to that!

 

Article from the StayWell Company, LLC

Wellness Webinar: Practicing Self-Compassion

Many of us instinctively beat ourselves up for failing to meet our goals, but there is an alternative. Find out how self-compassion facilitates goal pursuit by helping us regulate our emotions and maintain our belief in our ability to change.

Join us to learn about:Heart shaped splash

  • What is self-compassion
  • How it helps us meet our goals
  • Misconceptions about self-compassion

Date: Wednesday, May 8, 2019

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

Location: Cofrin Library, 7th floor, room 710C

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 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.

Enjoy a Cup of Chamomile Tea Before Heading to Bed

Can’t seem to fall asleep? There are a variety of things you can do to make sleep come more easily, such as keeping your bedroom cool and dark, forgoing caffeine in the evening, and avoiding strenuous exercise immediately before bed. Often, however, we don’t give ourselves enough time to transition from the busyness of the day to preparations for sleep. A relaxing wind-down routine can make that shift easier.

Today, why not create your own sleep-inducing routine by making a cup of chamomile tea an hour before bedtime? Chamomile has long been used as a sleep aid, and it may help you relax and prepare for sleep. Look for it at your grocery store in the herbal tea section. Simply brew, sip, and relax. Your “sit and sip” time may become a relaxing ritual you look forward to every night.

Article from the StayWell Company, LLC.

Tea

Healthy Heart Challenge

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When: Friday, February 8, 2019 to Friday, March 1, 2019

Where: Manitowoc, Marinette, Sheboygan & Green Bay campuses

Kick Off: Healthy Heart Lunch ‘n Learn at 12:00 to 12:45 pm on February 8th in the Alumni Room of the Union at Green Bay (you can still participate in the challenge if you don’t attend the lunch ‘n learn)

What: Walk around campus, find the AED’s (Automated External Defibrillator), unscramble the heart health-related word posted next to the AED, and write it on your worksheet.  Get as many words as you can by Friday, March 1st, and then scan and email your worksheet to wellness@uwgb.edu by Friday, March 8th and you will be entered in a drawing for a wellness prize!  The more words you find, the more times your name is entered in the drawing!

Resources:

Questions?  Please contact us at wellness@uwgb.edu or (920) 465-2203.

Ask your co-workers to take a walk with you and help each other unscramble the words!

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.

 

Flip Around Your Mattress Today for Better Sleep Tonight

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Most manufacturers recommend flipping and rotating your mattress every so often in order for it to last its full life expectancy, but you’re not alone if you tend to skip this chore. Tonight is the night. If you want to sleep better, don’t put it off any longer. You deserve to rest on a mattress that’s comfortable and supportive.

Newer mattresses only have one “sleeping side,” so there’s no need to flip them over. But rotating your mattress on a regular schedule is just as important. You should rotate your mattress every three months. And don’t forget your box spring. It should be rotated, not flipped, every six months. You may just find that new spot on the mattress is just what you needed for a better night’s sleep.

Article from the StayWell Company, LLC

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.

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