Category: Social Wellness

Social Wellness is the ability to relate and connect with other people in our world. Our ability to establish and maintain positive relationships with family, friends and co-workers contributes to our Social Wellness

Get Crafty

Whether you’re an avid crafter or you’ve never picked up a paintbrush, knitting needle, awl, or whittling tool in your life, you could benefit from a little craft time. Creative hobbies are calming, and they help give your mind a break from worrying thoughts.

So challenge yourself today to create something. A drawing, a scrapbook, a poem, a wood-carved miniature of your neighbor’s dog—it doesn’t matter what you create, just that you’re creating. You’ll end up with not only a cool thing of your own design, but also, potentially, a more relaxed and worry-free mind.

Article from the StayWell Company, LLCcrafting

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.

The Bellin Run: It’s not so scary (and is a WALK as well) Lunch ‘n Learn

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Have you thought about walking or running in the Bellin Run, or maybe have participated in the past?  Please join us as Linda Maxwell, Assistant Race Director of the Bellin Run, presents “The Bellin Run:  It’s not so scary (and is a WALK as well)!”  Linda will share information about the perks of the Corporate Challenge (UW-Green Bay has been a member for years), talk about walking as a prime part of the event, and give basic event information and updates.  After Linda’s presentation, you will feel more comfortable and confident competing in this event.  Also, any employees who attend will be entered in a drawing for a Bellin Run full-zip windbreaker (size medium)!

Date: Tuesday, April 2nd

Time: 12:00 to 12:45 pm

Room: World Unity Room B (behind the Phoenix Club in the lower level of the Union – just follow the signs)

Presenter: Linda Maxwell, Assistant Race Director of the Bellin Run

RSVP: wellness@uwgb.edu

Hope to see you there!

UW-Green Bay Run/Walk Team for Employees

LogoThe UW-Green Bay Run/Walk Team for employees kicked off at the Couch to 5K Lunch ‘n Learn on March 6, 2019.  Our goal is to offer opportunities for employees to train together, share helpful tips and encouragement, provide incentives and participate in runs/walks together.  We are gearing up for our first event – the Phoenix 5K on April 27th at the UWGB campus, to be followed by the Cellcom 5K on May 18th and Bellin Run 10K on June 8th.

  • First 50 employees who sign up get a “Run Like A Phoenix” running hat!*
  • Registration fee discounts* available for certain area runs/walks.
  • Idea to have group runs/walks on UWGB campus trails around 5 pm on Mondays or Tuesdays.
  • Practical tips and encouragement will be shared with group periodically as we train for upcoming events.

Interested? Please email wellness@uwgb.edu to sign up!

* Running hats and registration fee discounts paid for by a wellness grant from the Department of Employee Trust Funds (ETF)

Bellin Run

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It’s time to get registered for the 43rd annual Bellin Run!  The event will be on Saturday, June 8, 2019 in Green Bay. UW-Green Bay is part of the Corporate Challenge, which gets you these perks:

  • If you register by May 1st, you will receive an early registration incentive gift with the Bellin Run logo on it
  • If you register by May 15th, your race packet (bib and race shirt) will be delivered directly to UWGB about a week before the event.

Friends and family can be registered on our team so that they receive these benefits as well.

Also, due to a wellness grant from the Department of Employee Trust Funds (ETF), the first 50 UW-Green Bay employees who register will receive $10 off of their registration fees. NOTE:  This discount (promo) code is only for use by UW-Green Bay employees.  If you are registering family members or friends, please note that the $10 discount is only applicable to employee’s registration fees.  Unauthorized users will be asked to reimburse us for the registration fees.

Registration Link: https://runsignup.com/Race/Register?raceId=53110&corpTeamId=15313&corpToken=jNM1Am2JWEMARQZFI7R6XZaxrp27qcx9 

Team Password: 840

To register on our team, click on the registration link listed above.  This will take you directly to our team registration page.  You can register your entire family in this cart.

NOTE:  in the event you don’t have this link handy – to register, go to www.bellinrun.com and click on “Register Today”. At the registration page, you will click on “Corporate Team”, search for UW-Green Bay, input our password (840) and continue through the registration process. There are options for both the 10K and the Children’s Run.

How do I prepare for this event?  Check out the great training resources on the Bellin Run website!

If you have any questions, please contact wellness@uwgb.edu or (920) 465-2203.

Last year, we had 20 employees who participated in the Bellin Run as part of the UW-Green Bay team.  Get out and enjoy some fun with co-workers, family and friends by participating in friendly competition!

Add Joy to Your Life Today

The secret to happiness, like the secret to success, has long been studied and debated. What makes one person happy could well stress out someone else (take skydiving, for example). Still, psychologists and other researchers have found that some activities and mind-sets appear more than likely to increase joy and contentment.Joy

Help other people. Doing things for others obviously helps them, but research shows it can increase your happiness, too. Big projects that involve a lot of time or money are great. Yet small gestures, done with sincerity, can also do the trick. Call a friend or family member you haven’t spoken with in a while, smile at a stranger, hold the elevator or subway door, let someone merge in front of you on your way to work, and commit other random acts of kindness.

Share a laugh with someone. Not only is laughter the best medicine, it brings people together, increases joy, and counteracts conflict and stress. To add laughter to your day, spend time with happy, funny people, watch funny movies or TV shows, or read the funny pages in your newspaper or online. You could also spend time with children, choose a funny screensaver for your computer, or ask friends and family to tell you the funniest thing that happened to them today.

Take time to play. Playfulness helps anyone of any age be more resilient, happy, flexible, and creative. It teaches us to manage and transform stress and negative emotions, too. It’s easy to be playful with pets and children. But looking for ways to play with grown-ups at work and home is a great way to increase the strength and health of your relationships.

Embrace joy by trying one of the above suggestions today.

Article from the StayWell Company, LLC

Couch to 5K Lunch ‘n Learn

 

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We all know that walking and running are a great way to stay in shape, but it can also enhance your health by helping to prevent heart disease and high blood pressure, as well as improve your mood and reduce stress. Nate Vandervest, UWGB Assistant Cross County Coach, CSCS, CES, and former Division 1 cross country runner, has a passion for running and will be presenting this Couch to 5K lunch ‘n learn.  He will cover a training plan, as well as common injuries and how to prevent them.  Jolene Sell, Registered Dietitian with Chartwells, Wellness Committee member and avid runner, will discuss the right foods to eat as you train for a walk/run.  Whether you have run marathons, or are interested in starting walking or running for exercise, please join us for practical help, encouragement, and motivation!

Date: Wednesday, March 6, 2019

Time: 12:00 to 12:45 p.m.

Location: University Union, 1965 Room

RSVP: wellness@uwgb.edu

We will also kick off our new Run/Walk Team at this Lunch ‘n Learn!  Our goal is to offer opportunities for employees to train together, share helpful tips and encouragement, provide incentives, and participate in runs/walks together.  Our first run/walk will be the Phoenix 5K at UW-Green Bay in April, so Nate will provide practical tips to help you get ready for this 5K!

Aim for 10,000 Steps!

You know that physical activity is good for you, and that walking is an easy, low-impact way to get moving. But how far do you need to walk before you start seeing benefits? And what exactly are the benefits of walking?

The National Institutes of Health recommend you take about 10,000 steps a day, which shakes out to roughly 5 miles. That may sound like a lot, but remember, you don’t have to do it all at once.

If 10,000 steps a day seems daunting, it’s OK to ease into it. First, use a step tracker for a few days without trying to change anything. This gives you a baseline for your fitness. If you currently take 5,000 or fewer steps a day, aim to increase by about 3,000 at most. Start working toward 10,000 steps today!

Article from the StayWell Company, LLCwalking

Visit the Kress Events Center!

KressGymDid you know that you can use the Kress Events Center for free as a UW-Green Bay faculty/staff (ongoing and 50% FTE or higher)? This includes the fitness center, group fitness classes, pool, racquetball courts, gyms, locker room, and more! During Fall/Spring semesters it’s free Monday to Thursday from open to 2:00 pm and 8:00 pm to close. On Friday to Sunday and during breaks/holidays it’s free from open to close.

If you wish to have unlimited access to the Kress Events Center you can purchase a membership for a highly discounted price. Payroll deduction is available for these memberships. If you wish to sign up for a membership or payroll deduction please visit the Kress Events Center front desk and fill out a form. For more information please see University Recreation Faculty/Staff Membership Program or visit our website at uwgb.edu/urec.