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

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.

 

Healthy Potluck held October 23rd

 

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Healthy food, laughter, and good conversation were shared on Tuesday, October 23rd during the Annual Healthy Potluck!  We enjoyed delicious food such as linguini salad, taco soup, spaghetti squash chow mein, broccoli salad, chili, turkey tacos, butternut squash soup, mulled spiced apple cider, apple crisp and vegetable soup.  Thanks to everyone who came and to Lisa Schmelzer for organizing this event!Broccoli Kathleen KathleenLine Linguini SarahLine VeggieSoup

Communicate your way to less workplace stress

MtgWhether you work in a warehouse or a boardroom, the most important part of being a team leader is communication.

More projects fail because of poor communication rather than because of a bad plan. So if your career goals involve team projects, learn these four important aspects of team communication today for more success and less stress:

1. Set clear goals and expectations. It may sound like a no-brainer, but the only way to get your team to do what you want is to tell them exactly what you want. Explain to your team members how you want meetings to run or how to ask for help. Make it clear what the project’s goal is. You can hold big meetings or informal one-on-one chats, send emails, or set upconference calls—just make sure you’re communicating clearly.

2. Bring your team together. Get to know the members of your team and help them get to know one another. Talk about what you like to do outside of work. If possible, try getting the team together for a happy hour or coffee break. If your team members feel comfortable talking with one another socially, there may be fewer miscommunications when it comes to working ont he project.

3. Prepare to resolve conflicts. Personalities can sometimes clash at work. As the team leader, it may fall to you to smooth things out. You may be able to handle most situations by getting the parties together and talking through possible solutions. But it’s also helpful to know when outside help is needed to resolve a conflict—for example, when a problem keeps recurring or if legal issues arise.

4. Don’t be afraid to talk about failure. No project is going to go 100 percent smoothly all the time. At some point, you may find your plan isn’tworking as well as you thought it might. Learn to talk openly with your team about what may be going wrong—that way, you can identify any problems and, more important, find a good solution.

Article from the StayWell Company, LLC

 

Annual Benefits & Wellness Fair

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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

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.

Tense up to relax today

Stress is often written all over your body: Your brow is furrowed, your lips are pursed, your shoulders are up by your ears, and your back is hunched. Using a method called progressive relaxation helps release tension throughout your body, inducing a more relaxed state. You can practice this technique by tensing one muscle group at a time for ten seconds and then letting it go. If you’re pressed for time, try this quickie version that tackles all muscle groups at once today:

  • Sit or lie comfortably.
  • Clench both fists, bend both arms, tense your biceps and legs, close your eyes, scrunch your face, bring your shoulders up to your ears and tense your stomach muscles.
  • Hold for about five seconds and then release, letting go of the tension and allowing all of your muscles to go limp.

As you do this, keep the idea of relaxation in the forefront of your mind.

Rely on friends. Make sure you have a strong support system of friends and family who can help you when you’re stressed. Talking with someone you trust about your stress can help you work through it. Without the support of others, stress can be even worse.

Remember, you can’t tackle everything at once. If you take things one task at a time, one day at a time, you’ll see progress and feel less stress.

Article from the StayWell Company, LLC

Talking

Start Small with Self-Care Today

LaughTeaIf time is holding you back from self-care, start small. Schedule 20 minutes today for meditation, a mind-body practice that promotes calmness. All you need is a quiet location, a comfortable posture, your focused attention, and an open attitude. Once there, ask your body what it needs. An intense workout? A good laugh? Find the revitalization methods that work for you. Start by trying one of these techniques:

  • Write a gratitude list. Write down at least one thing each day that was good. Even if it’s as simple as getting out of work 20 minutes early, document it as something that enhanced your outlook.
  • Sing in the shower. Research suggests that singing promotes self-expression, stress reduction, better mental health, spirituality, and feelings of empowerment.
  • Schedule a phone date with a friend. Friends near and far make life more enjoyable and provide support in times of need. And just as you may need a friend to talk to, it can be equally rewarding to lend an ear.
  • Try laughter yoga. Laughter yoga combines yoga breathing exercises with laughter, which increases the level of oxygen in the brain and body. Participants report enhanced feelings of self-belief, positive energy, and distraction from negative thoughts.
  • Have herbal tea for dessert. A mug of unsweetened tea every night after dinner may be a nice way to unwind and relax without adding extra calories and sugar.
  • Breathe in essential oils. Aromatherapy uses essential oils to make you feel better physically and emotionally. Try peppermint or rosemary to boost your energy, chamomile to help you sleep, or lavender to reduce anxiety.

Article from the StayWell Company, LLC

Shake up your routine today!

Outdoor fitness class

Do you keep seeing a “free trial membership” ad for your local gym or park district? If so, it’s time to give it a try. Many gyms offer at least one free personal training session for new members, too. Take advantage of freebies to help change up your routine. You never know, you might find something you enjoy! And keep your eyes peeled for deals on free fitness classes and other activities. From CrossFit to Pure Barre to high-intensity interval training, you’ll find that new facilities often offer free promotions to help draw business. Now is the perfect time for that boxing, yoga, or salsa aerobics class you’ve always wanted to take. Sign up today!

Article from the StayWell Company, LLC

Did you know that there are free fitness classes at Green Bay parks this summer, like yoga, Zumba, Tai Chi, HIIT, cardio sculpt, Buttz & Gutz, and aqua fitness?  Check out the class schedule and give something new a try: http://greenbaywi.gov/DocumentCenter/View/2889/FIT-in-the-Parks-2018-Schedule-PDF?bidId=