Category: Wellness

Living in Uncertain Times During COVID-19 Presentation

Presentation from Kepro, our Employee Assistance Program provider, and our UWGB Wellness Center

We are all living in unprecedented times, which fosters worry and anxiety. Heightened worry and fear can only make trigger events worse than they already are. Controlling the way that we process the events is the goal of this seminar.  Please plan to join us for this virtual presentation.

Date: Wednesday, March 10, 2021
Time: 11:30 am – 12:30 pm
Please sign up to attend: https://uwgreenbay.ca1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_dbAE69Tz2ZDuoZ0

If you aren’t able to join us during the live presentation, a recording will be available after the presentation at https://www.uwgb.edu/phoenix-forward/faculty/employee-health-wellness/.

Questions? Please email wellness@uwgb.edu

March Wellness Activity: 60 Second Challenge

Get set, go, your 60 seconds begins now!!

We have an exciting new opportunity for you to participate in called the 60 Second Challenge to encourage movement throughout the day and get you away from the computer for a minute. It is proven that those who take breaks throughout the workday are to be more productive.

The 60 Second Challenge encourages you to be physically active for 60 seconds every hour of the workday. The exercises are predetermined with modifications and variations that can be completed in any order throughout the day and at any point within the hour.

The unique aspect of the challenge is that you will have completed 8 minutes, of the recommended 30 minutes, of physical activity each day by incorporating it into your workday.

To participate you can use the tracking sheet and the exercise resource sheets (links below). The tracking sheet allows you to track your completed exercises throughout the day and how many reps if you choose to do so. The exercise resource sheets will provide you with descriptions and pictures on how to properly perform each exercise along with modifications and variations. When you have completed the 2-week tracking sheet you can email wellness@uwgb.edu a picture of it to receive a code to self-report your participation in this employer sponsored well-being activity for Well Wisconsin at webmdhealth.com/wellwisconsin.

It is helpful to set hourly reminders for yourself or you can set a daily reminder and snooze it every hour, so it keeps coming up throughout the day.

Following the challenge, you can do another two-week challenge with new exercises which is also included (please see “Round 2” tab on tracking sheet). You are not required to do this to earn credit – it would be an option to benefit yourself and your health.

Source: Well Wisconsin

TIAA virtual meetings available in March

Meet with a financial consultant at the University of Wisconsin System in a Virtual Counseling Session

No matter where you are in life – just getting started or planning for retirement – a session with a TIAA Financial Consultant can help you create a plan for your goals.  And, it’s at no additional cost as part of your retirement plan. You’ll get answers to these questions and more:

  • Am I invested in the right mix of investments to meet my goals?
  • Am I saving enough to create the retirement income I need?
  • How do I take income from my retirement account once I stop working?

TIAA will be available these dates and times for a virtual one-on-one session.

  • Tuesday, March 16 at 10 am – 4 pm
  • Wednesday, March 17 at 9 am – 4 pm
  • Tuesday, March 23 at 9 am to 4 pm

RSVP today, as space is limited.  Register for sessions at www.TIAA.org/schedulenow or by calling 800-732-8353, weekdays, 8 am to 8 pm (ET). We look forward to working with you.

Click here to register for a virtual consultation with TIAA 

This material is for informational or educational purposes only and does not constitute fiduciary investment advice under ERISA, a securities recommendation under all securities laws, or an insurance product recommendation under state insurance laws or regulations. This material does not take into account any specific objectives or circumstances of any particular investor, or suggest any specific course of action. Investment decisions should be made based on the investor’s own objectives and circumstances.

Investment, insurance and annuity products are not FDIC insured, are not bank guaranteed, are not bank deposits, are not insured by any federal government agency, are not a condition to any banking service or activity, and may lose value.

The TIAA group of companies does not offer tax advice. See your tax advisor regarding your particular situation.

TIAA-CREF Individual & Institutional Services, LLC, Member FINRA, distributes securities products. Annuity contracts and certificates are issued by Teachers Insurance and Annuity Association of America (TIAA) and College Retirement Equities Fund (CREF), New York, NY. Each is solely responsible for its own financial condition and contractual obligations. 

Onsite Health Screening

Time to register for your onsite health screening!

A free health screening* event has been scheduled at the Green Bay and Sheboygan campuses for employees (and spouses) who are enrolled in the State of Wisconsin Group Health Insurance Program.

At an onsite screening, you’ll learn your measurements for blood pressure, body mass index (BMI), cholesterol (HDL, LDL and total), triglycerides and glucose, and be in and out in 20 minutes. Register today!

Green Bay Campus:

  • DATE:  Tuesday, September 21, 2021
  • TIME:  7:00 am to 1:00 pm
  • LOCATION:  University Union, Phoenix Rooms, Green Bay campus

Sheboygan Campus:

  • DATE:  Thursday, September 9, 2021
  • TIME:  8:00 to 10:30 am
  • LOCATION:  Wombat Room, Sheboygan campus

Please register at webmdhealth.com/wellwisconsin by clicking “Get Started” on the Biometric Screening card.  Click here for instructions.

Earn your $150 Well Wisconsin Incentive

Complete three activities by October 8, 2021 to earn the $150 Well Wisconsin incentive.

  1. Get a Health Check – Complete a biometric screening (details above), dental exam or coaching session, more information available at webmdhealth.com/wellwisconsin.
  2. Complete the WebMD One’s health assessment – it takes about 10 minutes and is mobile and tablet friendly!
  3. Complete a Well-Being Activity through WebMD (ex. complete a challenge, listen to two 30 minute interviews, etc.).

For more information on the Well Wisconsin Program or to complete your activities, log in to webmdhealth.com/wellwisconsin­­.  Click here for Frequently Asked Questions about the health screening.

*The Well Wisconsin incentive program is a voluntary program available to employees, retirees and spouses enrolled in the State of Wisconsin Group Health Insurance Program, excluding Medicare Advantage participants who have incentives available through their health plan. The Well Wisconsin incentive will automatically be issued to eligible participants upon completing the applicable activities. All wellness incentives paid to participants are considered taxable income to the group health plan subscriber and are reported to their employer, who will issue a W2. In some cases, the Wisconsin Retirement System acts as the employer. Retirees, continuants and their spouses will have some taxes withheld from the incentive amount earned.

Wellness Wednesdays in March

WELLNESS WEDNESDAYS

UW-Green Bay faculty and staff are invited to join the Wellness Committee on Wednesdays in March for virtual wellness activities!

Registration (you will receive a calendar invite with a link to attend)

March 3rd – Progressive Muscle Relaxation
12:15-12:30pm
Progressive muscle relaxation is a method that helps relieve tension in the body.  You tense a group of muscles as you breathe in, and you relax them as you breathe out.  For the full experience, find a comfortable position lying down to participate.

March 10th – Chair Yoga
12:15-12:30pm
Chair yoga is a gentle form of yoga that can be done sitting on a chair or standing on the ground while using the chair for support. Just like a regular yoga practice, chair yoga increases flexibility and body awareness.

March 24th – Meditation (Guided Imagery)
12:15-12:30pm
Guided imagery is a relaxation technique that draws on your ability to visualize and daydream. This session will take you on a mental vacation to the beach under the warm sun and ocean air.

March 31st – Stretch Break (Posture Reset)
12:15-12:30pm
This short session will help your body reset and counteract the effects of poor posture. Poor posture in any aspect of your life can exhaust muscles and lead to low back and other chronic pain if it’s not addressed.

February Wellness Activity: Kindness Bingo

February 14 – 20, 2021 is Random Acts of Kindness week. Everyone can use a little kindness, especially right now! Research has shown that there are physical benefits when we see kindness and when we share kindness. It releases oxytocin which is the “feel good” hormone and reduces our stress levels. It has the same effect on our bodies as receiving a hug.

When we focus on others and share kindness with them it helps us in the following ways:

  • Helps take our mind off our own worries
  • Reminds us we are not alone when it comes to troubles and concerns
  • Gives us a sense of purpose
  • Connects us with others in a meaningful way

The purpose is to do random acts of kindness every day of the month except for a few days since there are only 25 bingo spots. Every day you can cross off one kindness task after you have completed it. Once you have completed the kindness challenge and crossed off all the boxes you can email wellness@uwgb.edu with a picture of your bingo card to receive a code to self-report your participation in this employer sponsored well-being activity for Well Wisconsin at webmdhealth.com/wellwisconsin. Hopefully, participating in this challenge will encourage you to continue and recognize acts of kindness even when there is not a bingo sheet to fill out.

BINGO CARD

Three things in human life are important. The first is to be kind. The second is to be kind. And the third is to be kind.”                    —Henry James

Source: Well Wisconsin

Mental Wellness Challenge

As discussed in our last Coffee Talk, mental wellness is so important in our lives right now.  Please be intentional about your mental wellness – consider what areas are going well and what needs some attention.  Decide what you can do to build on the things that are working well, and look at options for improving the things that aren’t going well.  Use your resources and ask for help.  We can all improve our lives by focusing on our mental wellness – talk about it, think about it, and then take action.  Don’t worry about doing something big – just start with something small to get things moving in the right direction.

As part of our mental health focus, we challenge you to take two weeks, February 8th to 19th, to complete at least one of the activities listed on the sheet each weekday.  Click here to access this sheet, mark off activities as you complete them, and then email your completed sheet (or just let us know that you did the challenge!) to wellness@uwgb.edu by Friday, February 26th to get an employee incentive!  Questions? Please email wellness@uwgb.edu.