08.05.20 Mental Health Wellness Update

While we all are telecommuting, OSFA will be sharing some ideas to boost your mental health during these difficult times. If you know of any videos, podcasts, articles, events, ideas, etc. that would be perfect to include in these emails, please send them along to Erica Tisdale at erica.tisdale@wisc.edu.   One Way to Improve Your Day: Moderate your caffeine intake. Working from home and close to your coffeemaker and refrigerator can make getting an extra cup of coffee or soda much easier than at the office. While folks’ sensitivity to caffeine definitely varies and coffee can be healthy in moderation, studies show that high quantities of caffeine can increase stress and anxiety. Consider tracking your daily caffeine intake and cutting back gradually. If and when you do cut back, consider replacing your caffeine with herbal tea, flavored seltzer, or just refreshing water. Campus/Community Resource: UW Health is offering a variety of virtual Mindfulness Stress Reduction courses – https://apm.activecommunities.com/uwhealth/Activity_Search?ActivityCategoryID=24&isSearch=true&applyFiltersDefaultValue=true. There are other mindfulness-based stress reduction resources available on their website as well: https://www.uwhealth.org/meditation-stress-reduction/mindfulness-based-stress-reduction-educational-resources/39766. Cute Video of the Week: Pit Bull Puppy Gets Her First Bath and It’s Priceless – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CT7xsVcz4xs. Podcasts of the Week: