Mindfully March into March

Your DEM Wellness Team would like to encourage us to Mindfully March into March. Paula Gates (OVP), Nicole Kaforski (OAR), Kate Kurek (RO), Tristin Marotz (RO), Angie Rieves (RO), Nicole Schumacher (OSFA), Cori Splain (OVP), Rachel Tatge (OAR), Erica Tisdale (OSFA) 32 Mental Health Wellness Ideas Tips for Telecommuting Mindful Walking Mindful walking, also known as walking meditation, is a way to practice moving without a destination or goal. While walking you pay attention to how your body is feeling and practice calmly breathing. With the warmer weather that’s expected later this week, mindful walking would be a great way to enjoy the outdoors as well as create a sense of wellbeing, improve your mood, and manage stress. Check out these walking meditation instructions & examples from the UW–Madison Mindfulness Courses:  Instructions  Example #1   Example #2  Example #3   Seize the Day & Use Your Paid Leave The DEM Wellness Team acknowledges that this is much easier said than done. With the pandemic and efforts to stay close to home, it can feel silly to take time off when there’s nowhere to go and/or seemingly nothing to do. It also can feel like by taking time off you are putting more responsibilities on your teammates. With that said, research shows productivity levels can substantially decrease when you don’t take the time necessary to recharge. So by not taking the time to recharge, you won’t be able to help as much as you’d hope. As it’s been said, “Rest and self-care are so important. When you take time to replenish your spirit, it allows you to serve others from the overflow. You cannot serve from an empty vessel.”- Eleanor Brown With this in mind, we wanted to offer some suggestions on things to consider as you plan for time off, activities to fill your time off, and some important HR considerations. Tips & Things to Consider
  • If you’re a team leader, lead by example! Schedule some time off and be sure your team is aware.
  • Talk with your unit or team to figure out ways to make time off work for everyone. Schedules may need to be coordinated to ensure continuity of services.
  • While taking a week off may not always be doable, finding a few days every month should be manageable. If it doesn’t seem like it is, talk to your supervisor or team lead about the potential to modify deadlines for projects.
Activities to Fill Your Time Off Some HR Considerations