TotalWellbeing: February 2021

 

	Time to De-Stress
“The time to relax is when you don’t have time for it.” – Sydney J. Harris Welcome to the February 2021 edition of TotalWellbeing, your guide to the 8 dimensions of wellbeing. This month it’s time to take a deep breath and de-stress. No matter how resilient you are, stress and anxiety can have an impact on your life in some way or another. It is important to be able to recognize the signs of stress and take steps to manage it on a day-to-day basis. This can be tricky as often we don’t feel as if we have time to take time for ourselves, but it is critical that we do so to avoid stress, burnout, and the symptoms that come with those including tension headaches, anxiety, insomnia, and other wellbeing issues. See below for some tips on managing stress with exercise as well as an infographic with more stress-related tips to help you unwind. Please remember that your EAP is here for you to provide a variety of resources to manage stress. You have access to free and confidential counseling, wellness coaching, work/life balance tools, and more! Plus, an online resource library full of proactive self-help tools. Visit PersonalAdvantage for helpful articles, tips, health assessments, stress tests, and more! To your total wellbeing, The MINES Team Managing Stress with Exercise Stress can make you feel drained, anxious, and even depressed. While there are several ways to manage runaway stress, none is as enjoyable and effective as a regular exercise routine. We all deal with stress in our lives—due to both minor and major events. Try utilizing some new coping strategies to help you deal with difficult times more effectively. “Numerous studies have shown exercise provides excellent stress-relieving benefits,” says Cedric Bryant, chief exercise physiologist for the American Council on Exercise. “And let’s face it, we all could do with less stress in our lives.” How It Works Exercise causes the brain to release endorphins, opium-like substances that ease pain and produce a sense of comfort and euphoria. It also encourages the nerve cells in the brain to secrete other neurotransmitters, such as serotonin, dopamine, and norepinephrine, which improve mood. Read more… Remember, your Employee Assistance Program is here to help if you maintain your wellbeing and manage stress and anxiety. This includes counseling, self-help tools, wellness coaching, and more. If you need additional information, or to access services, please call MINES and Associates at 1-800-873-7138 today. Also, PersonalAdvantage has a ton of great resources and FREE webinars.
Stress/Health Infographic Click here to view and download the stress infographic from this month’s communication.
Question of the Month What is one way that you may be able to add a daily habit to manage stress? This could be a quick breathing exercise, a short meditation session, engaging with your favorite stress-relieving hobby, or anything else you use to keep your stress levels in check. What’s stopping you?
If you or a member of your household needs assistance or guidance on any of these wellbeing topics, please call MINES & Associates, your EAP, today for free, confidential, 24/7 assistance at 800.873.7138.
This Month’s Focus Free Webinar: Calm Down: Meditation and Relaxation Guide MINESblog: New to TW? Check out our past Blogs! Pandemic Fatigue The Art of Resolutions Important Links COVID19 Resource Page Visit our BLOG MINES and Associates Current Training Catalog Balanced Living Magazine LinkedIn MINES Archives Contact Us Email MINES
		MINES does not warrant the materials (Audio, Video, Text, Applications, or any other form of media or links) included in this communication have any connection to MINES & Associates, nor does MINES seek to endorse any entity by including these materials in this communication.  MINES accepts no liability for the consequences of any actions taken on the basis of the information provided herein, nor any additional content that may be made available through any third-party site. We found them helpful, and hope you do too!

TotalWellbeing: July 2020

	Caregivers and Social Wellbeing
“There are only four kinds of people in the world. Those who have been caregivers. Those who are currently caregivers. Those who will be caregivers, and those who will need a caregiver.” ― Rosalyn Carter Welcome to the July 2020 edition of TotalWellbeing, your guide to the 8 dimensions of wellbeing. This month we will be turning our attention over to social wellbeing, returning to work sites, and supporting caregivers. Our social wellbeing has truly been tested in the last few months. To adapt, people have adopted more digital means of staying connected to the people in their lives. This is great, but digital meetings and hangouts can only replace real face to face contact for so long, however, until we are able to return to face to face as the primary way of connecting with the people in our lives safely, it will be important to maintain these digital connections to keep our social wellbeing as strong as possible. Caregivers on the other hand must be in the same room as those they care for more often than not. This is one reason why caregivers have been impacted more than many other occupations. Not only this, but the people they are caring for are likely in a high-risk population due to their own compounded medical issues. For this reason, it is crucial that everyone do what they can to help support the caregivers in their lives. Even little things help. Offer to go shopping for them, cook a meal, do some laundry, or just be available for them to talk to if they need. See this month’s featured article below to get some ideas. If you are a caregiver yourself, make sure to focus on your own selfcare on an ongoing basis. Make sure to take time for yourself whenever possible and do not hesitate to ask for help if you need it. Check our blog post here for tips on self-care as a caregiver. As a quick reminder, your online portal, PersonalAdvantage, also has helpful caregiver resources such as tips and resources that you can use to strengthen your resilience if you are a caregiver, or to help you support loved ones who are a caregiver for someone else. To your total wellbeing, The MINES Team Returning to the Workplace Employers are starting to ask employees to return to the office as states change their respective “Stay at Home” requirements. For the majority of employees increased stress, anxiety, fear, and depression have been present to varying degrees during the pandemic. Now, returning to work raises additional challenges. Health psychology concerns include worry about physical safety, fear that germs (viruses) have increased, distrust of others’ hygiene and state of health, wanting to withdraw from the world and stay at home (this is not agoraphobia, the Japanese call it hikikomori), and a general hyper-vigilance. What can employees do to manage their psychological concerns? If you are anxious or fearful, ask yourself if it is disproportionate, and am I overreacting? You may or may not be, by the way, depending on the objective information about your workplace. If you are concluding you may be overreacting, how have you coped successfully before and how have you stayed healthy so far? Some of us feel hopeless or like we have no control. What can you take control of? For example: Make sure you have personal protective equipment (PPE), don’t just rely on your employer. Take steps to ensure you and your colleagues still maintain physical distance (6 feet). Stay home if you have symptoms, ask your supervisor to ask colleagues with symptoms to leave work. Take charge of cleaning your personal work area as often as you need each day. Bring your own sanitizing supplies as back up in case your employer’s supply runs out. Use virtual meetings, email, messaging, and phone calls rather than in-person meetings as much as you can in the office to minimize exposure to others respiration. For both depression and anxiety, take control by moving your body through walking or exercising outside. This will help your immune system and overall health. In addition, it helps create brain chemistry changes that are good for you. Make good use of all the free apps for relaxation and meditation sessions that are available. Research is clear that these are good modalities for reducing stress, anxiety, and managing aspects of depression. Seek mental health help. Take full advantage of your employer’s benefits. Your EAP with MINES is free to you! (1-800-873-7138) You can do your sessions virtually through phone, video, or message-based (text) modalities. Remember, you also get wellness coaching, work/life, legal/financial, and unlimited resources through your online PersonalAdvantage. Check out our blog or our COVID19 Resource page for more resources and more helpful information pertaining to working remote, dealing with isolation, managing stress and anxiety, downloadable workbooks and more. Remember that Your Employee Assistance Program is here to help you and your family members manage the anxiety from health concerns such as the Coronavirus. Please call us at 1-800-873-7138 to get connected right away. Also, PersonalAdvantage has a ton of great resources and FREE webinars.
Caring for the Caregiver Most families and households have that person — the caregiver whom others lean on to provide the lion’s share of care when a loved one is stricken by illness, injury, disability, and the like. But who’s looking out for the best interests of the caregiver? As heavily as some families depend on that person during times of need, it’s vital that they not only take the necessary planning steps to protect the family financially should the caregiver need care, but also recognize and address the needs of the primary caregiver. Here are several priority items that personal finance experts suggest families consider in drawing up a care plan: Accommodate the caregiver’s need to have time for themselves. Realize the caregiver needs support and reach out for it. The caregiver support network is strong. Tap into it. Take stock of insurance coverage — and bolster it if necessary. Be sure the caregiver’s vital documents and directives are in place and up-to-date. Don’t wait. Put a care plan in place before a crisis hits, so crucial decisions aren’t clouded by panic and emotion. Read More Remember, your Employee Assistance Program is here to help you tackle the stresses of being a caregiver or supporting those in your family who are caregivers. You can access caregiver support tools on your PersonalAdvantage, as well as use your counseling services to address stress, burnout, compassion fatigue and other topics common among caregivers. If you need additional information, or to access services, please call MINES and Associates at 1-800-873-7138 today.
Question of the Month How has the COVID19 restrictions impacted your social wellbeing? If you are a caregiver, how have the COVID19 restrictions impacted your role as a caregiver? Have these challenges helped to make you more resilient? In the future how will you use the coping strategies you have learned to help yourself and others?
If you or a member of your household needs assistance or guidance on any of these wellbeing topics, please call MINES & Associates, your EAP, today for free, confidential, 24/7 assistance at 800.873.7138.
This Month’s Focus Free Webinar: The Sandwich Generation: Multi-generational Caregiving MINESblog: New to TW? Check out our past Blogs! COVID-19: For YOU, the Essential Worker! COVID-19: Stress & Anxiety Reduction COVID-19: Home Workout Essentials Important Links COVID19 Resource Page Visit our BLOG MINES and Associates Current Training Catalog Balanced Living Magazine LinkedIn MINES Archives Contact Us Email MINES
		MINES does not warrant the materials (Audio, Video, Text, Applications, or any other form of media or links) included in this communication have any connection to MINES & Associates, nor does MINES seek to endorse any entity by including these materials in this communication.  MINES accepts no liability for the consequences of any actions taken on the basis of the information provided herein, nor any additional content that may be made available through any third-party site. We found them helpful, and hope you do too!

Total Wellbeing: January 2020

	Plan for the Perfect Year
“The New Year stands before us, like a chapter in a book, ready to be written.” – Melody Beattie Hello! Welcome to the January 2020 edition of TotalWellbeing, your guide to the 8 dimensions of wellbeing. This month we are looking to help you get 2020 started on the right foot. We know, New Year’s resolutions can be a little cliché, and are often forgotten about as the year goes on, but this isn’t just about the New Year, it’s about a new you and learning how to build great new habits while breaking bad old habits. Wellbeing shouldn’t be something that you only think about once a year, it’s a lifelong drive to be well and happy. To get you started, or to help you keep going strong, use the resources like these helpful articles or this free webinar, to start 2020 with a bang! Remember you can always catch past issues of TotalWellbeing on our newsletters page. This newsletter is aimed at providing helpful information about various aspects of your wellbeing and then connecting it all back to important and relevant parts of everyday life. If you have any thoughts, questions, or content you would like to see covered here please get in contact with us. You can email us directly by clicking here. To your total wellbeing, The MINES Team Happiness as a Choice Are you a person who can act on tough questions? Questions like: What am I grateful for? What choices do I have? What actions can I take to improve my life? What are my primary strengths? How can I live a more balanced life? People who can act on these questions likely also describe themselves as happy. “Happiness is neither a mood nor an emotion. Mood is a biochemical condition, and emotions are transitory feelings,” says Dan Baker, Ph.D., director of the Life Enhancement Program at Canyon Ranch in Tucson, Ariz., and author of What Happy People Know. “Happiness is a way of life, an overriding outlook composed of qualities like love, optimism, courage, and a sense of freedom. It’s not something that changes every time your situation changes.” Check out this article for a complete look at skills to master your own happiness including: appreciation, choice, personal power, leading with your strengths, and more. Remember that if you or a household member are looking to set goals and enhance your wellbeing and happiness, we can help. Your EAP comes with 4 free telephonic wellness coaching sessions per year to help you achieve your goals. Please call us at 1-800-873-7138 to get connected right away. Also, PersonalAdvantage has a ton of great resources and FREE webinars this month to help you focus on your wellbeing while also being productive at work and home.
Seven Ways to Beat the Burnout Blues You may be experiencing burnout if you feel bored, fatigued, apathetic, impatient, and constantly irritated with your co-workers. Don’t panic, there’s hope. Some of the secrets to long-term job happiness are revealed in the 7 tips below: Change positions within your company — See how your skills can be applied in new ways within your company and seek out new opportunities to contribute. Find like-minded people — Finding people with a similar sense of humor, interests, and experience as you can help you see things in new ways and find fresh ideas that work with your lifestyle. Seek out short-term projects — Short-term projects can be a great way to explore new things and work with new people. Kind of like a test-drive for new hobbies you may like to take a deeper dive into. Get more education — Nothing like fresh skills and new knowledge to open new doors. Keep on learning — Stop. Learning. The more you learn, the more exposure you have to opportunities in the world you may have never even knew existed. Have pride in your job — Doing your job the best you can and having pride in your contribution can help you enjoy your job, endure rough patches, and beat burnout even in the worst of times. Don’t wait — If you start to experience burnout, don’t wait until it affects your work and you start looking for a new job. Instead, try making positive changes in your present job. Talk to your supervisor and discuss changes that could reenergize you! Check out this article for a full breakdown of these 7 tips. Remember that if you or a household member are experiencing burnout and want to talk to someone about it, we are here to listen. Please call us at 1-800-873-7138 to get connected right away. Also, PersonalAdvantage has a ton of great resources and FREE webinars this month to help you focus on your wellbeing while also being productive at work and home.
Question of the Month Did you set any goals last year for 2019? If so, how did you do? What went right and what didn’t go so well and why? What can you do this year to make 2020 a successful year for yourself?
Supporting Your Intellectual Wellbeing Resolutions aside, the New Year is a very convenient time to start something new. What not make it something that is going to strengthen your mind, let you learn new things, and bolster your overall intellectual wellbeing? While there are tons of stuff you could do that would fit this mold, here are a couple suggestions to get you started thinking about what fits your interests, goals, and lifestyle. Brain games – Challenge yourself. Memory, puzzle, and brain teaser games can help you learn to look at problems from a different angle and improve your logical thinking patterns. Dancing or martial arts – Complex movement patterns. Anything that requires complex movements and pattern memorization can help create new pathways in your brain and help both hand-eye coordination and memory. Study a new language – The cognitive processes involved in learning a new language, as well as the act of translating one language into another, requires your brain to create new ways of communication across hemispheres. This not only helps cognition but can help prevent or slow the onset of dementia related symptoms and diseases. Brain support – Sleep, eat well, lay off the substances. What ever you decide to do to stimulate and develop your intellectual wellbeing, it’s critical to give your brain what it needs to thrive. Good sleep, and plenty of brain supporting nutrients like vitamin K, omega-3 fatty acids, protein, and beta carotene to name a few, are a great way to support your cognitive functions. It’s also important to not fill your brain with the bad stuff too. So make sure to avoid overloading yourself with sugar and highly processed foods, and limit or avoid alcohol and certain drugs as well. For more resources on supporting your intellectual wellbeing, log in to PersonalAdvantage today.
If you or a member of your household needs assistance or guidance on any of these wellbeing topics, please call MINES & Associates, your EAP, today for free, confidential, 24/7 assistance at 800.873.7138.
This Month’s Focus Free Webinar: Mindful Meal Planning MINESblog: New to TW? Check out our past Blogs! Workplace Goals for the New Year Important Links Visit our BLOG MINES and Associates Current Training Catalog Balanced Living Magazine LinkedIn MINES Archives Contact Us Email MINES
		MINES does not warrant the materials (Audio, Video, Text, Applications, or any other form of media or links) included in this communication have any connection to MINES & Associates, nor does MINES seek to endorse any entity by including these materials in this communication.  MINES accepts no liability for the consequences of any actions taken on the basis of the information provided herein, nor any additional content that may be made available through any third-party site. We found them helpful, and hope you do too!

Total Wellbeing: December 2019

	Staying Motivated & Spiritual Wellbeing
Welcome to the December 2019 edition of TotalWellbeing, your guide to the 8 dimensions of wellbeing. This month we will look at staying motivated, resolutions, and nurturing your spiritual wellbeing. The holiday season signals the end of the year and with it brings a fresh start, but also the pressure of starting a new year with new goals, aspirations, resolutions, and responsibilities. So how do you stay motivated through it all? It’s important to seek change and keep things fresh. Just because things may not change around you doesn’t mean you can’t change your own activities, seek out new hobbies, learn new things, and meet new people. Focus on searching out new things that may be interesting to you or help you do old stuff in new ways or from a different perspective. For more information on staying motivated, holiday entertaining on a budget, and reducing kid’s holiday stress, check out these helpful articles, free webinars, and the information below. Also, one more friendly reminder that you can now access your counseling services with MINES through an online text and messaging platform! It’s counseling whenever, wherever! Call us anytime for more info or to get set up! Remember you can always catch past issues of TotalWellbeing on our newsletters page. This newsletter is aimed at providing helpful information about various aspects of your wellbeing and then connecting it all back to important and relevant parts of everyday life. If you have any thoughts, questions, or content you would like to see covered here please get in contact with us. You can email us directly by clicking here. To your total wellbeing, The MINES Team
Seven Ways to Beat the Burnout Blues You may be experiencing burnout if you feel bored, fatigued, apathetic, impatient, and constantly irritated with your co-workers. Don’t panic, there’s hope. Some of the secrets to long-term job happiness are revealed in the 7 tips below: Change positions within your company — See how your skills can be applied in new ways within your company and seek out new opportunities to contribute. Find like-minded people — Finding people with a similar sense of humor, interests, and experience as you can help you see things in new ways and find fresh ideas that work with your lifestyle. Seek out short-term projects — Short-term projects can be a great way to explore new things and work with new people. Kind of like a test-drive for new hobbies you may like to take a deeper dive into. Get more education — Nothing like fresh skills and new knowledge to open new doors. Keep on learning — Stop. Learning. The more you learn, the more exposure you have to opportunities in the world you may have never even knew existed. Have pride in your job — Doing your job the best you can and having pride in your contribution can help you enjoy your job, endure rough patches, and beat burnout even in the worst of times. Don’t wait — If you start to experience burnout, don’t wait until it affects your work and you start looking for a new job. Instead, try making positive changes in your present job. Talk to your supervisor and discuss changes that could reenergize you! Check out this article for a full breakdown of these 7 tips. Remember that if you or a household member are experiencing burnout and want to talk to someone about it, we are here to listen. Please call us at 1-800-873-7138 to get connected right away. Also, PersonalAdvantage has a ton of great resources and FREE webinars this month to help you focus on your wellbeing while also being productive at work and home.
Question of the Month What motivates you? How can you utilize your motivational forces to help you keep focused on your goals in 2020?
Quote of the Month “We may encounter many defeats, but we must not be defeated.” – Maya Angelou
Supporting Your Spiritual Wellbeing Because spiritual connection and spirituality is so personal and can mean something different to everyone, it can be hard to tell others how to support their spiritual wellbeing. Remember that spiritual wellbeing is not necessarily religious and can simply be your personal connection to the world and those around you, your sense of place in the world. From this point of view, try and contemplate the ways that you connect with the world around you and take time to yourself to be mindful of little things in your day to day lives that ground you and bring you joy. Below are some tips on how to be mindful of the bigger picture in everyday situations: If you do not currently have a spiritual outlet, consider revisiting your childhood faith or another group that interests you. This could be a nature walk group, a martial arts class, an artist group. Anything that connects to you! If you plan to see a doctor regarding a physical problem, be sure to mention any major life events that you may be experiencing, such as menopause, divorce, or the death of a loved one. This may be affecting your health and may influence the course of treatment your doctor recommends. Build quiet, contemplative time into your daily or weekly schedule. Slowing down can help soothe even the most restless spirits. Use this time to meditate or create something. Draw, write, or paint. Anything that allows you to express your inner thoughts in a way that is meaningful to you. For more resources on supporting your spiritual wellbeing, log in to PersonalAdvantage today.
If you or a member of your household needs assistance or guidance on any of these wellbeing topics, please call MINES & Associates, your EAP, today for free, confidential, 24/7 assistance at 800.873.7138.
This Month’s Focus Free Webinar: Putting Out the Fire: Preventing and Managing Burnout MINESblog: New to TW? Check out our past Blogs! Last month: National Alzheimer’s Awareness Update 2019 Important Links Visit our BLOG MINES and Associates 2019 Training Catalog Balanced Living Magazine LinkedIn MINEs Archives Contact Us Email MINES
		MINES does not warrant the materials (Audio, Video, Text, Applications, or any other form of media or links) included in this communication have any connection to MINES & Associates, nor does MINES seek to endorse any entity by including these materials in this communication.  MINES accepts no liability for the consequences of any actions taken on the basis of the information provided herein, nor any additional content that may be made available through any third-party site. We found them helpful, and hope you do too!

Total Wellbeing: October 2019

	Healthy Holidays & Financial Wellbeing
Welcome to the October 2019 edition of TotalWellbeing, your guide to the 8 dimensions of wellbeing. This month we would like to begin again by reminding everyone that you can now access your counseling services with MINES through an online text and messaging platform! It’s counseling whenever, wherever! Call us anytime for more info or to get set up! This month we will look at keeping the holidays as stress-free as possible and how to support your financial wellbeing. The holidays can be a tough time for a variety of reasons. To ensure a successful holiday season that’s not too rough on your finances, or your wellbeing, make sure to set realistic expectations, and don’t overextend yourself or schedule too many events. Know that it is perfectly okay to say “no” to plans if you already have too much going on and don’t feel obligated to buy too many gifts. The more you plan in advance and the better limits you set in terms of time and spending money, the more in control you will feel and the less stressed you will be. For more information on financial wellbeing check out these helpful articles, free webinars, and the information below. Remember you can always catch past issues of TotalWellbeing on our newsletters page. This newsletter is aimed at providing helpful information about various aspects of your wellbeing and then connecting it all back to important and relevant parts of everyday life. If you have any thoughts, questions, or content you would like to see covered here please get in contact with us. You can email us directly by clicking here. To your total wellbeing, The MINES Team
Ways to Keep the Holidays Stress-Free While this article covers a full 12 strategies to keep the stress levels low this fall, let’s take a moment to look at some of the key points across several of the holiday season’s primary activities; eating, shopping, and partying. Shop smart – Give yourself plenty of time to complete your holiday shopping. Shop with an itemized list of what you’ll buy for each person and a ballpark figure of what you’ll spend. Eat smart – Don’t feel obligated to eat everything on your plate or to have dessert. And think twice before going back for seconds. If you overeat, get right back into your normal routine the next day. Party smart – Keep parties simple by having a buffet instead of a formal sit-down dinner. Serve uncomplicated dishes (made with six ingredients or less) that you’ve made before. Remember that you and your household members have financial benefits, including financial coaching and free 30-minute consults for financial matters, available through the EAP. Please call us at 1-800-873-7138 to get connected right away. Also, PersonalAdvantage has a ton of great resources and FREE webinars this month to help you focus on your wellbeing while also being productive at work and home.
Question of the Month What is your number one source of holiday stress? What are some ways the tips from this newsletter may help you limit the stress this year?
Quote of the Month “A wise person should have money in their head, but not in their heart.” ― Jonathan Swift
Community and Global Perspective Most every country and culture in the world has a set of holidays, traditions, and rituals. Many of these holidays can bring with them an overwhelming number of events, social interaction, and obligations. No matter where you are during the holidays there are some things that you can do to keep peace of mind and keep your cool! Make a daily to-do list. Start each day by planning what you want to do and setting priorities. Even if you don’t get everything done, the process is important. Maximize your physical health. Being “all that you can be” increases your confidence and sense of control. A healthful diet, regular physical activity and enough sleep all help you feel up to daily challenges. Speak respectfully to everyone. Simple courtesies set the stage for constructive interactions. Consider how others will respond to what you’re about to say. If it’s likely to cause hurt or anger, find a more positive way to make your point. There are many more things you can do to help, but practice just these first principles and you will be well on your way to a peaceful holiday season.
If you or a member of your household needs assistance or guidance on any of these wellbeing topics, please call MINES & Associates, your EAP, today for free, confidential, 24/7 assistance at 800.873.7138.
This Month’s Focus Funding College: 5 Steps Every Family Can Use to Build a Successful Plan MINESblog: New to TW? Check out our past Blogs! Suicide Prevention in the Workplace Important Links Visit our BLOG MINES and Associates 2019 Training Catalog Balanced Living Magazine LinkedIn MINEs Archives Contact Us Email MINES
		MINES does not warrant the materials (Audio, Video, Text, Applications, or any other form of media or links) included in this communication have any connection to MINES & Associates, nor does MINES seek to endorse any entity by including these materials in this communication.  MINES accepts no liability for the consequences of any actions taken on the basis of the information provided herein, nor any additional content that may be made available through any third-party site. We found them helpful, and hope you do too!

The Stress/Health Connection

Workplace Stress Infographic

Total Wellbeing: April 2019

	De-cluttering Your Life and Spiritual Wellbeing
Welcome to the April 2019 edition of TotalWellbeing, your guide to the 8 dimensions of wellbeing. This month’s focus is on de-cluttering which involves getting rid of stuff you don’t need that distracts you from what you actually want to focus on. We will also touch on Spiritual Wellbeing which is your overall sense of purpose and connection to the world around you. First, clutter can be physical, but it can also be mental or emotional. The important thing to remember is that clutter in any form can get in your way and overcomplicate issues that you may be dealing with. Too much clutter and your sense of purpose and motivation can suffer. By simplifying areas of your life, finding solutions and reaching goals become much easier, and the path to success much clearer. Take a look at these helpful articles, free webinars, and the information below for ways to connect better with the world around you and help you get rid of the pesky clutter that’s distracting you from your wellbeing. If you missed us last month, last year, or you are new to TotalWellbeing, you can catch up on our newsletters page. Remember, this newsletter is aimed at providing helpful information about various aspects of your wellbeing and then connecting it all back to important and relevant parts of everyday life. We will continue to focus on looking at each facet of wellbeing from a small, personal, level and then look at how it connects to the bigger community level as we explore how our wellbeing is tied to the world around us in often surprising ways. To your total wellbeing, The MINES Team
Less is more, stay mindful One way to simplify your life is to practice mindfulness — to slow down and recognize and appreciate the simple things in life. To be mindful instead of mindless, stay in the moment and be conscious of what you’re doing. Don’t think ahead or look back. When we look ahead constantly, we not only rush through the less pleasant tasks, we also tend to hurry through the things we love to do, because we’re always thinking or worrying about what we have to do next. A good way to practice being in the moment is to follow your breath, a technique that doesn’t require any special training or self-consciousness. To breathe mindfully, take notice of your breaths and try to make them as calm and even as possible. Your breaths should be long and slow and should come from your diaphragm rather than your upper chest. Pay attention to each breath, letting thoughts fall away. For more check out this article. If you would like to talk to a counselor or wellness coach about these topics, please call us at 1-800-873-7138 to get connected right away. Also, PersonalAdvantage has a ton of great resources and FREE webinars this month to help you focus on your wellbeing while also being productive at work and home.
Question of the Month What is one small thing you can start doing every day to help de-clutter your work or living spaces?
Quote of the Month “Life is really simple, but we insist on making it complicated.” — Confucius
Community and Global Perspective A simple way of enhancing your Spiritual wellbeing is by connecting with others around you and getting a sense of their feelings about their own purpose and meaning. Connect with friends, neighbors, and family members. What are their goals? What drives them? How do they approach each day with purpose? On one hand, you may find inspiration and shared meaning with those that mirror your aspirations, and on the other hand, you may be able to help others find what they need to renew their own sense of connection and meaning. By connecting with more people you will be exposed to a variety of viewpoints, beliefs, and lifestyles that will open your mind to new ideas as well as reinforce what’s already inside you strengthening your own sense of purpose at the same time.
If you or a member of your household needs assistance or guidance on any of these wellbeing topics, please call MINES & Associates, your EAP, today for free, confidential, 24/7 assistance at 800.873.7138.
This Month’s Focus Check out this month’s webinar: Clear Your Clutter MINESblog: Sleep and Nutrition Go Hand in Hand New to TW? Check out our past Blogs! Important Links Visit our BLOG MINES and Associates 2019 Training Catalog Balanced Living Magazine LinkedIn MINEs Archives Contact Us Email MINES
		MINES does not warrant the materials (Audio, Video, Text, Applications, or any other form of media or links) included in this communication have any connection to MINES & Associates, nor does MINES seek to endorse any entity by including these materials in this communication.  MINES accepts no liability for the consequences of any actions taken on the basis of the information provided herein, nor any additional content that may be made available through any third-party site. We found them helpful, and hope you do too!

Stress Awareness: How to be proactive with your stress management

The Importance of Stress Awareness

For those of you that did not know, April is stress awareness month. While stress awareness month is an important opportunity to highlight and talk about data, resources, and services around stress, anxiety, and related issues, stress is not something any of us can afford to think about only once a year. For many of us, stress is something that affects us day to day, maybe even hour by hour. Stress can be caused by so many things and sometimes nothing at all. Likewise, symptoms of stress can manifest themselves in a variety of ways including both physically and non-physically. Because of these oftentimes ambiguous causes/symptoms of stress, it is critical to our wellbeing that we are able to recognize and manage stress levels effectively on a day to day basis and to be proactive with stress management.

Proactive Stress Management

So, what is proactive stress management? Being proactive with stress management means taking time to learn the various sources of stress in your life. Some sources like stressful occupations, financial issues, or a significant loss are obvious. Others may not be so obvious, and it is also possible to feel stress for no reason at all, which is why the next part is crucial, recognizing the symptoms of stress and how they affect you. Once you learn to recognize how stress manifests itself in your mind and body, you can begin to figure out what the most effective ways for you to manage your stress are. Here’s where the proactive part comes in. Once you know how to manage your stress don’t wait for stress to get overwhelming to practice stress management. Instead, build these anti-stress practices into your daily life so that you are consistently practicing good habits and mindfulness to provide a constant outlet to relieve the effects of stress. It is this proactive approach that keeps stress to a minimum and helps mitigate much of the impact that stress and its various side effects have on your wellbeing. First, let’s delve a bit more into the various sources of stress that you may encounter.

Factors and Sources

There are a lot of stressors that may be very unique and personal to you though chances are, many, if not all, stressors in life can be categorized into some common buckets; environmental, social, physiological, and psychological. Let’s talk a little about these. Recognizing these categories can help you think about stress systemically to help analyze primary causes of stress in your own life.

• Environmental stressors come from all around you and can include things like noise, traffic, pollution, bad weather, and negative or excessive media consumption. These stressors come from the world around us and there is very little we can do to change them. Some environments like our homes, and in some case our work environment, we have a little more control over. For the most part, though our best bet is to adapt to our environment rather than try and change that which we cannot.
• Social stressors come from other people as well as pressure from roles we hold in our lives. These include job pressures and deadlines, arguments or fights, relationship issues, parenting, loss of loved ones, and demands for your time and attention. These are a very personal set of stressors and can involve those we love making them very important to navigate in a thoughtful and measured way.
• Physiological stressors come from your own body. These can include things like adolescence, illness, aging, injuries, lack of exercise, poor nutrition, menopause in women, and inadequate sleep. Again, these stressors can be minimized by changing those we can and accepting what we cannot. Examples of this may be accepting that you are getting older but at the same time striving to eat good nutritious food, exercise regularly, and get enough sleep every night. More on this later.
• Psychological stressors are very tricky because they come from your own mind. These come down to how your brain processes internal and external stimulus. When our minds interpret something as a threat, such as changes to our environment, job issues, or family troubles, it turns on the “flight or fight” response which not only causes stressful thoughts but releases adrenaline and other stress hormones into our systems. This response has many side effects in the body and can present itself in a few different ways such as anxiety, sleeplessness, and anxiety.

How Stress Can Present Itself

Symptoms of stress can manifest in many different ways, and a single stressor can cause multiple symptoms. The areas where stress-based symptoms can pop up include physically, emotionally, cognitively, and behaviorally. Let’s take a closer look at these areas by examining some common issues that can pop up in each area.

• Physical symptoms can include fatigue, headaches, teeth grinding, perspiration, and digestive issues.
• Emotional symptoms can include anxiety, guilt, fear, depression, anger and irritability, and depression.
• Cognitive symptoms can include confusion, a decrease in attention span, memory issues, trouble making decisions, and obsessive thinking.
• Behavioral symptoms can include changes in activities, withdrawal, decrease in appetite, insomnia, nightmares, and suppressed sex drive.

A tricky aspect to keep in mind is that almost all of these symptoms can be caused by other issues as well such as various health conditions, environmental factors, and normal biological cycles, so it’s important to be on top of things and see a doctor if are experiencing any severe or chronic issues.

Misconceptions

There are several misconceptions about stress that can lead to downplaying the effects of stress or even that you are stressed at all. Misconceptions like “people always know when they are stressed,” or “stress only affects those with high-pressure lives” can lead to not seeking help. Other misconceptions can include thoughts that emotions cannot be controlled and that the only thing that may help is medication. These are also not true and are dangerous thoughts. Medication can help in the right circumstances for certain individuals, but others may benefit greatly from some simple self-care, elimination of bad habits, or some counseling. Make sure to approach your stress, and the treatment of it, in an honest and unassuming manner.

Ways to Combat Stress

As we said earlier, the best ways to combat stress are proactive ones. The key here is to stay aware of yourself and how you are reacting to stressors in your life. Here are several areas to be aware of and techniques to help keep your stress from reaching unhealthy levels.

Be Aware of Important Factors

To help discern how you are reacting to stress pay attention to your feelings and emotions on a constant basis. A good way to do this is to stop and perform periodic self-checks by asking yourself questions. Look at your level of anxiety. Do you worry about money, or what may go wrong with certain things in your life? We all worry about these things but are they causing you more anxiety than normal? What about your anger levels? Are you getting more irritated at work or becoming impatient with people easier than usual? How is your self-confidence? Do you wonder if you are doing a good job? Do you worry a lot about what others think? How are your relationships going? Do you spend more time alone than you want to? Is it hard to get close to people? Are you too tired to devote time to your relationships? If you find that you are answering “yes” to any of these questions it may be a sign of moderate to high stress levels.

Change Bad Habits

There are stressors in our lives that we can’t change. However, there are many things that we can do to make sure that we are not contributing unnecessarily to our own stress levels. Take time to evaluate your habits both good and bad, and think about how they may impact your wellbeing for better or worse. These habits are going to be particular to each individual and their lifestyle but for the purpose of this blog let’s look at 5 critical areas where replacing bad habits with good ones can make a huge impact.

• Exercise: Despite what some people may think, habits like smoking and drinking can increase stress on the mind and body even if it provides a temporary illusion of relief in the moment. Instead, support your body through movement and exercise. Exercise is a great stress reliever in many ways. Exercise helps regulate your hormones and neurotransmitters that may be contributing to stress if they are unbalanced and helps increase blood flow to the brain. Exercise helps mitigate stress causing diseases and conditions such as obesity, diabetes, and cancer. It helps maintain a positive body image boosting self-confidence and helps boost energy levels helping you be more productive. Also, just the physical exertion of exercise is a great outlet for stress and negative feelings. Making exercise a habit can be tough at first but if you stick with it and workout regularly for at least 90 days your mind will begin to normalize the activity and you will eventually begin to crave working out, especially if you focus on picking exercise activities that you enjoy.
• Nutrition: This one is a big deal too. Try and replace any bad nutrition habits like eating junk food and consuming excessive amounts of alcohol with good consumption habits. Make sure to always strive to eat a variety of whole, nutritious foods and stay away from processed and surgery food. It is also important to limit caffeine intake as it can potentially induce a stress response in the body and act as a catalyst for anxiety in some people. We talked about nicotine and alcohol but remember there are many drugs, both legal and illegal, that can have a negative influence on your wellbeing and it is up to you to keep potentially hazardous substances like these in check. Or better yet stay away from them altogether unless they are medically necessary. Before making any changes be sure to talk to your doctor as they are your best source of information around your health and medical needs.
• Relaxation and sleep: It is very easy to underestimate the importance of making time for yourself to relax. It’s critical to take it easy sometimes and occupy your mind with something you enjoy doing. This may be walking outdoors, building crafts, drawing, writing and journaling, watching a movie, playing a game, or spending time with friends or family. These types of activities allow you to get your mind off whatever may be causing you stress and provides opportunities for positive stimulus. Sleep is another prime component. Getting adequate sleep (7 to 8 hours per night) is critical to maintaining energy levels, supporting mind and body functions, regulating your bodies chemicals, and repairing your body from exercise and activity. For more information about sleep check out our recent blog for Sleep Awareness Day.
• Time Management: Are you happy with the ways you use your time? Time management can be a huge source of frustration if you always feel like there’s never enough time in the day. Building a schedule and sticking to it can go a long way in helping you spend your time wisely. Try keeping a day calendar on paper or on your computer or mobile device. Don’t just schedule in the things you have to do, schedule things you want to do as well such as time with friends or family, hobbies, or simply free time where you have no obligations. Running late can be another huge stressor, make sure you are waking up on time in the morning, avoid distractions, and give yourself enough time to get where you need to go so you don’t have to rush.
• Self-Talk: It’s all too easy to be hard on yourself and become negative when things are going wrong or stressful. Interrupt this habit by practicing positive self-talk. When you feel your thoughts slipping in a negative direction make a mindful effort to think constructively, not only just about yourself but others as well. Tell yourself things like “I can do this!” and “everything will be okay.” Doing this consistently will help minimize your tendency to interpret events or yourself in a negative light.

Square breathing and other ways to reduce stress

While the ultimate goal is to focus on long-term habits and thought patterns that will help you throughout your entire life, there are many things that you can do in the moment to help bring you back to center and regain composure in a stressful situation. One such exercise is a simple mindful breathing technique called “Square Breathing.” Square breathing is a simple mindful breathing technique that you can do almost anywhere and anytime. By practicing square breathing, you can slow your heart rate, focus your mind, and ease anxiety helping you to become more calm, present, and able to focus on the current moment. One of the great things about square breathing is that it is quick and easy, meaning you can do a quick session in between phone calls or other daily tasks, while you drive (or are stuck in traffic), or practice it for longer as part of a larger meditation or relaxation session. It goes something like this:

Inhale… Begin by slowing inhaling while counting slowly and steadily to 4.

Hold… Once you’ve finished inhaling, hold your breath for another steady count to 4. Seeing a pattern yet?

Exhale… Next, exhale slowly again counting to 4 as you do so.

Hold… Once you’ve exhaled you want to “hold out” your breath for another 4-count.

Repeat… Simple right? Feel free to repeat the cycle, or square, as many times as you’d like. We suggest doing the full cycle at least 4 times.

For more (25) ideas you can click here to view and download a PDF guide of 25 ways to reduce stress.

Summary

Stress Awareness Month may be over, but I hope the information presented here shows the importance of always being mindful and aware of how stressors in your life may be affecting you. I also hope that this information has equipped you with some helpful tools to use to help keep your stress levels in check and maintain a positive outlook even when life gets a little intense.

And remember if MINES is your Employee Assistance Program we are always here to help. If you need a little boost call us 24 hours a day at 1-800-873-7138 to talk to someone or hop online at www.minesandassociates.com and login to your PersonalAdvantage for helpful information on stress, resilience, fitness, nutrition, and tons of other topics and wellbeing resources.

To your wellbeing,

Nic Mckane

The MINES Team

Total Wellbeing: December 2017

 

	December 2017: Physical Wellbeing and Stress
Get Involved! Welcome to the December issue of TotalWellbeing! If you have been following TotalWellbeing you know that every month we focus on one of the 8 Dimensions of Wellbeing. As we come to the end of the year, stress can increase and your attention to your physical wellbeing may decrease. As the holidays bring forth stress around money for gift giving and around family gatherings, and the many holiday parties you may attend certainly don’t help your nutrition commitments. Please take this time focus on what matters, use your emotional resilience skills to de-stress, and focus on eating healthy. For a closer look at this month’s topic and helpful resources please check out The Path and The Connection below or check out our newest infographic on Stress for some helpful information around stress in the US and how to managed a stressful situation in  a healthy way. In case you missed it, November was a great month on MINESblog! We started off with a great post from our affiliate and Alzheimer’s/Dementia expert JJ Jordan for Alzheimer’s Awareness month. Next, we celebrated World Kindness Day with a post talking about how to use kindness to improve your life and the lives of those around you. And finally, we posted about the interplay between stress and physical wellbeing as a tee up to this month’s focus. Be sure to check all of these out for great information and practical resources. As always, for more information please check out the links to the left or hit the share button to send us a message. To be notified when we post more resources and articles make sure to subscribe to MINESblog. See you next month! To your total wellbeing, The MINES Team
The Path: Health, Holidays, and Stress Physical Wellbeing can encompass a lot of things from exercising regularly, eating healthy, taking time to make sure your stress is worked out through physical activity, and getting enough sleep. Stress can exasperate many medical and mental health conditions. This month is a perfect time to work on your stress by focusing on your physical wellbeing which will help resolve the side effects of stress. The blog on stress and physical wellbeing has some great tips and thoughts on this subject. As the holidays approach it is easy to put aside eating healthy and exercising. However, this is the best time to focus on doing this as it can actually improve your holiday experience and your overall wellbeing. Check out these tips to incorporate healthy habits during the holidays!
Tips for you: Emotions are a healthy part of the human experience. Acknowledging emotions and understanding your personal stress style is the first step in beginning to control them. In this session, we will discuss a selection of customary stressors as well as techniques for exercising control over them. Check out the webinar here!
The Connection: Get Involved Wellbeing does not simply start and stop at the individual. Our community is connected to each of our own individual wellbeing in a huge way. When we are well we can better function within our community.  We can help our fellow humans thrive, and in turn, when our community is prospering, it helps each of us reach our goals as individuals. So why not help our community so we can all thrive together? Each month we will strive to bring you resources that can help you enhance the wellbeing of those around you or get involved with important causes.
Community Wellbeing Resources: This month look at how you can expand your knowledge and skills within your community in regards to physical activities. Check out your local community’s website for senior centers where you could volunteer to help take people on a hike or to do yoga. Or look for other ways you can improve your, and others, physical wellbeing. Click here to find a place to use your skills near you! If your organization has access to PersonalAdvantage make sure to check out this customizable online benefit available through MINES. It has tons of the same great resources for all the dimensions of wellbeing that we discuss here, along with some articles and a whole section on having a stress free holiday season! If you haven’t checked it out yet, or want to see what resources they have for this month’s topic check out the link below. You’ll need your company login, so make sure to get that from your employer or email us and we’ll be happy to provide that to you. Check Out PersonalAdvantage Here!
If you or a member of your household needs assistance or guidance on any of these wellbeing topics, please call MINES & Associates, your EAP, today for free, confidential, 24/7 assistance at 800.873.7138.
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