You Can Reach Out to UK HR Health and Wellness for Support
LEXINGTON, Ky. (April 6, 2020) — For most of us, our daily lives look very different from only a month ago. Due to COVID-19, we are practicing social distancing, washing our hands frequently, perhaps working from home and even homeschooling children. University of Kentucky Human Resources is available to UK employees who are looking for help in navigating these transitions.
“In today’s challenging and uncertain times, we are all experiencing varying levels of stress and quite a bit of change,” says Jody Ensman, manager of UK HR Health and Wellness. “It is more important than ever to take the time to care for ourselves and sustain our well-being. At UK, support for emotional, physical and nutritional well-being is available through many resources. Our trained professionals are still here for you online, by phone and through social media.”
Mental and Emotional Health According to an article in Psychology Today, it is important to recognize that feeling stress and anxiety is normal.
“Most people tend to wildly over-estimate what they can finish in a single day, and then feel discouraged,” according to Amy Rodquist-Kodet, certified health coach with UK HR Health and Wellness. “Be gentle and reasonable with yourself. Give yourself extra doses of kindness as you do the best you can. We’re all in this together!”
HR Health and Wellness and Work+Life have health coaches and therapists available to help you manage stress through online and phone consults, online and a YouTube playlist of recorded presentations, and Zoom sessions.
Take a 15-minute break Tuesday, April 7, for “Circle of Control: A Tool for Rumination and Worry,” watch “No One is an Island (avoiding isolation)” Thursday, April 9, “Establishing New Habits in Times of Change” on Tuesday, April 14, and more. These short presentations will remind you to stop, breathe and be mindful. You can view live versions at 2:30 p.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays, or see recorded versions later.
Physical Health “In these ever-changing times, it’s important to keep moving as part of your health and well-being,” says Carrie Davidson, fitness specialist for UK HR Health and Wellness. “Think outside of the box — take a walk in the neighborhood, push-mow the lawn, go up and down the stairs once per hour. Contact us to let us know what resources you have at home, and we’ll set up a plan just for you!”
Staying inside, practicing social distancing and working from home, you may not realize how much your physical activity has been reduced. While you may not be able to visit the gym, our fitness specialists are there for you online, by phone and through social media to keep you moving. If you have been a part of MoveWell Rewards — the program is still going, and so should you! And look for presentations on YouTube, like “When Your ‘Workout’ Routine is Interrupted, What Now?” Thursday, April 21, and “Creative Ways to Move” on Thursday, May 7. You can find more ideas on the Health and Wellness blog.
Nutritional Health You’re working on a report. Your desk is near the kitchen. Location, stress, anxiety — before you know it, you’ve made several trips to the fridge or have forgotten to eat. But it doesn’t have to be that way.
“Transitioning to working from home can pose unique challenges to healthful eating habits. You have more access to food and less structure, combined with heightened stress, all of which can lead to mindless and emotional eating,” says Vanessa Oliver, registered dietitian with UK HR Health and Wellness.
Making new, healthy habits like keeping a routine, controlling your environment and being mindful of when and what you eat are all strategies that will help you and your family adjust to your new situation.
If you would like guidance about what to keep in your pantry or what recipes might work best during the coming months, our dietitians are available for consults online or by phone. You can also find recipes on the Health and Wellness blog.
The dietitians will also be conducting online presentations, like “Learning to Embrace ‘Good Enough’ Food Choices” on Tuesday, April 21, and “How to Tame Emotional Eating” Thursday, April 30.
“Allow self-care to be a priority with your new routine. Choose a healthy morning routine, spend time outdoors and do all you can to make every moment precious,” says Jackie Hanson, UK HR Health and Wellness health coach. The university’s well-being resources are here to help you achieve that goal.
As the state’s flagship, land-grant institution, the University of Kentucky exists to advance the Commonwealth. We do that by preparing the next generation of leaders — placing students at the heart of everything we do — and transforming the lives of Kentuckians through education, research and creative work, service and health care. We pride ourselves on being a catalyst for breakthroughs and a force for healing, a place where ingenuity unfolds. It's all made possible by our people — visionaries, disruptors and pioneers — who make up 200 academic programs, a $476.5 million research and development enterprise and a world-class medical center, all on one campus.
In 2022, UK was ranked by Forbes as one of the “Best Employers for New Grads” and named a “Diversity Champion” by INSIGHT into Diversity, a testament to our commitment to advance Kentucky and create a community of belonging for everyone. While our mission looks different in many ways than it did in 1865, the vision of service to our Commonwealth and the world remains the same. We are the University for Kentucky.