Reset and renew in 2021 with wellness offerings

We're nearly a month into the new year. How are you doing on your resolutions?

Maybe, after an arduous 2020, one of your goals for 2021 is to take better care of yourself. So, what is self-care? Though it might bring to mind New Age-y trends like superfruit smoothies and meditation apps, self-care is a complex concept. It goes beyond those obvious physical and emotional dimensions of wellness to touch on social, financial and intellectual aspects of life – and even the environmental, occupational and spiritual realms.

Self-care is unique to each of us, and to our respective needs. And it's surprisingly easy to shrug off when the daily grind asserts itself.

But whether you're planning to spend the next 330-odd days exercising more, improving emotional intelligence, or bolstering your savings account, the Life & Work Connections team stands ready to help you meet your goals. Invest in your personal well-being in 2021 with a variety of workshops, free health screenings, one-on-one consultations, and more.

Want to stay up to date about the events and programs listed below, as well as future employee wellness offerings? Sign up for the Life & Work Connections email list.

Keeping your body healthy

If you're eager to be more active, Move Arizona can help you to establish healthy habits. Designed to encourage you to meet the 150-300 weekly minutes of movement recommended by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, this new program begins Feb. 7 and runs for eight weeks.

In April, the Arizona Department of Administration will launch a brand-new Health Impact Program, giving benefits-eligible employees a way to earn a few bucks for participating in wellness activities, such as health screenings, flu shot clinics, and parenting and stress-management workshops.

Fostering mental resilience

Hope. Resilience. These are very good things, and you may want to grow their presence in your life. If so, consider enrolling in upcoming skill-building workshops led by employee assistance counselors at Life & Work Connections.

Bob Cunningham will present the "Cultivating Hope" workshop series this spring, with the first session slated for Feb. 3. His program, developed with psychologist Rick Snyder's hope theory in mind, guides you in setting and meeting meaningful goals.

Tanya Lauer will kick off her newest workshop series, "G.R.O.W. Resilience in the Face of Adversity," on Feb. 10. She'll instruct you on how to use grit, reflection, openness and curiosity to stay balanced and flexible in a stressful world.

Nurturing family connections

Perhaps, after nearly a year of disrupted school routines and working from home, you've resolved to transform how your family communicates. Fewer tears at bath time, and no more seething teens at the dinner table!

Lourdes Rodríguez, senior coordinator for childcare and family resources, provides individual consultations for parents who want to discuss child care or parenting concerns, such as selecting a safe child care center or talking through a conflict between your kids.

And, by popular demand, she has again joined forces with employee assistance counselor James R. Naughton on "Building a Resilient Family in Uncertain Times," a series addressing the unique issues that the COVID-19 pandemic has caused for parents and other caregivers. Based on feedback from workshops held in the fall, they've updated the sessions to allow more time for questions.

Later in the spring, Rodríguez will offer three "Parents at Work" webinars, covering the enduring topics of identifying your parenting style, caring for teenagers and managing sibling rivalry.

At the other end of the dependent care spectrum, dependent care adviser Eileen Lawless offers one-on-one consultations about the challenges in caring for people over age 18, such as parents, partners or siblings.

And on April 17, Lawless will lead a life-planning workshop that shepherds you through the often intimidating discussion about what you or your loved ones want to happen if you become incapacitated. What's the difference between a living trust and a living will? She's happy to explain.

Building your bank account

Maybe you want this to be the year you get a real handle on your financial situation.

Both of the University's retirement vendors, Fidelity Investments and TIAA, will hold retirement planning Q&As for the University community in 2021 – so start jotting down your questions! And then mark your calendar for Fidelity's session on March 31.

Both companies will also provide an expansive slate of live webinars in 2021, on subjects ranging from creating a basic budget to diving into the world of investing. Those digital offerings begin in early March and ramp up as the summer heat hits. In the meantime, check out on-demand financial literacy videos on the Life & Work Connections website.

Bringing wellness to your unit

If, as you peruse these opportunities, you find yourself itching to send them straight to a colleague, consider the following ways you can help share the message of self-care with your co-workers:

• Sign up to join the Wellness Ambassadors. These volunteers meet regularly to brainstorm the best ways to cultivate a culture of well-being among University employees.
• Ask Life & Work Connections to bring a presentation directly to your department, division or college. Reach out to Christina Fisch, employee wellness coordinator, at lifework@arizona.edu before your next retreat or quarterly meeting to explore options.
• Consider taking the first 15 minutes of your regular team meeting to show a short video that addresses a perennial wellness challenge. Playlists are available on themes such as setting healthy boundaries, staying mindful in stressful times and exploring the mind-body connection.

While January may be just 31 days out of the entire year, it gives you an excuse to step back, evaluate your priorities and make choices that bring you closer to the person you'd like to become. Life & Work Connections is here to support you on that journey.