Wellness Initiatives

Anxiety is a normal reaction to uncertainty and things that may potentially harm us. This is a stressful time for many of us, and it’s normal to feel more anxious than usual. This is an important time to prioritize relaxation and rest in order to cope with the uncertainty.

In addition to the resources below, try and use helpful coping strategies such as ensuring sufficient rest and respite during work or between shifts, eat sufficient and healthy food, engage in physical activity and stay in contact with family and friends.

Mindfulness Support

In the time of COVID-19, it is more important than ever to practice good care for ourselves and others, and continue to build mindful community by reaching out with our hearts instead of our hands.

Mindfulness helps to decrease stress, increase resilience, improve personal productivity, develop connections with others, and augment the ability to experience more joy and peace.

Mindfulness is all about encouraging awareness of oneself in the present moment, and without judgment.

Access our mindfulness resource guide.

Virtual Sessions at PHSA

Register on the LearningHub to be on the email distribution list, where you will receive access details for the virtual mindfulness meditation sessions at PHSA “Living Wellness- Mindfulness Meditation”

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Wellness Webinars

Register on the Learninghub for the following sessions to practice daily mindfulness meditations, learn strategies for managing stress, and learn ways to increase your well-being.

Mindfulness Meditation sessions are being delivered online from the BC Children’s Centre for Mindfulness. Register on the Learninghub.
Topic: Journey to Wellness
Date and Time: June 10th at 12pm -1pm
Register on the Learninghub
Topic: Mindfulness and Mitigating the Stress Response to COVID-19
Date and Time: June 17th at 12pm -1pm
Register on the Learninghub
Topic: COVID-19: Strategies for Managing Stress
Date and Time: June 24th and 12pm -1pm
Register on the Learninghub

Coping with Stress and Anxiety

COVID-19: Mental Health and Well-being (Canadian Mental Health Association, B.C).

Coping with Fear and Anxiety Associated with COVID-19 (PHSA News)

Coping with Stress (World Health Organization, WHO)

Managing Your Mental Health During COVID-19 program (a free online program from Starling Minds™)

Mental Health and Psychosocial Consideration During COVID-19 (World Health Organization, WHO)

Top 5 Mindfulness Tips for Health Care Professionals During the COVID-19 Pandemic (Kelty Mental Health Resource Centre)

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Self-Care Challenge

Take a 21 day Self-Care Challenge:

Due to the COVID-19 outbreak, many of us are having to adapt to quickly evolving circumstances, at times in the absence of our usual coping mechanisms. It is understandable to feel heightened fear or anxiety, or to feel mentally unprepared for such long periods of physical distancing and living with uncertainty. These circumstances make it all the more important to ensure you take time every day to care for yourself and practice your resiliency skills. What can you do today to care for yourself? How can you bring resiliency into your daily life during this challenging time?

You can view a PDF handout of all 21 days of the Self-Care Challenge. We hope that this will be a useful resource for you to reflect on as you continue to build and enhance your daily self-care practice.

Self-Care Challenge Day 1:

You can also access the Homewood Self-Care Starter Kit to help you identify your self-care needs and build a self-care plan.

The self-care challenge is informed by the Resilience at Work (R@W) Individual Model developed by Kathryn McEwen (organizational psychologist) and Dr. Peter Winwood.

Virtual Fitness

Lunch hour yoga
Needing a break to get the blood flowing?
Join us for a virtual 20min yoga session. No equipment needed. No need to change your clothes or footwear. Be mindful of your personal physical limitations while participating.

Tuesdays & Thursdays
12:00pm-12:20pm
Join via Zoom:
https://zoom.us/j/115502129

*Use Chrome for video
"If you get a dialogue box that blocks access, click on "join from your browser"

Curtis Health Online Fitness Resources
PHSA's onsite fitness provider, Curtis Health provides online resources for workout handouts and videos, running tips, meditation and mindfulness, recipes, and at home activities with the family.

Yoga and group fitness class recordings are being posted to the Curtis Health Thrive site on a weekly basis.

https://curtishealth.com/thrive/
Password: Health

5 Min Desk Workout

Lessen the negative effects of sitting with this 5 minute series you can do at your desk.

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Fitness Challenge

Staff Fitness Challenge - June 8-12

In recognition of National Health & Fitness Day on June 6, PHSA is holding a fitness challenge from Monday June 8 to Friday June 12. This is an opportunity to reintegrate gentle exercise into your life at no cost, challenge yourself to start walking or running, and connect with other staff through social media.

We challenge YOU to participate in one or both of the following activities:

Attend a virtual fitness class - Pilates, Yoga, Zumba - every day from 12:00pm-12:30pm, June 8-12.
Walk or run during June 8-12. Download the Strava app on your mobile and start recording your walks or runs. Prizes will be available for the furthest distance walked or ran!

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PHSA’s Psychological Health, Safety and Wellness team supports the mental health of all employees in any PHSA program, service, or division. Questions? Email healthpromotion@phsa.ca