Weekly Resources | Other Resources | Tips
Other Resources
- Job Satisfaction and Productivity:
- One Big Thing (Article and iPhone App)
- Why Your Office Needs More Nature
Tips from Participants
Week 1 - Pause to Be Well:
- Team Tip: We concluded our first energizing week with a team walk up to the Campanile, and learned the significance of the Abe Lincoln bust that adorns the south face of the tower.
- If a meeting is 30 minutes or less, try standing up.
- Before the week starts plan out how you are going to attack the week and what routine you are going to have. Also, try to find the highlights or fun parts of the week to look forward to.
- Schedule at least one meeting in another building each week. Even better, attend a noontime performance, special lecturer, exhibit of art or film, or other cultural event on campus every day. Even if you make it to only one per week, you've given yourself a break and enriched your brain.
- a simple walk around the office with a "hello" and a smile can improve your mood, connect with other humans, and get a few steps in. It is important to get away from your computer screen, often.
- Rather than considering a quick "hello," or sharing a fun story as an interruption, think of it as an energizer for your colleague. They are more likely to return to work with a smile.
- Take advantage of Rec Sports' Workfit program - especially the Yoga sessions as it meets many of the 6-week goals! (and the instructors are great!)
- When I found myself unable to focus or under stress whether it be while working on a project or sitting in traffic on my way home from work, I would remind myself to breathe and focus on my breathing. I felt calmer and more focused. It made me feel more happy and positive. My energy did feel more stable and high. No need for my normal afternoon coffee.
Tips from 2016:
- Set an alarm/reminder to take breaks, stretch, go for a walk – on your phone, calendar (and make it a bright color), etc.
- Create a login password that relates to your goal.
- I work with a lot of big Excel data sheets and it is hard to peel myself away from them and also hard to keep grinding through them. So I told myself I would take a break every 100 rows or every 150 rows.
- I just found out that the reason I am tired all the time is because I have sleep apnea. If you have tried everything, and your lab tests show that you are healthy, please ask your doctor to check you for sleep apnea. It could be the reason for your fatigue.
- On my morning drive to work, I play a favorite song and reflect on "what makes me smile"
Week 2 - Breathe to Be Well
- Team Tip: We started our weekly staff meeting with deep breathing, and ended it with Thankful Thursday appreciation.
- Mark an item on your desk that reminds you to take a short break. (e.g. a picture, an image, a toy).
- I liked this past week's challenge. I tried to add the breathing to my get up and stretch/ move times and put a post-it on my desk that says: "breathe".
- When the weather is nice outside, take a walk around campus, particularly parts of campus with lots of trees.
- It helps me to do breathing exercises every day around the same time during breaks between activities; this helps to remind me to do the breathing. For example, I used to do my breaths after I dropped my son off at school in the morning. This past week, I was taking breaths after our doors closed for lunch.
- Celebrate even the tiniest accomplishments because they all add up to positive energy!
- Found myself stressing for no real reason, then remembered to breathe and it worked! Also got a stand-up desk and anti-fatigue mat - happy.
Tips from 2016:
- When waiting for meetings or outside a restaurant, instead of pulling out my phone, I stood and breathed. It was very relaxing and grounding instead of distracting, which getting online can be.
- Printed out the breathing techniques handout and kept it at my desk.
- Be purposeful with your teammates and don't shy away from encouraging break time/stretch time - a little bit of peer pressure goes a long way to achieving your goal!
- When I took the time to think about it, I realized that there were moments at work when I was taking short breaths and that a simple deep breath relieved a lot of tension.
Week 3: Move to Be Well
- Team Tip: Our team performed a new activity last week to energize all team members in the office. We all got up from our desks, gathered in our main office, and performed various exercises for 10 minutes using resistance tubes. Working individually and in pairs, we got a quick-fix office workout! My biceps aren't bigger yet, but we felt the burn!
- In the morning when you first get to work, ask yourself "How am I going to take care of myself today?" And calendar in some self-care such as meditation, a walk, exercise, deep breathing break, or journaling about your thoughts!
- Remember you are not an isolated machine. Stopping to check in with others refreshes physically and emotionally.
- Scheduled my 10-minute walks and treated them as meetings with myself; that I couldn't skip or be late for.
- Just be consistent with your exercise goals and commitment; some weeks will be better than others.
- Standing up hourly and setting a timer for breaks.
Tip from 2016:
- A good night's rest is always key! You'll be more likely to get moving during the day.
Week 4: Fuel to Be Well
- TEAM Tip: We got together and brought in healthy foods for a salad bar potluck! It was such a great time to get together and chat about non-work-related things. Everyone brought delicious food. We have implemented this kind of lunch once a month now.
- I try to bring plenty of fruit to the office on Monday to have as healthy snacks for the week.
- Caffeine-free herbal tea and cashew nuts were my best friends last week!
- When I felt hungry soon after I just had a snack, I would have a cup of tea and then assess whether or not I was hungry. There were a few times I was just stressed, and wanted to stress eat.
- Meal Planning helped me eat more balanced meals. I served myself less food and if I was still hungry then I had the option to go back for more food.
- I fell into my trap by not following the essential guidelines of the Week 4 Challenge. Last week, I had a bad headache, only to realize that I had not been drinking enough water and did not take my usual 15-minute break, to go for a walk (outside). That evening, I drank two glasses of water and the next morning I felt much better. As I came to work the next day - I placed an Energize to Be Well poster in my office as a reminder to follow all of the valuable tips from that poster, especially drinking plenty of water throughout the day. I love the poster. Thanks!
- Being in close and frequent contact with my teammates encourages me to stay motivated, even when I get sick. They are invaluable sources to keep me going!
- I treated myself to a massage and a nap. It made all the difference in relieving stress and promoting rest.
- I signed up for a 10k on March 18th which held me accountable for training myself. I walked 4 miles a day last week. This week I plan to do 6 miles a day to be ready for my 10k.
Tip from 2016:
- Start the day with vegetables as a part of your breakfast. It's easier to keep a healthy diet throughout the day when I start right. When I start the day with a breakfast pastry, it always feels like I have to play catch up on getting my essential vitamins and nutrients.
Week 5: Rest to Be Well
- Team Tip: Part of our team went to the Sound Meditation for Sleep workshop last week! It was amazing! Thank you!
- Accountability was helpful. I shared my goal with my family and they joined in to stop using electronics, including turning the TV off half an hour before bedtime. This had gone up to 45 minutes by the end of the week.
- Epsom salt baths with a bath pillow - a nice way to relax, help with a body in pain and help with falling asleep faster.
- I set a bedtime with my phone. Once in bed, I play a podcast called Myths and Legends. It's a bedtime story but I always fall asleep before the ending.
- Walking 40 min during lunch break; I joined the walking group on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays.
- Take your meetings outside! Walking and talking stimulates the brain, creates a nice break from office sitting, and is so refreshing being out without 4 walls. You'll find you don't have to have such long drawn-out meetings. Things could wrap up faster and you are more alert.
Tip from 2016:
- When I woke up in the middle of the night, counting backward from 100 worked to put me back to sleep!
Week 6: Appreciate
- Be a force for good in your daily life. People around you see it and reflect it. A rising tide lifts all boats.
- Although there are times that I feel like I don't have enough, this is not true. I have shelter, food, a job, and a social support network, which is just about everything that I need.
- I've made a point of smiling even when I don't always feel like smiling. It helps.
- Saying thanks to co-workers makes them, and feel good.
- Prayer and meditation help me to remember to be kind to myself and others.
- Grab your friends and do a walkie-talkie during the lunch hour. It's fun to be actively engaged in conversation while getting your steps in, away from a desk.
- I think just having the weekly reminders was helpful. Also, I bought a "mini stepper" I can use with my standing desk. I was inspired to invest in my health at work.
Team Tips and Success Stories:
- Our team participated in team events on staff appreciation day, competing together and affirming each other, and we exercised a "thankful Thursday" during our weekly standing meeting to appreciate particular contributions by people on the team.
- I wrote thank you cards to some employees who took photos for our Big Give event. Their smiles made a big impact!
- We had fun working together on the Big Foot race at Field Day. One of our teammates caught a picture of us all with big smiles. It is now printed and on display.
- The final week's Challenge was a fitting compliment to Berkeley's Staff Appreciation Week! Here at CSS, we had additional activities where we showed appreciation to our staff with some gift card raffles, Snack Hour, and leaders giving their staff Berkeley Thank You Cards.
- As a Grad Div Zipter’s Team, we lost 25 pounds during the Energize to Be Well challenge. Thank you for such a wonderful platform to keep our health, body, and mind in great shape.
Tip from 2016:
- We did the idea for the Joy board. Support for each other during and outside of work, humor, and snacks were things that brought us joy.