Whether those New Year’s resolutions are still going strong or have fallen by the wayside, a Wellness Reset can help Brock employees to achieve their goals and develop lifelong health and wellness habits.

Included as part of the February Employee Wellness Calendar, the Wellness Reset is a month-long wellness initiative that features one activity each business day that is dedicated to improving mental and physical health. Live fitness events, virtual workshops, recordings, articles, videos and other learning resources can help employees reshape their daily routine and maintain a long-term healthy lifestyle.

“Annual resolutions can be a great way to set health and wellness goals but developing positive daily habits will build a foundation for change and keep you on track to actually achieving those goals,” said Martina Ciglenecki, Health Management Consultant with Brock’s Health and Wellness team. “Making a commitment to doing something each day is an effective way to establish healthy habit-forming behaviour.”

Some of the workshops included in the Wellness Reset are part of the regular programming organized by Brock’s Health and Wellness Team, and are featured in the February Wellness Calendar:

• A presentation on Ergonomics 101 led by a chiropractor.
• A 30-minute virtual yoga session led by Brock Recreation staff.
• A discussion about which staple foods are In a Nutritionist’s Pantry.
• A presentation about Good Decisions for Overall Health by a naturopathic doctor.
• An information session about the free virtual fitness platform LIFT, which is available through the University’s Employee and Family Assistance Program (EFAP) provider LifeWorks.

The Wellness Reset also incorporates some of the wellness resources recently released by LifeWorks, such as a video outlining how to refresh well-being using SMART goals and an article about restoring healthy habits when burnt-out.

Ciglenecki said the Wellness Reset offers daily suggestions based on the resources available at Brock and through the University’s health and wellness partners, but employees can add their own health and wellness activities to personalize their experience.

“It’s important that reading material, workshops and other learning opportunities are relevant to each employee based on their individual health and wellness needs,” she said. “The resources offered as part of the Wellness Reset are a great starting point but are certainly not the only ones available.”

There are nearly 100 videos and articles from LifeWorks posted to the Employee Wellness SharePoint site on topics such as communication, fitness, nutrition, resiliency, mindfulness, grief, financial planning, parenting, caregiving, making friends at work, establishing healthy routines, practising gratitude, and managing stress and anxiety.

Lifeworks has also recently released a deep breathing exercise video and an article about 10 ways to bounce back on its LifeWorks online wellness platform, which is freely accessible to all Brock employees and their families.

Staff and faculty who have not yet signed up on the platform can do so at brockuniversity.lifeworks.com using a unique invitation code included in an email from LifeWorks, or through the LifeWorks mobile app via Apple or Google. Once registered and logged in, employees can invite up to five family members to join the LifeWorks platform.

The LifeWorks wellness platform features articles, podcasts and videos curated based on employee preferences; well-being self-assessments; automated fitness journeys and live chat access to coaches through the LIFT session app; exclusive discounts and special offers called ‘perks’; and ‘CareNow’ programs based on cognitive-behavioural therapy, such as coping, stress and work-life balance.

Brock University employees and their immediate family members can continue to access free, voluntary and confidential EFAP support services 24-7 by selecting the phone icon in the LifeWorks app or calling 1-844-880-9138. The LifeWorks app can also be used to chat online or schedule an in-person or video session.

A recording of a recent information session that reviewed many of the EFAP offerings available to Brock employees is posted to YouTube.

Employees are encouraged to join the Employee Wellness Yammer community to stay up to date on wellness resource offerings and connect with colleagues. A lot of the conversation taking place throughout February will be about the Wellness Reset.

Questions about EFAP, the Wellness Reset, wellness workshops and resources, or the LifeWorks platform — including available programs and employee login information — can be emailed to employeehealth@brocku.ca