Webinar

Daily stressors in the workplace can take a toll on our physical and mental health, especially during times of change and uncertainty. This webinar draws from research by top universities and the National Institutes of Health to provide practical insights and tips for improving your overall well-being.

During this interactive session, you'll discover healthy habits you can easily incorporate into your workday, such as gratitude practices, thought hygiene, "deskercising," and "smallerizing." You'll also gain a better understanding of your personal workplace habits and how they impact your health.

In this webinar, we shared actionable tips including:

  • maintaining a healthy work-life balance
  • strategies for mitigating stress
  • suggestions for initiating team conversations around healthy workplace habits.

Webinar presenter Carolien Moors, MPsych and MEd, has applied psychology and business insight to challenges faced by leaders and teams as an organizational consultant, speaker, and coach, focusing on candor, accountability, and change for more than 30 years.

Presented on June 14, 2023.

If you are a University of Minnesota employee and wish to receive wellness points for viewing this webinar, please complete this form.

Webinar Takeaways

We humans are hardwired to avoid change and uncertainty. When confronted with these, we may exhibit confusion, dependence, stress, anxiety, frustration, or anger. Here are some tips, shared by Carolien Moors; view the webinar for more in-depth discussion.

Examples of unhelpful work habits

  • ruminating vs. problem-solving
  • sugar-coating vs. addressing transparently
  • over-scheduling vs. planning or saying “no”
  • avoiding vs. confronting situations
  • skipping lunch vs. regular healthy meals
  • sedentary life vs. moving, standing, exercising
  • negative orientation vs. focusing on what’s working, what’s possible

7 categories of healthy work habits to better handle change and uncertainty

Focus on what would have the most value for you in your circumstances.

  • Taking care of body and mind: 
    • Get up, move frequently, do office exercises.
    • Clean and organize your workspace.
    • Practice appreciation and gratitude.
    • Do mini-mindfulness activities.
    • Attain a proper posture.
    • Bring healthy snacks
    • Take short breaks.
    • Stay hydrated.
    • Use apps.
    • Socialize.
  • In-the-moment practices:
    • Take a few deep breaths.
    • Slow down thoughts, words, actions, aka activate your "inner turtle."
    • Increase your awareness:
      • What am I doing right now?
      • What am I wanting or needing?
      • What am I expecting right now?
  • Building resilience:
    • Know what gives you energy and practice it consistently.
    • Check in with your mindset/thoughts: are they helping or harming you?
    • Keep things in perspective.
    • Stay connected to people who care.
    • Examine and detox your thinking.
    • Cultivate optimism and positivity.
    • Practice good self-care.
  • Thought hygiene/improved thinking—as important as brushing our teeth!
    • How you label your own behavior impacts how you feel and what comes next (e.g., increased anxiety, loss of focus, fidgeting, loss of confidence).
    • How you label someone else’s behavior impacts how you feel about them and how you respond (e.g., victimized, combative, focused on the negative).
  • Reframing and refocusing
  • Partnering with “anxious” people 

How to handle the storm and rise above

  • Cultivate certainty anchors, such as a ritual or routine that adds something to your day that is known and reliable (e.g., start the day with deep breathing or meditation).
  • Be kind and forgiving to yourself.
  • Talk with a trusted person.
  • Journal about it (e.g., keep a gratitude journal).
  • Use reassuring self-talk.
  • Apply positive psychology—focus on: 
    • what you can control
    • what is predictable
    • what is working
    • what you are grateful for