While talking about managing stress is important – we recently published an article on how to manage your stress response (like fight or flight) on the MINES blog – what people don’t talk about as often is true stress awareness.

While stress management is about how to deal with (and reduce) stress when it’s already an issue, stress awareness is about how to be more aware of stress to prevent it from rising to begin with.

How can we become more aware of what’s going on with our stress levels? How can we practice emotional self-awareness so that we’re able to identify the warning signs that let us know when our stress levels are getting out of hand? How can we be more conscious of the triggers that tend to cause high stress for us, so that we can be proactive about stress levels before they get too high?

In today’s blog, we’ll discuss this idea of stress awareness – not just stress management – and give you some ideas on how you can be more self-aware in this area of your life.

How does self-awareness help with stress?

Being self-aware of your emotions is an important life skill that has many benefits, including helping you deal with stress.

Practicing the skill of self-awareness means slowing down and noticing your thoughts, feelings, and actions. It’s about paying attention to how certain triggers make you feel both in your mind and your body, and closely examining what these feelings could mean about your stress levels and mental health.

Practicing self-awareness is the first step to managing stress. If you don’t practice self-awareness, then you may not notice that you’re under stress until you’re overwhelmed by it. By then, it may be very difficult to bring stress levels back down. Early detection is key when it comes to managing stress – when you’re able to notice early signs of stress, you can take quick action to prevent yourself from becoming overwhelmed.

Some other benefits of self-awareness for stress include:

1. Stronger coping skills: Self-awareness can help you identify your strengths and weaknesses, which can help you develop effective coping skills to manage stress.
2. Better decision-making: Being self-aware makes you more likely to make decisions that are in line with your values and priorities. This can help you avoid situations that might cause stress to begin with.
3. Improved emotional regulation: Self-awareness can help you to identify your emotions, where they come from, and what you need to do to manage strong feelings.
4. Increased resilience: Self-awareness can make you better able to bounce back from stressful situations.
5. Improved relationships: Self-awareness can help you better understand your own needs and emotions, which can help you communicate more effectively with others. This can improve your relationships and reduce stress caused by misunderstandings. Having a strong social support network is also key in helping you manage stress and other life difficulties.

Ideally, practicing self-awareness can make it less likely for stress levels to become too high to begin with, which reduces the need to use stress management skills.

How can I be more aware of stress?

So how can you practice stress awareness – before you need to practice stress management?

Building self-awareness is a lifelong journey. For most of us, it’s a skill that grows with lots of practice over time. But it is a skill, not an inherent personality trait. That means that, just like with any other skill, everyone can foster self-awareness with practice and dedication.

Here are some tips you can use to help yourself and others become more aware of stress.

Identify your triggers

To be more aware of stress levels, it’s first important to understand what makes you feel this way. We call these things triggers or stressors. And they are different for each person.

For example, one person’s main stressors might be their job and their relationships. Another person might be stressed by finances, but find that their work and their marriage are things that bring peace to their life, not stress.

Reflect on your life and think about what areas of your life bring you the most stress. They may be unavoidable (for example, if your job is one of your main stressors), but it’s still helpful to understand when you’re most likely to be stressed so that you can take action to prepare.

Try to be as specific as possible when identifying your stressors. For example, it may not be work in general that causes you stress, but having to deal with a specific supervisor. You may not be generally stressed in your marriage, but feel stressed when your partner begins to talk to you about finances.

Keep a stress journal

Keeping a stress journal, where you write down stressful events and how they made you feel, can be a powerful tool in becoming more aware of your stress levels.

By recording your stress levels and triggers, you can start to identify patterns and gain insight into what might be causing your stress. Your stress journal can also serve as a space to reflect on how you responded to stress, as well as what coping strategies were effective for you.

Try to record your stress levels and triggers at least once a day, and be as specific as possible. What happened? How, exactly, did you feel? What did you do to try to manage the situation?

Figure out your “warning signs”

What are some of the signs that you’re under a lot of stress? Think in terms of thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. When you’re able to identify what stress looks and feels like for you, you may be more likely to be able to catch it and stop it from rising too high.

For example, many people have thoughts like, “I can’t do this,” “What am I going to do?”, “I hate ____ (my job, my partner, my life)” when their stress levels are rising. They might have emotions like anger, frustration, hopelessness, and guilt. They might notice behaviors like snapping at loved ones or overeating.

Take note of what stress looks like for you in terms of thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. These are your stress “warning signs.” When you notice these signs, it’s a red flag to stop and do something about your stress levels. This is an important first step in stress management.

Pay attention to physical cues

On top of thoughts, feelings, and behaviors, there are probably also physical cues that let you know your stress levels are rising. The stress response is biological and comes along with many changes in your body that are supposed to help you deal with the immediate danger or stressor. Over time, these biological changes can start to cause other, more unpleasant effects in your body.

Pay attention to these physical cues of stress as well. For example, you might experience muscle tension or headaches. You might notice that your jaw is clenched or that your brow is furrowed. You might feel hungrier than usual, or you might lose your appetite completely.

Practice mindfulness

Although mindfulness meditation has its origins in Eastern spiritual practices, it’s now used as a secular health intervention for many conditions. One of the most well-known interventions that uses mindfulness is Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction, or MBSR.

MBSR teaches people how to use mindfulness to become more aware of, and therefore reduce, their stress levels. Try doing a body scan, an easy mindfulness exercise taken from MBSR.

To practice the body scan, lie down on your back in a comfortable position and close your eyes. Starting at the top of your head, scan down through your body, noticing any areas of tension or discomfort. As you focus on each body part, try to relax that area and let go of any tension. This exercise can help you become more aware of physical sensations in your body and manage stress.

If you’re having trouble coping with stress levels or would just like some extra support, MINES & Associates offers free and confidential counseling 24/7 to members of our Employee Assistance Program. Give us a call to learn more about your EAP benefits.

To Your Wellbeing,

The MINES Team

The post Stress Awareness Month: How to Actually Become More Aware of Stress in Yourself and Others appeared first on MINES and Associates.

Today, we’re spreading awareness about self-harm, including the causes, warning signs, and tips to help a young person you love.

What is self-harm (non-suicidal self-injury)?

Self-harm is when someone intentionally hurts themselves physically. The clinical name for self-harm is non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI). Not every incident of someone hurting themselves falls under the umbrella of NSSI; some people hurt themselves because they are suicidal. Non-suicidal self-injury describes when someone hurts themselves

The most well-known method of non-suicidal self-injury is cutting, or when people make shallow cuts on their skin. But cutting is far from the only method; others harm themselves by:

• Biting skin
• Scratching themselves
• Hitting their head against a wall
• Punching themselves
• Pulling out hair
• Burning themselves with matches or cigarettes
• Poking objects through the skin

Young people – children, adolescents, and young adults – are at the highest risk of self-harm. Research shows that over 25% of teens aged 12 to 16 had thoughts of self-harm, with at least 15% acting on these thoughts. Unfortunately, studies have shown that self-harm rates among youth increase each year, with self-harm rates among girls increasing at an especially alarming rate.

However, it’s important to keep in mind that anyone can self-harm, including boys and older adults.

Why do people self-harm?

Self-harm is highly misunderstood; many people mistake self-harm as a form of suicidal behavior. However, self-harm, at least behaviors that fall within the umbrella of non-suicidal self-injury, is not an attempt to end one’s life.

People self-harm for various reasons. Some of the most common reasons include:

• To try to feel something when they feel emotionally numb
• To distract from emotional pain by causing physical pain
• To distract their mind from upsetting thoughts or memories
• To release powerful emotions like loneliness, despair, or anger
• To punish themselves for perceived faults, mistakes, or inadequacies
• To regain a sense of control over their life
• To try to cope with a difficult experience like bullying
• Because self-harm has been so normalized among their peers

Some people don’t know why, exactly, they self-harm. This is normal.

Even though self-harm itself isn’t a suicidal behavior, research shows that teens who have self-harmed are over 3 times more likely to attempt suicide in the future than those who have never self-harmed. Young people also often accidentally put themselves in life-threatening situations while self-harming (for example, by cutting themselves deeper than they intended). Self-harm is a sign that someone is in severe emotional distress, and needs to be taken seriously.

Warning signs of self-harm

One of the first steps to helping someone who self-harms is to notice the signs. When you educate yourself on the warning signs of self-harm, you’re more likely to realize when a loved one is engaging in it.

Self-harm doesn’t have a “look,” just like depression or anxiety don’t have looks. People of any gender or age can self-harm, but young people are at higher risk.

Here are some warning signs of self-harm in teens to look out for:

• Scars (cuts, scabs, bruises, or burns), often found in clusters or patterns
• Frequent unexplained wounds or cuts
• Making excuses for wounds or cuts
• Wearing long sleeves and pants, even when it’s hot out
• Traces of blood on clothes or towels
• Suddenly seeking to do their own laundry or take out their own trash
• Hiding razors
• Withdrawing from friends and family

If a young person you love is showing these signs, then it could be that they’re self-harming – and need your support.

How to help a young person who is self-harming move towards self-love

It can be unfathomable and intensely painful to learn that someone you love, especially a teen or a young adult, is hurting themselves intentionally. It’s devastating to realize that they don’t see themselves as you see them, and you wish you could do something to help them love themselves.

Recovery from self-harm can be a long journey. It becomes an addiction in many ways; it brings temporary relief from emotional pain, and even though the person knows that it’s not a long-term solution, it may be difficult to stop.

But just because they can’t quit right away doesn’t mean that you can’t do anything to support them. A trusted adult’s support is essential for young people as they learn to love themselves and treat themselves with care.

Here are some ways you can support the young person in your life who is self-harming.

• Approach them first. It can be hard for young people to bring up the conversation. If you suspect they are hurting themselves, don’t beat around the bush. Ask them directly: “I noticed cuts on your arms. Are you hurting yourself?”
• Don’t judge, even if you don’t understand. The last thing a young person needs to hear is, “Why would you do this to yourself?” Statements like this can come from a place of caring but also tend to make young people feel misunderstood and judged.
• Focus on their pain. Acknowledge how much they must be emotionally suffering to hurt themselves in this way. Validate their feelings. Even if something doesn’t feel like a big deal to you, it’s still a big deal to them.
• Make your home safe. If the teen lives with you and is using objects, like razors, to hurt themselves, work with them to limit access to these objects.
• Connect to resources. Talk to your pediatrician to get a referral to a mental health provider. You can also get in touch with your Employee Assistance Program for referrals or counseling.
• Provide unconditional love. Let the teen know that you don’t see them differently and that their self-harm behaviors don’t change your love for them. Make it clear that your concern for them comes from love, not from shame or disgust.

There is hope. With support from a trusted adult, young people can successfully stop self-harming and learn to love themselves.

Self-harm resources for teens and young adults

If you struggle with self-harm, here are some resources that can help.

• To Write Love On Her Arms is a non-profit organization dedicated to supporting people who struggle with self-injury, depression, and suicide.
• A.F.E. Alternatives is a treatment program for self-harm that also provides a wealth of information and resources.
• The Trevor Project provides phone, text, and chat support for LGBTQ+ young people facing self-injury and other mental health challenges.
• The Adolescent Self-Injury Foundation provides resources for teens and their caregivers.
• The Crisis Text Line operates 24/7.

If you (or someone else) are having a mental health emergency, dial 988.

MINES & Associates EAP is available to employees as well as their household members. All family members can receive 24/7 confidential counseling support for issues like depression, stress, and more. In addition, we provide 4 parental coaching sessions per year to teach you how to better support your teen or young adult who may be self-harming.

Take advantage of this free resource and get in touch with us today.

To Your Wellbeing,

The MINES Team

The post Self-Harm Awareness Month: Here’s How We Can Protect Our Youth appeared first on MINES and Associates.

It’s the most wonderful time of the year – except for many people, it’s anything but.

If the holidays bring more stress than cheer for you, you’re not alone. The holidays are a time of year when obligations seem to pile up. You may have family gatherings to attend and shopping to complete. And if you’re working on top of that through the holidays, life could quickly start feeling overwhelming this time of year.

The holidays may not be “stress-free” for anyone. But with these tips, you can make sure you’re protecting your mental well-being while you navigate all the challenges the season throws at you.

Here are 7 tips to cope with holiday stress both at work and at home.

Take a break

Some companies close down for the holidays. But even if your workplace doesn’t, you may want to consider the possibility of taking some time away. Taking a break can be a good way to intentionally slow down during this hectic time of year.

Talk to your supervisor about the possibility of taking some time away. If you work in a setting that’s busier than usual (and impossible to escape) during the holidays – such as in retail – you can still talk to your supervisor about when it might be possible for you to take some time off. Having a vacation to look forward to may help you get through the stress of the season.

There are also smaller, but still impactful, ways to take breaks that don’t require you to go on a lengthy vacation. For example, go out for a nice lunch instead of eating at your desk. Take the long, scenic way home from work. Practice a 5-minute mindfulness meditation.

Maintain boundaries with colleagues and family

Family gatherings are a joyful occasion for some, and a nerve-wracking one for others. The same goes for company parties. These are often times when loved ones and colleagues tend to push your personal boundaries. They might ask you personal questions you aren’t comfortable answering. Or they may expect you to take on more tasks (or attend more events) than you feel like you have the time and energy for.

Practice setting, and maintaining, personal boundaries with both colleagues and family members. Use assertive communication.

For example, you could decline your boss’ request to work overtime by saying something like: “I usually would be happy to support the team in this way. But I had set aside my evening to bake cookies with my daughter; it’s a tradition that’s really important to her. If there’s another way I can support the team, please let me know.”

Keep a routine

A big part of why the holidays are so stressful for so many of us is because our usual routines get disrupted. This has a big impact on important health behaviors like your sleep, eating, and exercise schedules.

It’s normal for these routines to be disrupted during the holidays. But as much as possible, try to keep your regular schedule. Getting 7 to 9 hours of restful sleep every night is especially important. Being sleep-deprived can you feel more stressed, anxious, and depressed than you already are. Physical exercise can also be a very effective tool to combat holiday stress.

The more you can stick to these regular self-care routines, the better.

Let go of perfection

Sometimes, holiday stress accumulates because of the pressure for everything to be perfect. There is so much pressure during the holidays to be “jolly” every minute of every day. A lot of us feel like we need to prepare a perfect holiday feast for our perfect families, just like a scene from a holiday greeting card.

This is far from reality – and this can be disappointing and stressful. This year, let go of the expectation of perfection. Understand that things will go wrong, and that’s okay. Focus on the things about the holiday season that are important to you, whether that’s family, spirituality, or giving back to the community. Allow yourself to let the rest go.

Plan ahead

One of the best ways to tackle holiday stress is to have a solid plan going into it. When you know what to expect, you may feel better prepared for the emotional and financial impact of the holidays.

Examples of helpful planning include:

• Ask for days off in advance
• Set a budget, and stick to it
• Set aside specific days for shopping, baking, gift-wrapping, etc.
• Prioritize work projects and schedule hours for “deep work”

Be careful of alcohol

For many families, alcohol is a big part of holiday gatherings. Many people may also drink more during the holidays to cope with the stress that this season brings.

This is completely understandable. At the same time, alcohol is closely linked to several mental health challenges, including depression, anxiety, and insomnia. Having a glass of wine after work probably won’t hurt, but excessive drinking may make you feel even more stressed. Be conscious of how much alcohol you’re consuming.

If you think you may have an addiction to alcohol, then professional treatment can help. You can locate substance abuse treatment near you by calling the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) helpline at 1-800-622-HELP.

Seek support

A counselor or a therapist can be a dependable source of support for you during the holidays. If you aren’t already working with a therapist, reach out to your company’s EAP (Employee Assistance Program). Your human resources department can connect you.

MINES & Associates’ EAP program offers free and confidential counseling that’s available to you 24/7. Whatever you’re going through, we are here to help. In addition, we also offer financial, legal, and parenting support as well as professional wellness coaching. We can help you get through the holidays with your mental health intact.

A very Happy Holidays to you and your family from the MINES team!

The post How to Cope with the Holiday Blues appeared first on MINES and Associates.

Why Stress Matters:

Stress is a universal experience transcending borders, industries, and age groups. It affects us all. We live in a world that constantly pushes our boundaries to make us feel stressed as if it would be designed for it. Luckily, most of us are and can become aware of this, and do something about it.

Due to the diverse personas and industries grappling with stress, we see consequences not just at home, but there is also a profound impact on our workforce. Let’s explore some examples:

Personas & Stress:

Construction Workers: A physically demanding job often leads to high stress levels. The constant pressure for precision and safety can be mentally taxing. Being for long periods of time under such conditions may lead to a higher level of stress.

City Counties: Rural and urban areas experience stress differently. Urban dwellers often contend with the fast-paced lifestyle, while rural areas may face isolation and economic challenges, causing stress. Access to treatment is different in terms of availability, on-site vs. online, which may increase the challenges and create more stress.

Younger Adults: Millennials and Gen Z face unique stressors, from student loan debt to a rapidly changing job market, with social media and peer pressure adding to the formula like never in history before. These generations have needs that older ones never had, causing more stress.

Stress in the Workforce:

Stress takes a toll on productivity and mental well-being. In the workforce, it leads to absenteeism, burnout, and decreased job satisfaction. Because attrition may increase due to these consequences, hiring, and retention is highly related to stress management.

It is a systemic problem, that requires of a systemic solution, with complications affecting businesses and economies at large.

The Systemic Approach:

Education: Raising awareness about stress and mental health is crucial. Initiatives like stress management workshops can empower individuals to cope with stress.

Mental Health Support: Employers can play a pivotal role by offering mental health services and promoting a supportive workplace culture.

CBT-Based Programs: Combining technology, like CBT apps and Virtual Reality training, with traditional therapy provides accessible tools to manage stress effectively.

Community Engagement: Encouraging communities to come together, share experiences, and learn stress management techniques can be a powerful remedy.

Stress International Awareness Day encourages us to recognize the ubiquitous nature of stress and its impact on our lives. By taking a systemic approach to address it, we can build a world that’s more resilient, supportive, and empathetic. Together, we can manage and mitigate stress for a healthier and happier future.

To Your Wellbeing,

The MINES Team

MindCo Health is a behavioral health company providing clinically validated interventions for mental health and substance use to help employees and patients with their needs, combining telehealth coaching with virtual reality training. As a partner of MINES & Associates, we can help you and your organization have a positive impact on behavioral health.

The post Stress International Awareness Day: Talking about Stress in Our Lives appeared first on MINES and Associates.

Over 80% of American employees are under work-related stress, and 1 in 4 say that work is the number one stressor in their lives. It’s clear that we’re facing a stress epidemic, and work is one of the culprits behind it. If you’re an employee who is under a lot of stress, you’re not alone – and there are steps you can take to combat it.

In this article, we’ll go over how to recognize the signs of stress, especially the lesser-known ones, so that you can take action.

What is stress?

First of all, what, exactly, is stress? Although it has a negative connotation, “stress” simply refers to the physical response we have when we’re faced with something that feels dangerous or overwhelming. And it’s not necessarily a bad thing – humans developed the stress response through years of evolution to help us combat threats.

Physical changes happen when this stress response is activated. For example, you may start breathing faster and your heart might start beating faster to get more energy into your limbs. Your senses, like hearing and smell, get more precise. These changes all serve to help you either fight or run from danger.

While the stress response itself is useful in certain situations, being under chronically high levels of stress is very harmful to your overall health. Short bursts of stress might help you at work – for example, stress might help you work diligently to meet a deadline – but when you’re always under stress, you’re less focused, less productive, and more likely to develop mental health problems like depression and anxiety.

That’s why it’s so important to notice what stress feels like in your body. There are many effective ways to manage chronic stress and take better care of your physical and mental health. But you can’t intervene if you don’t know how to recognize stress.

What are the hidden symptoms of stress?

Some more commonly known signs of stress include chronic fatigue and excessive worries. But sometimes, stress presents itself in ways that aren’t so obvious. It’s important to be aware of all of the different ways that stress can present itself so that you can recognize when you need support.

This is more important than ever in the modern age. Today, we’re expected to be constantly connected, especially when it comes to work. We may have forgotten what it feels like to be 100% at ease. This means that even if you don’t feel completely overwhelmed – at least consciously – you may be experiencing stress without even realizing it.

Some of the more hidden and lesser-known signs of stress include:

Catching a cold

Obviously, having a cold in and of itself doesn’t automatically mean that you’re under a lot of stress. But stress does wreak havoc on your immune system. This can make it easier for viruses and bacteria to make you sick while your guard is down.

If you’ve been catching more colds than usual, pause and reflect on whether or not your stress levels may be contributing to a weakened immune system.

Jaw pain

We tend to think of muscle tension as a common sign of stress, but it’s important to pay attention to your jaw, too! Many of us clench our teeth unconsciously when we’re stressed, so jaw pain or tension could be a sign that you’re clenching without realizing it. Bruxism – teeth grinding at night – can also be linked to stress.

If you have unexplained jaw or tooth pain, then it could be a sign of increased stress.

Forgetfulness and distractibility

Stress can also cause you to be more distracted than usual. Even if you aren’t ruminating on stressful thoughts, if you’re more forgetful than usual or getting distracted from important tasks, then take a look at how your stress levels could be contributing.

Using the bathroom more often

Frequent urination can be a sign of many different medical conditions, so it’s important to talk to your healthcare provider if you’re experiencing this symptom. But for some people, needing to go to the bathroom more often than usual can be a sign of high stress.

Weekend fatigue or headaches

You might think of stress-related fatigue or pain as something that only happens during times of active stress, like during your work week. But many people work through stress when they need to, only to experience an energy crash during the weekend. If you feel “fine” on workdays but have low energy or headaches on the weekend, then it could be a sign you’re stressed.

Arguments

Having occasional disagreements with family members or colleagues is normal. But if you’re arguing more than usual, or arguing with people you usually don’t argue with, then reflect to see if it could be caused by stress. Even if it feels like it’s the other party instigating the arguments, is it possible that you’re more irritable as a result of stress?

Irregular period

People who menstruate know that periods can often be irregular. While this isn’t always a sign of stress, stress is one reason why you could be having irregular periods. Especially if your cycle is typically regular, and it’s recently become irregular with no medical explanation, then this could be a sign of stress.

Sleeping too much

You might have heard that stress can cause insomnia (an inability to fall or stay asleep) or nightmares. But for some people, it can have the opposite effect – it can cause you to sleep too much. When under high levels of stress, you might feel the desire to escape from it all. Feeling overwhelmed can lead you to want to sleep as much as possible, even during the day.

More common signs of stress

On top of these “secret” stress signals, there are also the more common signs of stress to be aware of. These include:

• Unexplained muscle tension and pain
• Nightmares and difficulty sleeping (insomnia)
• Digestive issues like gas, nausea, or diarrhea
• Ruminating on stressful events or thoughts
• Physical signs of anxiety like a rapid heartbeat or sweating
• Low energy
• Decreased sex drive

How your EAP can help when you’re facing stress

If you’re enrolled in MINES & Associates’ Employee Assistance Program (EAP), you have access to 24/7 free and confidential counseling. Counseling could be the missing piece in your overall well-being. Our licensed counselors can help you learn how to recognize your own signs of stress and take active steps to reduce the stress you have in your life. If your stress levels have led to mental health problems like depression or anxiety, we can help with that too. It’s best not to ignore signs of stress because it may not go away on its own.

You can access MINES & Associates services here.

To Your Wellbeing,

The MINES Team

The post The Hidden Signs of Stress and How to Cope with Them appeared first on MINES and Associates.

	Time to De-Stress
“The time to relax is when you don’t have time for it.” – Sydney J. Harris Welcome to the February 2021 edition of TotalWellbeing, your guide to the 8 dimensions of wellbeing. This month it’s time to take a deep breath and de-stress. No matter how resilient you are, stress and anxiety can have an impact on your life in some way or another. It is important to be able to recognize the signs of stress and take steps to manage it on a day-to-day basis. This can be tricky as often we don’t feel as if we have time to take time for ourselves, but it is critical that we do so to avoid stress, burnout, and the symptoms that come with those including tension headaches, anxiety, insomnia, and other wellbeing issues. See below for some tips on managing stress with exercise as well as an infographic with more stress-related tips to help you unwind. Please remember that your EAP is here for you to provide a variety of resources to manage stress. You have access to free and confidential counseling, wellness coaching, work/life balance tools, and more! Plus, an online resource library full of proactive self-help tools. Visit PersonalAdvantage for helpful articles, tips, health assessments, stress tests, and more! To your total wellbeing, The MINES Team Managing Stress with Exercise Stress can make you feel drained, anxious, and even depressed. While there are several ways to manage runaway stress, none is as enjoyable and effective as a regular exercise routine. We all deal with stress in our lives—due to both minor and major events. Try utilizing some new coping strategies to help you deal with difficult times more effectively. “Numerous studies have shown exercise provides excellent stress-relieving benefits,” says Cedric Bryant, chief exercise physiologist for the American Council on Exercise. “And let’s face it, we all could do with less stress in our lives.” How It Works Exercise causes the brain to release endorphins, opium-like substances that ease pain and produce a sense of comfort and euphoria. It also encourages the nerve cells in the brain to secrete other neurotransmitters, such as serotonin, dopamine, and norepinephrine, which improve mood. Read more… Remember, your Employee Assistance Program is here to help if you maintain your wellbeing and manage stress and anxiety. This includes counseling, self-help tools, wellness coaching, and more. If you need additional information, or to access services, please call MINES and Associates at 1-800-873-7138 today. Also, PersonalAdvantage has a ton of great resources and FREE webinars.
Stress/Health Infographic Click here to view and download the stress infographic from this month’s communication.
Question of the Month What is one way that you may be able to add a daily habit to manage stress? This could be a quick breathing exercise, a short meditation session, engaging with your favorite stress-relieving hobby, or anything else you use to keep your stress levels in check. What’s stopping you?
If you or a member of your household needs assistance or guidance on any of these wellbeing topics, please call MINES & Associates, your EAP, today for free, confidential, 24/7 assistance at 800.873.7138.
This Month’s Focus Free Webinar: Calm Down: Meditation and Relaxation Guide MINESblog: New to TW? Check out our past Blogs! Pandemic Fatigue The Art of Resolutions Important Links COVID19 Resource Page Visit our BLOG MINES and Associates Current Training Catalog Balanced Living Magazine LinkedIn MINES Archives Contact Us Email MINES
		MINES does not warrant the materials (Audio, Video, Text, Applications, or any other form of media or links) included in this communication have any connection to MINES & Associates, nor does MINES seek to endorse any entity by including these materials in this communication.  MINES accepts no liability for the consequences of any actions taken on the basis of the information provided herein, nor any additional content that may be made available through any third-party site. We found them helpful, and hope you do too!

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	Caregivers and Social Wellbeing
“There are only four kinds of people in the world. Those who have been caregivers. Those who are currently caregivers. Those who will be caregivers, and those who will need a caregiver.” ― Rosalyn Carter Welcome to the July 2020 edition of TotalWellbeing, your guide to the 8 dimensions of wellbeing. This month we will be turning our attention over to social wellbeing, returning to work sites, and supporting caregivers. Our social wellbeing has truly been tested in the last few months. To adapt, people have adopted more digital means of staying connected to the people in their lives. This is great, but digital meetings and hangouts can only replace real face to face contact for so long, however, until we are able to return to face to face as the primary way of connecting with the people in our lives safely, it will be important to maintain these digital connections to keep our social wellbeing as strong as possible. Caregivers on the other hand must be in the same room as those they care for more often than not. This is one reason why caregivers have been impacted more than many other occupations. Not only this, but the people they are caring for are likely in a high-risk population due to their own compounded medical issues. For this reason, it is crucial that everyone do what they can to help support the caregivers in their lives. Even little things help. Offer to go shopping for them, cook a meal, do some laundry, or just be available for them to talk to if they need. See this month’s featured article below to get some ideas. If you are a caregiver yourself, make sure to focus on your own selfcare on an ongoing basis. Make sure to take time for yourself whenever possible and do not hesitate to ask for help if you need it. Check our blog post here for tips on self-care as a caregiver. As a quick reminder, your online portal, PersonalAdvantage, also has helpful caregiver resources such as tips and resources that you can use to strengthen your resilience if you are a caregiver, or to help you support loved ones who are a caregiver for someone else. To your total wellbeing, The MINES Team Returning to the Workplace Employers are starting to ask employees to return to the office as states change their respective “Stay at Home” requirements. For the majority of employees increased stress, anxiety, fear, and depression have been present to varying degrees during the pandemic. Now, returning to work raises additional challenges. Health psychology concerns include worry about physical safety, fear that germs (viruses) have increased, distrust of others’ hygiene and state of health, wanting to withdraw from the world and stay at home (this is not agoraphobia, the Japanese call it hikikomori), and a general hyper-vigilance. What can employees do to manage their psychological concerns? If you are anxious or fearful, ask yourself if it is disproportionate, and am I overreacting? You may or may not be, by the way, depending on the objective information about your workplace. If you are concluding you may be overreacting, how have you coped successfully before and how have you stayed healthy so far? Some of us feel hopeless or like we have no control. What can you take control of? For example: Make sure you have personal protective equipment (PPE), don’t just rely on your employer. Take steps to ensure you and your colleagues still maintain physical distance (6 feet). Stay home if you have symptoms, ask your supervisor to ask colleagues with symptoms to leave work. Take charge of cleaning your personal work area as often as you need each day. Bring your own sanitizing supplies as back up in case your employer’s supply runs out. Use virtual meetings, email, messaging, and phone calls rather than in-person meetings as much as you can in the office to minimize exposure to others respiration. For both depression and anxiety, take control by moving your body through walking or exercising outside. This will help your immune system and overall health. In addition, it helps create brain chemistry changes that are good for you. Make good use of all the free apps for relaxation and meditation sessions that are available. Research is clear that these are good modalities for reducing stress, anxiety, and managing aspects of depression. Seek mental health help. Take full advantage of your employer’s benefits. Your EAP with MINES is free to you! (1-800-873-7138) You can do your sessions virtually through phone, video, or message-based (text) modalities. Remember, you also get wellness coaching, work/life, legal/financial, and unlimited resources through your online PersonalAdvantage. Check out our blog or our COVID19 Resource page for more resources and more helpful information pertaining to working remote, dealing with isolation, managing stress and anxiety, downloadable workbooks and more. Remember that Your Employee Assistance Program is here to help you and your family members manage the anxiety from health concerns such as the Coronavirus. Please call us at 1-800-873-7138 to get connected right away. Also, PersonalAdvantage has a ton of great resources and FREE webinars.
Caring for the Caregiver Most families and households have that person — the caregiver whom others lean on to provide the lion’s share of care when a loved one is stricken by illness, injury, disability, and the like. But who’s looking out for the best interests of the caregiver? As heavily as some families depend on that person during times of need, it’s vital that they not only take the necessary planning steps to protect the family financially should the caregiver need care, but also recognize and address the needs of the primary caregiver. Here are several priority items that personal finance experts suggest families consider in drawing up a care plan: Accommodate the caregiver’s need to have time for themselves. Realize the caregiver needs support and reach out for it. The caregiver support network is strong. Tap into it. Take stock of insurance coverage — and bolster it if necessary. Be sure the caregiver’s vital documents and directives are in place and up-to-date. Don’t wait. Put a care plan in place before a crisis hits, so crucial decisions aren’t clouded by panic and emotion. Read More Remember, your Employee Assistance Program is here to help you tackle the stresses of being a caregiver or supporting those in your family who are caregivers. You can access caregiver support tools on your PersonalAdvantage, as well as use your counseling services to address stress, burnout, compassion fatigue and other topics common among caregivers. If you need additional information, or to access services, please call MINES and Associates at 1-800-873-7138 today.
Question of the Month How has the COVID19 restrictions impacted your social wellbeing? If you are a caregiver, how have the COVID19 restrictions impacted your role as a caregiver? Have these challenges helped to make you more resilient? In the future how will you use the coping strategies you have learned to help yourself and others?
If you or a member of your household needs assistance or guidance on any of these wellbeing topics, please call MINES & Associates, your EAP, today for free, confidential, 24/7 assistance at 800.873.7138.
This Month’s Focus Free Webinar: The Sandwich Generation: Multi-generational Caregiving MINESblog: New to TW? Check out our past Blogs! COVID-19: For YOU, the Essential Worker! COVID-19: Stress & Anxiety Reduction COVID-19: Home Workout Essentials Important Links COVID19 Resource Page Visit our BLOG MINES and Associates Current Training Catalog Balanced Living Magazine LinkedIn MINES Archives Contact Us Email MINES
		MINES does not warrant the materials (Audio, Video, Text, Applications, or any other form of media or links) included in this communication have any connection to MINES & Associates, nor does MINES seek to endorse any entity by including these materials in this communication.  MINES accepts no liability for the consequences of any actions taken on the basis of the information provided herein, nor any additional content that may be made available through any third-party site. We found them helpful, and hope you do too!

The post TotalWellbeing: July 2020 appeared first on MINES and Associates.

	Plan for the Perfect Year
“The New Year stands before us, like a chapter in a book, ready to be written.” – Melody Beattie Hello! Welcome to the January 2020 edition of TotalWellbeing, your guide to the 8 dimensions of wellbeing. This month we are looking to help you get 2020 started on the right foot. We know, New Year’s resolutions can be a little cliché, and are often forgotten about as the year goes on, but this isn’t just about the New Year, it’s about a new you and learning how to build great new habits while breaking bad old habits. Wellbeing shouldn’t be something that you only think about once a year, it’s a lifelong drive to be well and happy. To get you started, or to help you keep going strong, use the resources like these helpful articles or this free webinar, to start 2020 with a bang! Remember you can always catch past issues of TotalWellbeing on our newsletters page. This newsletter is aimed at providing helpful information about various aspects of your wellbeing and then connecting it all back to important and relevant parts of everyday life. If you have any thoughts, questions, or content you would like to see covered here please get in contact with us. You can email us directly by clicking here. To your total wellbeing, The MINES Team Happiness as a Choice Are you a person who can act on tough questions? Questions like: What am I grateful for? What choices do I have? What actions can I take to improve my life? What are my primary strengths? How can I live a more balanced life? People who can act on these questions likely also describe themselves as happy. “Happiness is neither a mood nor an emotion. Mood is a biochemical condition, and emotions are transitory feelings,” says Dan Baker, Ph.D., director of the Life Enhancement Program at Canyon Ranch in Tucson, Ariz., and author of What Happy People Know. “Happiness is a way of life, an overriding outlook composed of qualities like love, optimism, courage, and a sense of freedom. It’s not something that changes every time your situation changes.” Check out this article for a complete look at skills to master your own happiness including: appreciation, choice, personal power, leading with your strengths, and more. Remember that if you or a household member are looking to set goals and enhance your wellbeing and happiness, we can help. Your EAP comes with 4 free telephonic wellness coaching sessions per year to help you achieve your goals. Please call us at 1-800-873-7138 to get connected right away. Also, PersonalAdvantage has a ton of great resources and FREE webinars this month to help you focus on your wellbeing while also being productive at work and home.
Seven Ways to Beat the Burnout Blues You may be experiencing burnout if you feel bored, fatigued, apathetic, impatient, and constantly irritated with your co-workers. Don’t panic, there’s hope. Some of the secrets to long-term job happiness are revealed in the 7 tips below: Change positions within your company — See how your skills can be applied in new ways within your company and seek out new opportunities to contribute. Find like-minded people — Finding people with a similar sense of humor, interests, and experience as you can help you see things in new ways and find fresh ideas that work with your lifestyle. Seek out short-term projects — Short-term projects can be a great way to explore new things and work with new people. Kind of like a test-drive for new hobbies you may like to take a deeper dive into. Get more education — Nothing like fresh skills and new knowledge to open new doors. Keep on learning — Stop. Learning. The more you learn, the more exposure you have to opportunities in the world you may have never even knew existed. Have pride in your job — Doing your job the best you can and having pride in your contribution can help you enjoy your job, endure rough patches, and beat burnout even in the worst of times. Don’t wait — If you start to experience burnout, don’t wait until it affects your work and you start looking for a new job. Instead, try making positive changes in your present job. Talk to your supervisor and discuss changes that could reenergize you! Check out this article for a full breakdown of these 7 tips. Remember that if you or a household member are experiencing burnout and want to talk to someone about it, we are here to listen. Please call us at 1-800-873-7138 to get connected right away. Also, PersonalAdvantage has a ton of great resources and FREE webinars this month to help you focus on your wellbeing while also being productive at work and home.
Question of the Month Did you set any goals last year for 2019? If so, how did you do? What went right and what didn’t go so well and why? What can you do this year to make 2020 a successful year for yourself?
Supporting Your Intellectual Wellbeing Resolutions aside, the New Year is a very convenient time to start something new. What not make it something that is going to strengthen your mind, let you learn new things, and bolster your overall intellectual wellbeing? While there are tons of stuff you could do that would fit this mold, here are a couple suggestions to get you started thinking about what fits your interests, goals, and lifestyle. Brain games – Challenge yourself. Memory, puzzle, and brain teaser games can help you learn to look at problems from a different angle and improve your logical thinking patterns. Dancing or martial arts – Complex movement patterns. Anything that requires complex movements and pattern memorization can help create new pathways in your brain and help both hand-eye coordination and memory. Study a new language – The cognitive processes involved in learning a new language, as well as the act of translating one language into another, requires your brain to create new ways of communication across hemispheres. This not only helps cognition but can help prevent or slow the onset of dementia related symptoms and diseases. Brain support – Sleep, eat well, lay off the substances. What ever you decide to do to stimulate and develop your intellectual wellbeing, it’s critical to give your brain what it needs to thrive. Good sleep, and plenty of brain supporting nutrients like vitamin K, omega-3 fatty acids, protein, and beta carotene to name a few, are a great way to support your cognitive functions. It’s also important to not fill your brain with the bad stuff too. So make sure to avoid overloading yourself with sugar and highly processed foods, and limit or avoid alcohol and certain drugs as well. For more resources on supporting your intellectual wellbeing, log in to PersonalAdvantage today.
If you or a member of your household needs assistance or guidance on any of these wellbeing topics, please call MINES & Associates, your EAP, today for free, confidential, 24/7 assistance at 800.873.7138.
This Month’s Focus Free Webinar: Mindful Meal Planning MINESblog: New to TW? Check out our past Blogs! Workplace Goals for the New Year Important Links Visit our BLOG MINES and Associates Current Training Catalog Balanced Living Magazine LinkedIn MINES Archives Contact Us Email MINES
		MINES does not warrant the materials (Audio, Video, Text, Applications, or any other form of media or links) included in this communication have any connection to MINES & Associates, nor does MINES seek to endorse any entity by including these materials in this communication.  MINES accepts no liability for the consequences of any actions taken on the basis of the information provided herein, nor any additional content that may be made available through any third-party site. We found them helpful, and hope you do too!

The post Total Wellbeing: January 2020 appeared first on MINES and Associates.

	Staying Motivated & Spiritual Wellbeing
Welcome to the December 2019 edition of TotalWellbeing, your guide to the 8 dimensions of wellbeing. This month we will look at staying motivated, resolutions, and nurturing your spiritual wellbeing. The holiday season signals the end of the year and with it brings a fresh start, but also the pressure of starting a new year with new goals, aspirations, resolutions, and responsibilities. So how do you stay motivated through it all? It’s important to seek change and keep things fresh. Just because things may not change around you doesn’t mean you can’t change your own activities, seek out new hobbies, learn new things, and meet new people. Focus on searching out new things that may be interesting to you or help you do old stuff in new ways or from a different perspective. For more information on staying motivated, holiday entertaining on a budget, and reducing kid’s holiday stress, check out these helpful articles, free webinars, and the information below. Also, one more friendly reminder that you can now access your counseling services with MINES through an online text and messaging platform! It’s counseling whenever, wherever! Call us anytime for more info or to get set up! Remember you can always catch past issues of TotalWellbeing on our newsletters page. This newsletter is aimed at providing helpful information about various aspects of your wellbeing and then connecting it all back to important and relevant parts of everyday life. If you have any thoughts, questions, or content you would like to see covered here please get in contact with us. You can email us directly by clicking here. To your total wellbeing, The MINES Team
Seven Ways to Beat the Burnout Blues You may be experiencing burnout if you feel bored, fatigued, apathetic, impatient, and constantly irritated with your co-workers. Don’t panic, there’s hope. Some of the secrets to long-term job happiness are revealed in the 7 tips below: Change positions within your company — See how your skills can be applied in new ways within your company and seek out new opportunities to contribute. Find like-minded people — Finding people with a similar sense of humor, interests, and experience as you can help you see things in new ways and find fresh ideas that work with your lifestyle. Seek out short-term projects — Short-term projects can be a great way to explore new things and work with new people. Kind of like a test-drive for new hobbies you may like to take a deeper dive into. Get more education — Nothing like fresh skills and new knowledge to open new doors. Keep on learning — Stop. Learning. The more you learn, the more exposure you have to opportunities in the world you may have never even knew existed. Have pride in your job — Doing your job the best you can and having pride in your contribution can help you enjoy your job, endure rough patches, and beat burnout even in the worst of times. Don’t wait — If you start to experience burnout, don’t wait until it affects your work and you start looking for a new job. Instead, try making positive changes in your present job. Talk to your supervisor and discuss changes that could reenergize you! Check out this article for a full breakdown of these 7 tips. Remember that if you or a household member are experiencing burnout and want to talk to someone about it, we are here to listen. Please call us at 1-800-873-7138 to get connected right away. Also, PersonalAdvantage has a ton of great resources and FREE webinars this month to help you focus on your wellbeing while also being productive at work and home.
Question of the Month What motivates you? How can you utilize your motivational forces to help you keep focused on your goals in 2020?
Quote of the Month “We may encounter many defeats, but we must not be defeated.” – Maya Angelou
Supporting Your Spiritual Wellbeing Because spiritual connection and spirituality is so personal and can mean something different to everyone, it can be hard to tell others how to support their spiritual wellbeing. Remember that spiritual wellbeing is not necessarily religious and can simply be your personal connection to the world and those around you, your sense of place in the world. From this point of view, try and contemplate the ways that you connect with the world around you and take time to yourself to be mindful of little things in your day to day lives that ground you and bring you joy. Below are some tips on how to be mindful of the bigger picture in everyday situations: If you do not currently have a spiritual outlet, consider revisiting your childhood faith or another group that interests you. This could be a nature walk group, a martial arts class, an artist group. Anything that connects to you! If you plan to see a doctor regarding a physical problem, be sure to mention any major life events that you may be experiencing, such as menopause, divorce, or the death of a loved one. This may be affecting your health and may influence the course of treatment your doctor recommends. Build quiet, contemplative time into your daily or weekly schedule. Slowing down can help soothe even the most restless spirits. Use this time to meditate or create something. Draw, write, or paint. Anything that allows you to express your inner thoughts in a way that is meaningful to you. For more resources on supporting your spiritual wellbeing, log in to PersonalAdvantage today.
If you or a member of your household needs assistance or guidance on any of these wellbeing topics, please call MINES & Associates, your EAP, today for free, confidential, 24/7 assistance at 800.873.7138.
This Month’s Focus Free Webinar: Putting Out the Fire: Preventing and Managing Burnout MINESblog: New to TW? Check out our past Blogs! Last month: National Alzheimer’s Awareness Update 2019 Important Links Visit our BLOG MINES and Associates 2019 Training Catalog Balanced Living Magazine LinkedIn MINEs Archives Contact Us Email MINES
		MINES does not warrant the materials (Audio, Video, Text, Applications, or any other form of media or links) included in this communication have any connection to MINES & Associates, nor does MINES seek to endorse any entity by including these materials in this communication.  MINES accepts no liability for the consequences of any actions taken on the basis of the information provided herein, nor any additional content that may be made available through any third-party site. We found them helpful, and hope you do too!

The post Total Wellbeing: December 2019 appeared first on MINES and Associates.

	Healthy Holidays & Financial Wellbeing
Welcome to the October 2019 edition of TotalWellbeing, your guide to the 8 dimensions of wellbeing. This month we would like to begin again by reminding everyone that you can now access your counseling services with MINES through an online text and messaging platform! It’s counseling whenever, wherever! Call us anytime for more info or to get set up! This month we will look at keeping the holidays as stress-free as possible and how to support your financial wellbeing. The holidays can be a tough time for a variety of reasons. To ensure a successful holiday season that’s not too rough on your finances, or your wellbeing, make sure to set realistic expectations, and don’t overextend yourself or schedule too many events. Know that it is perfectly okay to say “no” to plans if you already have too much going on and don’t feel obligated to buy too many gifts. The more you plan in advance and the better limits you set in terms of time and spending money, the more in control you will feel and the less stressed you will be. For more information on financial wellbeing check out these helpful articles, free webinars, and the information below. Remember you can always catch past issues of TotalWellbeing on our newsletters page. This newsletter is aimed at providing helpful information about various aspects of your wellbeing and then connecting it all back to important and relevant parts of everyday life. If you have any thoughts, questions, or content you would like to see covered here please get in contact with us. You can email us directly by clicking here. To your total wellbeing, The MINES Team
Ways to Keep the Holidays Stress-Free While this article covers a full 12 strategies to keep the stress levels low this fall, let’s take a moment to look at some of the key points across several of the holiday season’s primary activities; eating, shopping, and partying. Shop smart – Give yourself plenty of time to complete your holiday shopping. Shop with an itemized list of what you’ll buy for each person and a ballpark figure of what you’ll spend. Eat smart – Don’t feel obligated to eat everything on your plate or to have dessert. And think twice before going back for seconds. If you overeat, get right back into your normal routine the next day. Party smart – Keep parties simple by having a buffet instead of a formal sit-down dinner. Serve uncomplicated dishes (made with six ingredients or less) that you’ve made before. Remember that you and your household members have financial benefits, including financial coaching and free 30-minute consults for financial matters, available through the EAP. Please call us at 1-800-873-7138 to get connected right away. Also, PersonalAdvantage has a ton of great resources and FREE webinars this month to help you focus on your wellbeing while also being productive at work and home.
Question of the Month What is your number one source of holiday stress? What are some ways the tips from this newsletter may help you limit the stress this year?
Quote of the Month “A wise person should have money in their head, but not in their heart.” ― Jonathan Swift
Community and Global Perspective Most every country and culture in the world has a set of holidays, traditions, and rituals. Many of these holidays can bring with them an overwhelming number of events, social interaction, and obligations. No matter where you are during the holidays there are some things that you can do to keep peace of mind and keep your cool! Make a daily to-do list. Start each day by planning what you want to do and setting priorities. Even if you don’t get everything done, the process is important. Maximize your physical health. Being “all that you can be” increases your confidence and sense of control. A healthful diet, regular physical activity and enough sleep all help you feel up to daily challenges. Speak respectfully to everyone. Simple courtesies set the stage for constructive interactions. Consider how others will respond to what you’re about to say. If it’s likely to cause hurt or anger, find a more positive way to make your point. There are many more things you can do to help, but practice just these first principles and you will be well on your way to a peaceful holiday season.
If you or a member of your household needs assistance or guidance on any of these wellbeing topics, please call MINES & Associates, your EAP, today for free, confidential, 24/7 assistance at 800.873.7138.
This Month’s Focus Funding College: 5 Steps Every Family Can Use to Build a Successful Plan MINESblog: New to TW? Check out our past Blogs! Suicide Prevention in the Workplace Important Links Visit our BLOG MINES and Associates 2019 Training Catalog Balanced Living Magazine LinkedIn MINEs Archives Contact Us Email MINES
		MINES does not warrant the materials (Audio, Video, Text, Applications, or any other form of media or links) included in this communication have any connection to MINES & Associates, nor does MINES seek to endorse any entity by including these materials in this communication.  MINES accepts no liability for the consequences of any actions taken on the basis of the information provided herein, nor any additional content that may be made available through any third-party site. We found them helpful, and hope you do too!

The post Total Wellbeing: October 2019 appeared first on MINES and Associates.