The vaccine is finally here and it can be tempting to let your guard down. The zoom happy hours and fun around working from home has lost its notoriety for many. Physical distancing and mask-wearing are taking a toll on us and for good reason – It’s been a long nearly 10 months!

What exactly is pandemic fatigue? How do we combat it?

Pandemic fatigue is the feeling of exhaustion! The pure exhaustion from the impact that the pandemic has had on our lives. We have had to quarantine, constantly assess the safety and our levels of comfort with activities, concern about losing jobs, and have lived much of the year without a sense of when the end is coming. Feelings of helplessness and of being mentally and physically exhausted can lead to your reserves lowering. Your motivation to engage in proactive stress management and resilience can also be compromised. Here are some symptoms to be aware of:

1. You are getting sleep and yet you still feel exhausted.
2. You might be drinking more alcohol and/or eating more food.
3. You are having trouble focusing and/or concentrating.
4. You might feel irritable in situations that you typically find to be no big deal.
5. You might be loosening up on handwashing, social distancing, and even mask-wearing.

Do you think you might be experiencing a bit of pandemic fatigue? If so, here are some tips to fight back!

1. The end is in sight! Do you remember finals time in school? There is a parallel! In school, we likely made several sacrifices in the weeks before finals such as pulling all-nighters, sacrificing social gatherings, and all of this to hopefully be ready for finals. We could muster up hidden energy reserves and rally because we knew after finals was a much needed break, perhaps holiday or summer vacation. This virus is in the “finals” period, the spread is still occurring and, in some places, more so… the vaccine is in the process though. We need to make a few more sacrifices, it’s wearing no doubt, but the end is in-sight! The vaccine is here…
2. Accept your feelings. You have been through A LOT in 2020. This has been a hard time with so many unknowns, so much out of your control. It is ok to be sad, depleted, angry, overwhelmed, hopeless, and any other feelings you may have. Awareness and acknowledgment is powerful. Check-in with yourself, sit with your feelings, reflect on them.
3. Watch out for confirmation bias! Perhaps you have made it this far and have not been sick or you have put yourself in situations that have been ill-advised and have not had an adverse outcome… It can be easy to rationalize that you have done it before and been fine, you can do it again. Be mindful and clear of loosening your boundaries and standards.
4. Prioritize self-care! Your health and wellbeing (including mental) need to come first. Self-care can include many aspects including:
   1. Exercise! Even a short walk makes a difference!
   1. Meditation and deep breathing. This is such a powerful skill to build and does not have to be a big endeavor. Even something as simple as closing your eyes and focusing on your breath or breathing to center can be impactful when you are feeling overwhelmed or stressed.
   1. Connecting with positive friends and loved ones in safe ways (just the act of reaching out can boost your mood and happiness).
   1. Monitor your social media habits (be mindful of doomscrolling).

To your wellbeing,

– The MINES Team

If you have MINES as your EAP…

MINES is here for you!

We’re here to help! If you are experiencing any stress, anxiety, burnout, trouble focusing on wellbeing, or any other day to day issues that may be impacting your health and wellbeing (or just want to talk to someone), please remember MINES counselors are experienced and available. We offer free and confidential counseling with licensed mental health professionals via telephone, video, and online text/message-based platforms. You may also have access to legal and financial benefits, wellness coaching, work/life balance service, smoking cessation, and parental coaching services.

The EAP is available 24/7 at 800-873-7138 or visit www.minesandassociates.com

For more resources related to COVID-19 please click here.

You can also access more resources online by logging into your PersonalAdvantage account here. Look for the news alert banner on the top of the page for resources including more tips and news sources with live updates.

The post Pandemic Fatigue appeared first on MINES and Associates.

We know that stress and anxiety can be common during the school year for students, but with the pandemic upon us, it’s even more important to pay attention. For those who are physically going back to schools, the anxiety and fear is palpable – and simply navigating the uncertainly can feel overwhelming. And for those who are learning virtually, too much isolation can be harmful.

Research shows that chronic loneliness, which many of us are feeling these days with stay-at-home orders – can translate to poor sleep, high blood pressure, greater risk of suicidal ideation, and even alcohol and drug use. Depression and anxiety have also increased in the months since the pandemic began. Half of all mental health disorders begin by the age of 14, and about 75 percent begin by the age of 24. But it’s also important to know that mental health issues are common and treatable – you don’t have to suffer in silence! Know the signs and symptoms of mental health issues so that you can seek help for you or someone you care about.

Just like physical health, taking care of mental health struggles early can help to prevent more serious problems from developing in the future. If you are concerned that you or someone you know may be experiencing a mental health problem, it is important to act. Start the conversation. Seek help from a trusted adult. Remember there is nothing to be ashamed of and that there is help and hope.

There are also serious signs that someone is in crisis and needs more immediate help. These include thoughts or plans of hurting oneself or another person. If you think a child or teen is in immediate danger of taking suicidal action, call the national suicide hotline at 1-800-273-TALK. If you have MINES as your EAP you can also call us 24 hours a day at 1-800-873-7138 and talk to a licensed clinician on the spot. Our trained crisis counselors are always ready to help.

MINES EAP is here to help with these concerns and help manage the stress of the pandemic as well as any other day to day issues that you or your family may be navigating at this time. Please call us for more information or to get set up with free, confidential counseling services, wellness coaching, work/life resources, and more.

To your wellbeing,

-The MINES Team

The post A Word on Going Back to School During the Pandemic appeared first on MINES and Associates.

As a Human Resources Professional, a person of color and a student of the civil rights movement, today’s health and social pandemics serve as a reoccurring dream, nightmare, or both for me.  Everyone’s asking the big question, “Where do we go from here?” Frankly, I’m back to “How did we get stuck in the first place?”  Folks are saying today’s events of COVID-19 and the brutal killing of George Floyd are “wake up calls.”  People in the Black community are countering this by saying that most of America has been hitting the snooze button on racial inequities, social injustice, mass incarceration, and historical, systemic, and structural racism for over 418 years. Can it be real that the souls of Americans have finally “woke up” to the plight and experiences of so many who have not remotely experienced “this more perfect union”, or “the American dream.” 

My dear HR colleagues, my hope for you and us is to be able to provide leadership within our circles of influence, communities, families, and organizations, as we are charged with the attracting, developing, and retaining human resources or as it is commonly called in many of our companies – “Human Capital” – I prefer “Human Beings” or “People.” 

A “pandemic” is defined as “a disease prevalent over a whole country or the world.”  “Disease” is defined as “a particular quality, habit, or disposition regarded as adversely affecting a person or group of people.” COVID-19 is our most recent disease resulting in a global health pandemic. Racism is a disease that has been allowed to adversely affect Black people in this country and the world for centuries. Racism is not a new Pandemic! While the comfort values of prior generations produced legislation, systems, and policies that sustained the Racial Pandemic; generations X, Y, and Z have demonstrated little tolerance for the Racial Pandemic and have placed their lives on the line amid COVID-19 to ensure that their collective voices are heard.

This feels different than the Civil, Women’s, and Gay rights movements. Lots of people are saying that real change is needed and is finally here. Let me get really specific regarding how you as my colleagues and friends can be on the front lines, if you are not already, regarding this change.

1. Each generation operates based upon a set of core Values. If you are not having facilitated generational values discussions and training, you are missing a rich and bountiful opportunity to create a broad understanding of perspectives and learning.
2. Equity is the key to honoring Diversity and promoting Inclusion. Serious conversations with your Executive Leadership team regarding systematic and structural barriers that need to be removed/eliminated is critical. This includes an examination of policies, practices related to hiring, compensation, promotions, and career advancement. Diverse representation is the baseline to ensure that “all voices are heard.” A seat at the table is great, but a seat means nothing if the voice isn’t heard and acknowledged.
3. Assess the current climate in terms of a readiness for Change (Willingness versus Skills). Develop a plan to: Eradicate the disease that causes the Pandemic. “a particular quality, habit, or disposition regarding as adversely affecting a person or group of people.” This one will require significant heavy lifting. The demographic shift in America can be seen every night by those who are protesting. We see the rich fabric of a diverse nation right before our eyes. 40% of the U.S. workforce are Millennials. In many organizations where Equity, Inclusion, and Diversity work is a reality, there are Business Resource/Affinity Groups in place designed to bring unique perspectives that connect strategy, outcomes, management, community, and employee needs. These voices, if heard and acknowledged, can assist you and your company in answering the BIG Question – “Where do we go from here?”

The Reverend Doctor Martin Luther King, Jr. said, “In the end we will not remember the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends.”

My HR friends, please do not be silent during these times of pandemic. A strong correlation exists between the two.

To your wellbeing,

Bobby King

Mines & Associates

EID Consultant

This post was provided by our friend and training partner Bobby King. Bobby has served over 25 years as a Human Resources and Workforce Diversity, Equity & Inclusion executive in high tech, municipal government, and healthcare.

The post Human Resources: Advocating for Change Amidst Pandemic and Protest appeared first on MINES and Associates.

The importance of keeping the routine

Keeping a workout routine at home will help in a variety of ways. First off, a routine will help add structure to the day and give you a goal to reach adding motivation to your mix. You will also enjoy all the benefits that exercise has to offer including better mood, reduced risks of chronic disease, better sleep, increased concentration, more energy throughout the day, and the list goes on.

Key elements of a workout routine

1. Warm-up – A warm-up gets your body ready to really move. Your warm-up should include a short duration (5-10 minutes) of light exercise such as walking, a slow pace on a real/stationary bike or elliptical, and some light stretches.
2. Cardio – You should aim to get about 150 minutes of cardio per week. For cardio, your activities can include jogging, running, or even brisk walking. Just make sure to keep that heart rate up. If you own a treadmill, elliptical, or stationary bike, these work great for cardio. Even a jump rope offers a great, and cheap, form of cardio you can do at or around your home.
3. Strength – This is any form of exercise that uses resistance to increase muscular strength. You should aim to do strength training at least twice a week, and there are several ways to do this. Bodyweight exercises are probably the easiest and most practical for at home workouts as you don’t need any equipment, just some space and your body. If you have some dumbbells or resistance bands, you can throw those into the mix. Just be sure to start slow, don’t use too much weight, and make sure to get at least a day of rest in between workouts, or at least work different muscle groups each day, to give your body a chance to recover. Don’t forget that eating well and getting plenty of sleep is key to your recovery period!
4. Flexibility – A more flexible muscle is a stronger muscle. Maintaining and improving your flexibility also decreases your chance of injury during workout and daily activities, increases blood flow, and will help you stay mobile later on in life. Stretching should be something you do every day. You can do basic stretches or even try a home yoga routine. Again, make sure to warm your muscles up first, start slow, and when you’re stretching make sure to pay attention to your body. You should not feel any pain while stretching.
5. Cooldown – Basically the same as a warm-up but at the end of your workout. A cooldown gives your heart a chance to slow down gradually, and your muscles to relax while still circulating blood so that you don’t get a build up of lactic acid which can increase soreness. Again, some mild walking, light stretching, and some nice slow movements should do the trick.

Keep track of what you’re doing

No matter what you choose for your home workout routine, it is important to track what you are doing to help set and maintain goals, gauge progress, and hit milestones. Here’s what you should be keeping track of:

• Distance – Miles run/walked, laps swam, yards sprinted, etc.
• Time – The minutes, seconds, or other fractions of time you spent doing a particular exercise.
• Intensity – Mainly for strength training. Track pounds lifted and repetitions of each exercise.
• Milestones and personal bests – Keep track of your best times, heaviest lifts, and longest runs/walks. These “bests” will help motivate you and give you something to beat.
• Other details – Anything else you want to track that may help you. This can be time of day you worked out, who you worked out with, personal metrics such as heart rate, weight, or even blood sugar levels for diabetics.

Stay motivated

• Challenge yourself and set goals – Setting goals like best times, weight lifted, or workouts per week are a great way to give yourself a goal to hit which will give more purpose and satisfaction to your efforts.
• Find a workout buddy – Finding a household member, or even a friend that you can have a virtual workout with over Facetime, Google Hangouts, or some other video call platform can be a great way to make workouts more fun and even competitive to boost motivation.
• Schedule your workouts – Again, in addition to adding structure to the day, scheduling your workout ensures there is time for it. If something comes up, make sure to reschedule your workout immediately. Don’t skip it!
• Make it into a habit – The key here is keeping to your routine. Keep the routine long enough and working out just becomes something you do. It will no longer be a chore or something you “have to do.” It will become an integral and important part of your day you will not want to miss.

Resources

• Your surroundings and your body – You don’t need a fancy home gym or a bunch of equipment to workout. You just need your body and some space. You can find tons of great bodyweight exercises online, and don’t forget to get outside and walk/jog around the block.
• Cheap equipment – If you want to do more than just bodyweight exercises but don’t want to break the bank, look for cheap and practical equipment. There are lots of options including a jump rope, a small set of dumbbells, a yoga mat, and exercise balls. These are all great additions to your home workout and can be found easily online.
• Free Workout Apps and Videos – Online you can find a ton of great and free workout videos and apps. These include Aaptiv, for tons of voice-guided workouts. Fitbit Coach, for video workouts that you don’t even need a Fitbit for. Asana Rebel, for accessible, guided yoga routines. Adidas Training and Running, for a bunch of free audio and video workout guides. FitOn for a mobile-friendly workout video streaming experience. These are just a sample of what’s out there and are also free. Make sure to look around for an app or videos that fit your style and goals.

To Your wellbeing,

– The MINES Team

Remember: You should only work out if you are healthy enough to do so. Consult a doctor if you are just starting a workout routine, and refrain from working out when sick or injured.

If you or a household member is experiencing stress, anxiety, hardships, or just want to talk about your physical wellbeing and need help, please remember that your employee assistance program is here for you. MINES counselors and wellness coaches are experienced and available. We offer counseling with licensed mental health professionals via telephone, video, and online text/message-based platforms as well as telephonic sessions with professional wellness coaches that can help you set and reach your personal wellness goals.

The EAP is available 24/7 at 800-873-7138 or visit www.minesandassociates.com
For more resources related to COVID-19 and remote working please click here.

The post COVID-19 Resources – Home Workout Essentials appeared first on MINES and Associates.

The month of April is National Stress Awareness Month and this April, there are so many reasons to share stress management strategies. The outbreak of the Coronavirus has brought a mental health crisis next to the medical crisis.  In a recent Gallup Study published on April 14, 2020, life ratings plummeted to a 12-year low. The cause of the decline is due to “current satisfaction” and not looking forward to the future. The respondents’ daily stress levels have reached an “unprecedented magnitude.”

Here are some tips that can help manage stress and anxiety during this time:

1. Consider past coping strategies – You may not have been here before, but you have likely experienced difficult situations before where you had little to no control. What were some ways that you coped? It is good to think through which strategies worked well before and try to engage in some version of those strategies now. As you think through the strategies that worked well before, you may recall some that did not work well or were not healthy, make note of those too and try to avoid them.
2. Engage in a gratitude practice – Consider starting a gratitude log. Write down at least one thing that you are grateful for each day. After you have written down what you are grateful for, say it out loud and allow yourself to feel yourself cultivating gratitude. Noted benefits associated with gratitude include (Wellness Society, 2020):

• Positive mood
• Better sleep
• A stronger immune system
• Reduction in anxiety and stress

3. Limit media/social media – You can check updates on the virus from credible resources such as the CDC.gov and WHO.int. There are less than informed and polarizing perspectives throughout the media as well as our social media which can leave us feeling sad, frustrated, and powerless.
4. Practice centered breathing – Take a deep, slow breath filling up your abdomen.  Allow the breath to inflate your abdominal area.  As you exhale out all your air, hollow out the abdomen.  Become mindful of your breath and how it transforms your mind, body, and emotions.

• • Being centered:
    • is a psycho-physiological state that is strengthened through practice
    • allows you to be more authentic, sensitive, and open
    • produces emotional and physical stability
    • has a positive effect on relationships and the surrounding environment
    • has a great impact on developing trust
    • enables you to appreciate the nature of conflict
    • brings you to a point of clarity, the point of power
    • is always your choice, at any time

5. Make certainty statements – In a time where so much feels uncertain, making clear certainty statements can be a way to reduce anxiety. Examples include, “I am certain that I am a mother of three beautiful children,” “I am certain that I am a runner,” “I feel certain that the weather is sunny today.”

6. Check-in with friends and family- Checking in and extending yourself to others through texts, over the phone, video connections, emails, etc. This will not only help you feel less isolated and better connected but no doubt will be impactful to those who you are connecting with. You will boost their mental health as well as your own.

7. COGNITIVE RESTRUCTURING EXERCISE

Irrational Beliefs:  A – B – C – D – E

Based on the work of Albert Ellis, Ph.D., human beings cause themselves grief, worry, and heartache based on a series of irrational beliefs.

Activating event such as a statement or comment

Belief that becomes self-talk

Consequence- emotional response

Dispute- what is the evidence?

Effect

To Your wellbeing,

– The MINES Team

If you or a household member are experiencing any stress, anxiety, or hardships that you would like to talk to someone about, please remember that your employee assistance program is here for you. MINES counselors are experienced and available. We offer counseling with licensed mental health professionals via telephone, video, and online text/message-based platforms.
The EAP is available 24/7 at 800-873-7138 or visit www.minesandassociates.com
For more resources related to COVID-19 and remote working please click here.

The post COVID-19 Resources – Stress & Anxiety Reduction appeared first on MINES and Associates.

For you:

1. Acknowledge and accept your feelings

Write down the words that describe how you feel about being an essential worker on the front lines. Some common feelings include discomfort, fears, loneliness, guilt, anger, concern, and helplessness. Naming these feelings is key to building resilience and accepting these feelings may help you feel calmer.

2. Try this model to challenge negative thoughts: The T.H.I.N.K. Technique

• True? – Is this thought 100% true? If not, what are the facts, and what is opinion?
• Helpful? – Is paying attention to the thought useful to me or others?
• Inspiring? – Does the thought inspire me or does it have the opposite effect?
• Necessary? – Is it important for me to focus on the thought? Is it necessary to act on it?
• Kind? – Is the thought kind? If not, what would be a kinder thought?

(Provided by The Wellness Society, 2020)

3. Spheres of Control

Consider a circle with 2 layers in it, like a target. The circle in the middle is the “circle of control.” In this circle of control, you have ultimate control of this area! Some examples of the center circle areas include: eating well, connecting with others, focusing on what is important, the information on the virus that you are exposing yourself to, and seeking support. The middle circle is the “circle of influence.” In this circle, you don’t have ultimate control but may be able to influence. Some examples of this include demonstrating what you want others to do such as wearing a mask and encouraging others to do so. If a family member or friend wants to get together, state that you would like to do this virtually. Outside this sphere is the “outside my control” area. These are areas that you do not have control over and it’s important to acknowledge these areas. Some examples include: when schools, restaurants, and other businesses will reopen, events being canceled, and other people’s decisions.

For your loved ones:

1. While at work, keep your items such as keys and cell phones away from contact with other people and reduce contamination. You might consider keeping them in a break room, locker, or on your person.
2. Disinfect your keys and phone at least once per day and wash your hands before leaving your workplace.
3. When you do come home from work, consider leaving your work shoes and other items that cannot be easily washed isolated and away from your family members. Also, change your clothing and consider showering to better ensure that you are as free of harmful germs as possible.
4. Check-in with family members and see how they are feeling about you working on the front lines. Share what you are doing to protect their health and safety during this time.

To Your wellbeing,

– The MINES Team

If you are an essential worker and are experiencing any stress, anxiety, or hardships that you would like to talk to someone about, please remember that your employee assistance program is here for you. MINES counselors are experienced and available. We offer counseling with licensed mental health professionals via telephone, video, and online text/message-based platforms.
The EAP is available 24/7 at 800-873-7138 or visit www.minesandassociates.com
For more resources related to COVID-19 and remote working please click here.

The post COVID-19 Resources – For YOU, the Essential Worker! appeared first on MINES and Associates.

	The Power of You
“On the other side of a storm is the strength that comes from having navigated through it. Raise your sail and begin.” ― Gregory S. Williams Welcome to the April 2020 edition of TotalWellbeing, your guide to the 8 dimensions of wellbeing. This month’s resources will be centered around the impacts of the Coronavirus crisis and resources to help you through. We will look at some general tips as well as some specific topics such as ideas for working remote, dealing with physical isolation, and managing the fear and anxiety that comes with health scares and uncertain times. Take a look at the tips below or head over to our blog where we will be constantly updating our Coronavirus related resources. As a quick update, please remember that your online portal, PersonalAdvantage, has live updates and helpful resources around current events which right now is focused on the Coronavirus. These resources include helpful information, current CDC news and recommendations, helpful and free webinars, and more. 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 Being Prepared During times of crisis, including the recent public health concerns about COVID-19 (Coronavirus), it is natural for our anxieties to rise. The onslaught of news, information, and misinformation can make us feel unsafe and unsure about how to protect ourselves and our loved ones. One of the best ways to manage a crisis – and the anxiety that it creates – is to have a plan. Plans provide us structure and help us feel more in control, which serves to reduce our anxieties and fears. The first step is to know the facts. What is it? The COVID-19 virus, more commonly known as Coronavirus, is a respiratory infection.  The symptoms of which are similar to other respiratory illnesses, such as the flu or bronchitis, and include: fever, cough, and difficulty breathing. How is it spread? It is thought that the virus is spread from person to person through respiratory droplets produced through coughs and sneezes.  These droplets can directly infect another person. Or, they could land on surfaces and be transmitted by touching the surface and then touching your face (mouth or nose specifically). We encourage you to consider the following tips as you develop a plan: Stay informed This is a rapidly changing landscape as health officials learn more about the disease and it’s spread in the US. Refer to reputable sources for information like the Centers for Disease Control cdc.gov and the World Health Organization. www.who.int. You can also access up-to-date information by logging into your PersonalAdvantage account here. Look for the news alert banner on the top of the page for resources including more tips and news sources with live updates. Practice good hygiene Health experts agree that the best way to reduce the spread of illness is to wash your hands regularly for at least 20 seconds at a time. Alternatively, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol. They also recommend not touching your eyes, mouth, and nose with your bare hands. This can take some conscious practice for those of us with a habit of putting our hands to our faces. Cover your mouth & nose with a tissue when you cough and sneeze. Then throw the tissue in the trash. If a tissue is not available cough or sneeze into your bent elbow. Keep a distance from others to prevent the spread of the virus. Avoid contact with vulnerable populations, such as the elderly or those with pre-existing medical conditions. The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends keeping 1 meter (3 feet) from someone who may be sick. Prepare to work from home. The best way to manage a contagious illness is to reduce exposure to others. If you are sick, stay home to avoid infecting others. Ask your employer if remote work is possible for your job. If so, equip yourself with the necessary tools to perform your duties from home. For example, bring home your laptop nightly and be sure to have a compatible power cord. Practice Self Care Stress and lack of sleep can make us more vulnerable to viruses such as the flu and COVID-19. Healthy eating, staying well hydrated, exercise and regular sleep can build emotional and physical resilience. It is also important to stay strong mentally to reduce the anxiety that can occur. This could include engaging in self-care rituals like meditation, mindfulness, journaling, practicing gratitude, breathing exercises, and staying engaged in hobbies. Check out this post for a complete list of tips and resources on basic preparedness and planning. 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.
Tips for working remote With the current state of the country, many employers are switching to remote work arrangements for their employees. While this is prudent for the safety of our communities, without much notice or preparation many people must now adjust to a new way of working. For many employees, their home environments may not be set up for full-time work. Even in the best of times, working remotely can be challenging and make you feel isolated. Below are a few tips that can help make the transition easier to make. Maintain regular work hours – It is easy to let the hours between work and home blur together. As much as possible stick to the schedule you had when you were working outside the home. Start work at the same time, and end at the same time. Keep your normal morning routine – Get up at the same time, do your regular morning hygiene and exercise routines, put on clean clothes every day, eat a healthy breakfast. Set ground rules with others – Let both your employer and your household members know the hours that you will be working and keep to that schedule. Take breaks – Take a lunch break, take your morning and afternoon breaks. Get up and walk around every hour or so. Schedule your breaks and take them in their entirety. Set up your workspace – As much as possible set up a designated home office workspace. It doesn’t have to be a full-blown office but try to designate a space solely for working. Set up a small desk, peripherals, office chair, etc. Ergonomics – Be conscious of ergonomic conditions as you set up your workspace. Sit with your feet flat on the floor, keep good posture, with your arms at roughly right angles, and place your screen at eye level. Stay connected to colleagues – Set up MS (Microsoft) Teams or Zoom meetings for regularly scheduled meetings; it helps to be able to see your coworkers. Utilize MS Yammer or other social media to facilitate socialization among colleagues. Communication is key – It can help to overcommunicate, especially about schedules and tasks. When you are working on an important task and may be slower to respond, say so. When you finish that task, say that too. Remember to always be positive, but professional, in your communications. It is more difficult to interpret tone in written communication so it is important to stay cognizant of how your message may be perceived. Take advantage of the small perks of being at home – Use the breaks you scheduled to do something enjoyable, or even useful – sit outside and get some fresh air for your morning coffee break, maybe start that load of laundry during your lunch break. Cut yourself some slack – There are going to be distractions while working at home. Accept that and don’t beat yourself up about them. Remember, distractions happened in the office too. Remember, your Employee Assistance Program is here to help you and your household members manage the stress that can come with a major transition. You can also access up-to-date information by logging into your PersonalAdvantage account here. Look for the news alert banner on the top of the page for resources including more tips and news sources with live updates. If you need additional information, please call MINES and Associates at 1-800-873-7138.
Question of the Month What is a self-care resolution you can make during this time of social distancing and shelter in place restrictions? What are things you can do daily in your home to support your physical and emotional wellbeing?
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: Birth Order: Behavioral Traits that Affect Your Life and Work MINESblog: New to TW? Check out our past Blogs! COVID-19: Tips and Resources COVID-19: Working Remote COVID-19: Working at Home with Kids COVID-19: Fear and Anxiety COVID-19: Dealing with Isolation National Doctor’s Day 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!

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Many parents face homeschooling their multi-aged children with understandable anxiety and fear. Wrangling children is difficult enough, but how do you deal with children of different ages and needs beyond what the school may or may not be providing?

Flexible scheduling: While many educational professionals promote routine, a flexible routine often decreases anxiety and allows for more success.  Consider the day as a series of blocks of time (1-2 hours) and divide the blocks into types of activities:  physical activity (play and exercise),  reading (quiet time for language and literacy activities),  math,  science, social studies (which can be adjusted as age-appropriate) and art.  Consider five hours a week for each subject (which can be adjusted for age and the subjects that need to be covered given your school district), but allow yourself the flexibility to change the time you a block during the day depending on your children’s attention, interest and activity level, as well as your own.  Sunny day when the kids are very energetic?  Have them learn about plants, animals or natural phenomenon outside, make that a 2 block session and do more social studies on a different day. Raining day? An additional block of reading and language studies may work best.  Setting weekly goals, as well as allowing for daily flexibility, can decrease everyone’s stress.

Hands-on activities: Educators know that elaborative learning, deep understanding versus an ability to memorize and repeat by rote, is promoted by hand-on, engaging activities.  Consider creating puzzles and games for your kids that can also be adjusted to be age-appropriate. For example, download a map of the US (or any part of the world) and leave off the state (country) names and have them fill them in; older child? Cut off the map and have them put it together. Older still, fill in capitols (and look up a fact about each state or country).  There are also a number of science experiments that can be done with household goods, and while doing the experiment may be entertaining and introduce younger children to scientific principles, older children can research how the experiments work further to enhance their knowledge. i Older students can be encouraged to use the internet, and the Khan academy is not only helpful for more complex subjects but offers educational support in subjects where parents may feel in over their heads.ii

Outdoor activities:  Allow for physical exercise, time to blow off steam, and numerous learning opportunities for all ages.  Young children can learn about plants and animals by observation and encouraged to draw and write about what they see to work on their language skills. Older children can be encouraged to take their real-world observations about plants and animals, weather, geographical formations or historical sites to the internet and further research these topics.

Reading and storytelling: Literacy and language studies include reading, comprehension, writing, and other communicative skills.  Having children of different ages actually facilitates developing these skills.  Encourage older children to read to younger children; this not only develops the reading skills of the older child but the comprehension skills of the younger child, particularly if you ask questions and encourage them to discuss what they have read.

The best way to learn is to teach: Having older children work with younger children on their reading actually helps to develop the older child’s comprehension as well, in addition, younger children are less intimidated and anxious working with other children rather than adults. Older children also develop leadership skills, patience and empathy working with younger children.

Having children draw pictures of what they read is another form of elaborate rehearsal and furthers cognitive development.  Encourage children to tell and write stories. This improves their communication skills.  Younger children learn about plot and progression by telling stories to others and often take great pride in doing so.  Older children can write and illustrate their own stories as well as transcribe the stories of younger siblings.   Encourage imagination and exploration. Have younger kids that are into dinosaurs? Let them draw and play with dinosaurs. Let the older kids supervise and actually look up the dinosaur types and the prehistoric periods to enhance their science education and teach their younger siblings at well.

Art is not only important in and of itself as a form of expression but it also allows kids to process hands-on, in ingenious ways, what they have learned which facilitates long-term memory and learning.  Children also develop fine motor skills, learn about self-expression, and simply have fun.

Kitchen math and science:  Once or twice a week consider making meal-time a learning opportunity. Children of all ages can make menus, and using My Plateiii or other online tools, can learn about nutrition.  Cooking allows students to learn about weights and measures and following recipes is an excellent way to introduce kids to the lab experiments they will do in higher grade science class.

Many of these activities allow a parent to share educational activities with the family so what may have seemed to be a burden placed on one or two parents become a shared responsibility where the family as a “village” participates in “raising” one another.

TV and Movie Binging does not have to be a passive activity: Enjoy those family times.  But you can also discuss what you have watched over a snack or meal.  What makes the main character heroic? What makes the villain evil? Is it what he does? Is it how he looks?   What do you think of how they were portrayed? Are they like you? Would you do what they did? Discussing what kids think about what they are watching offers parents a great insight into how they are perceiving the world around them and offers the opportunity to interact and influence the views they are forming.

Self-care for the mom or dad juggling so much.  Taking care of yourself during this time of added stress is extremely important.  If you kids aren’t earlier risers, you don’t have to get them up the same time they attended school.  Take some time before they get up for yourself, have a cup of coffee and read the paper, take a long bath or a walk, center, and if they are earlier risers take some time at the end of the day, have a treat of your choice, unwind to music or a show, meditate or do some yoga. Taking care of yourself lowers your stress and makes it easier to show up for your kids.

Prof. Colleen Donnelly

University Of Colorado – English and Health Humanities colleen.donnellly@ucdenver.edu

i STEM: 20 Kitchen Science Experiments Your Kids Will Love https://modernparentsmessykids.com/stem-20-kitchen-science-experiments-kids-will-love/

ii Khan Academy https://www.khanacademy.org

iii My Plate. https://www.choosemyplate.gov

This post is an article from Professor Colleen Donnelly, from the University of Colorado,  English and Health Humanities Department. MINES is Cross-posting to share information and resources and is no way representing the material as our own.

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