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?

1. 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?
2. Some of us feel hopeless or like we have no control. What can you take control of? For example:
   1. Make sure you have personal protective equipment (PPE), don’t just rely on your employer.
   2. Take steps to ensure you and your colleagues still maintain physical distance (6 feet).
   3. Stay home if you have symptoms, ask your supervisor to ask colleagues with symptoms to leave work.
   4. 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.
   5. 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.
3. 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.
4. 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.
5. 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.

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:

1. Accommodate the caregiver’s need to have time for themselves.
2. Realize the caregiver needs support and reach out for it.
3. The caregiver support network is strong. Tap into it.
4. Take stock of insurance coverage — and bolster it if necessary.
5. Be sure the caregiver’s vital documents and directives are in place and up-to-date.
6. 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?

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

The Power of Forgiveness

“Mistakes are always forgivable, if one has the courage to admit them.”

– Bruce Lee

Hello!

Welcome to the February 2020 edition of TotalWellbeing, your guide to the 8 dimensions of wellbeing. Forgiveness and supporting your Social Wellbeing will be the focus this month. It is easy to hold on to grudges and stay mad, especially when you feel that someone has wronged you, or betrayed your trust. However, holding on to negative feelings and refusing to forgive can take its toll on your own wellbeing. Forgiveness can be extremely tough, but once you find it in yourself to truly forgive someone, it can take a huge load off your back and free your mind to think about more positive things. It’s also important to remember that you do not have to forget just because you forgave. It is totally okay to forgive someone without wanting to remain friends afterward, the important part is that you free yourself of your grudges and prevent these negative feelings from the past from interfering with your present and future wellbeing. To get you thinking about how to forgive and the benefits you may see once you’re ready, use our resources like these helpful articles or this free webinar!

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

Learning to Forgive

Forgiving someone who has hurt you deeply — a parent, sibling, spouse, ex-spouse, employer, or even a stranger — is one of the most difficult challenges you’ll face in life.

Until you can forgive, anger, resentment, and bitterness will continue to eat away at your heart and mind, causing emotional and even physical damage because of increased stress.

“Not forgiving means you carry in your heart the pain the person has caused you,” says Kathleen Griffin, author of The Forgiveness Formula: How to Let Go of Your Pain and Move on With Life. “Not letting go of this burden can keep you trapped in the past and unable to move forward into a better future.”

Check out this article for a complete look at understanding forgiveness and tips to help you along the way including how to choose to forgive to lighten your emotional stress, practicing forgiveness, and helpful visualization and mindfulness techniques around forgiveness.

Remember that if you or a household member are experiencing stress around emotional issues, including forgiveness, we can help. 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.

Supporting Your Social Wellbeing

Learning to forgive can go a long way in enhancing your social wellbeing. That said, social demands and pressures can still take their toll even when the monkey of holding a grudge is off your back. So, what are some good ways to make social obligations and interactions less stressful? Try these tips:

1. Be assertive but gracious. Stand up for your rights but do it in a way that doesn’t alienate others. This is particularly applicable when people want too much of you or your time.
2. Seek out people who share your interests, people you understand and who understand you.
3. Remember to smile. Be open with people and be yourself. Allow other people to be themselves.
4. Work on your social skills and use them. Talk to people and be friendly.

For more resources on supporting your social wellbeing, log in to PersonalAdvantage today.

Question of the Month

What is one thing that you could forgive someone in your life for? Yourself? How would forgiveness help repair the relationship with this person/yourself?

This Month’s Focus

Free Webinar:

Understanding Forgiveness

MINESblog:

New to TW? Check out our past Blogs!

Keeping Your Spirit Healthy

Important Links

Visit our BLOG

MINES and Associates

Current Training Catalog

Balanced Living Magazine

LinkedIn

MINES Archives

Contact Us

Email MINES

Interpersonal Relationships and Social Wellbeing

Welcome to the July 2019 edition of TotalWellbeing, your guide to the 8 dimensions of wellbeing. This month we will be exploring our interpersonal relationships and ways to enhance our social wellbeing. Our daily interaction with other people is a critical aspect of all our lives. It is important to remember that we can learn from both positive and negative interactions and that by learning from these encounters we become better at understanding others as well as being understood ourselves. For more information on interpersonal communications and social 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

Accepting criticism

Accepting constructive criticism from others can be tough. It’s hard to learn from it and even harder not to take it personally. While this article goes more in-depth, we look at some of the key factors that go into learning from our mistakes and improving ourselves through external feedback.

• Anticipate – Accept the fact that everyone makes mistakes and that you’ll probably be criticized for yours. That way, criticism won’t come as a surprise.
• Ask – Asking questions accomplishes two things: It gives you specific information on how you can improve, and it teaches people they’ll have to be specific when they criticize you.
• Agree – When you agree with one part of the criticism, you become open to learning. An easy way to agree is to say something like this: “You might be right; my report doesn’t have all the details.”
• Analyze – You need time to process the information, determine if it’s a valid criticism and decide what you’ll do to solve the problem or correct the mistake.

If you or a household member has anything they would like to talk to a counselor about, 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

Can you think of a negative interaction you have had with someone recently? What did you learn from it? Would you do anything differently if you could go back and have the interaction again?

Quote of the Month

“The most basic of all human needs is the need to understand and be understood.” – Ralph Nichols

Community and Global Perspective

This one goes without saying as interpersonal relationships and social wellbeing is at the heart of community building. As members of a community, we should strive to build personal and professional connections with others that will help enrich our communities and our lives. Especially in turbulent times, it is critical to come together and find common ground. What’s true is that the people around us are not going anywhere so the more we can unite the better. Strive to connect with those likeminded as well as those that have differences. It is only through dialogue, understanding, and compromise can we build lasting relationships and communities that will last our lifetimes and beyond.

This Month’s Focus

Check out this month’s webinar: Interpersonal Relationships

MINESblog:

New to TW? Check out our past Blogs!

PTSD Awareness and Resources

Important Links

Visit our BLOG

MINES and Associates

2019 Training Catalog

Balanced Living Magazine

LinkedIn

MINEs Archives

Contact Us

Email MINES

Social Wellbeing, Family, and Mindfulness

If you missed us last month you can catch up on our newsletters page. As a reminder, 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 our everyday life. As we near the end of the year we will continue to emphasize the concept of community and look at how our actions affect our community, country, and in some cases the rest of the world.

To your total wellbeing,

The MINES Team

Social Wellbeing and Your Family

This is the time of year where family and friends can both be an excellent source of support as well as an abundant source of stress. It is also a time where you are seeing friends, co-workers, and family members more than you probably do during the rest of the year, so it is important to find a way to balance your time and your energy while meeting the various holiday-related obligations such as shopping, holiday parties, family dinners, and get-togethers. All of this can leave little time for yourself and make you feel drained when you want to be engaged and having fun. The key is setting expectations, being okay with saying “no” and making sure others are helping and not just relying on you for everything. To make sure you find balance and enjoy the holidays check out our guide to a stress-free holiday.

If you would like to talk to a counselor or wellness coach about these topics, please call us at 1-800-873-7138 to get connected right away. Also, PersonalAdvantage has some great meditation and relaxation tips, mindfulness resources, and FREE webinars this month to focus on your wellbeing while also being productive at work.

Question of the Month

What are 3 ways that your friends or family could help you with your biggest holiday stress sources?

Quote of the Month

“Joy is what happens to us when we allow ourselves to recognize how good things really are.”

– Marianne Williamson

MINES Updates/Community World View

The relationship between your social wellbeing and the larger communities you live in such as your neighborhoods, your cities, your state, and your country should be pretty clear, but that is not to say that these relationships are not complex. One thing is for sure though and that is that communities large and small tend to thrive when people are willing to come together, reach out, and help each other. Helping others not only brings a community together in good times and bad, but it also boosts everyone’s social wellbeing and sense of place as individuals as well. The holiday season is a great time to do just this by reaching out and helping those that may need it. If you have time, think about helping your community by volunteering at a soup kitchen, donating some clothes you no longer want, or even donate to a charity you believe in if you can afford it. Not only will this help others in need, but it will help you reinforce your role in your community and strengthen your social ties at the same time.

This Month’s Focus

Check out this month’s webinar: Mindfulness in the Workplace

MINESblog:

Throwback Blog: Finding Joy Amidst the Holiday Stress

Check out this Month’s Infographic

Important Links

Visit our BLOG

MINES and Associates

2018 Training Catalog

Balanced Living Magazine

LinkedIn

MINEs Archives

Contact Us

Email MINES

The Relationship Between Parenting and Social Wellbeing

Welcome to the April edition of TotalWellbeing, your guide to the 8 dimensions of wellbeing. This month we are going to take a look at social wellbeing, specifically how parenting can affect the social skills of children and steps parents can take to enhance their children’s’ social savvy. If you missed us last month you can catch up on our newsletters page. As we make it through the year we will continue to emphasize the concept of community and look at how our actions affect our community, country, and in some cases the rest of the world.

To your total wellbeing,

The MINES Team

How Social Wellbeing is Impacted by Parenting

Social wellbeing and parenting go hand in hand. This is true because someone’s parents are more than likely the very first social connection a person will form. Furthermore, parents play a huge role in shaping how their children learn to socialize and build connections with other people. Therefore, it is crucial that parents take time to truly consider how they prepare their children for social interactions as it will impact how kids are able to connect with others, handle changes or loss, view authority figures, cooperate with colleagues, and more for the rest of their lives. At the top of the list of things to do is maintain open and honest communication with your children. The more comfortable and trusting children are talking with their parents, the more comfortable and open they are likely to be with others. This goes a long way to building trust and a solid foundation for children to build their social wellbeing on.

If you would like to talk to a family counselor about these topics please call us at 1-800-873-7138 to get connected right away. Also, PersonalAdvantage has some great tools and webinars this month to improve your knowledge around communication, teaching children about life changes, and resilient parenting to help support social wellbeing, and be sure to check out our “Raising Resilient Kids” infographic.

Question of the Month

What social habits or quirks can you think of that may have come from your parents?

Quote of the Month

“Write to be understood, speak to be heard, read to grow.”

– Lawrence Clark Powell

MINES Updates/Community World View

Many factors that define social wellbeing are deeply ingrained in culture and thus varies from people to people and place to place. Social norms and taboos, social etiquette like greetings and manners, and even basic measurements of social happiness and sense of purpose are all examples of factors that can vary wildly around the world. How does this relate back to your own individual social wellbeing? Because exposure to other ways of life and beliefs around social interactions, identity, and wellbeing is crucial to understanding your own place in the world. The more exposure you can gain to other cultures by traveling, researching, interacting with people from other cultures, trying new traditions, sampling foreign cuisine, and so forth, the better you will understand people, including yourself. Furthermore, your mind will become more open to new ideas and ways of life. This not only makes you better educated overall, but makes socializing and finding your place in society, no matter where you are, easier and more enjoyable enhancing your own sense of social wellbeing.

This Month’s Focus

Check out this month’s webinar on Thriving Families

This Month on MINESblog:

Sleep — The Luxury You Can’t Live Without

Check out this Month’s Infographic

Important Links

Visit our BLOG

MINES and Associates

2018 Training Catalog

Balanced Living Magazine

LinkedIn

MINEs Archives

Contact Us

Email MINES

July 2017: Social Wellbeing and Social Security

Get Involved!

Welcome to the July issue of TotalWellbeing! If you have been following TotalWellbeing you know that every month we focus on one of the 8 Dimensions of Wellbeing. This month we are looking at how you can mature your sense of connection and grow your social wellbeing. What great timing to think about this as we start summer and are able to be outside more! This month we also are looking at expanding your knowledge about your social security benefits and delving into how social security is a part of your social support system.

For a closer look at this month’s topic and helpful resources please check out The Path and The Connection below or check out our latest infographic on how Social Security Benefits work. Always feel free to print these resources and post them around if you feel they would be helpful.

And of course, just a gentle reminder that for more resources you can check out MINESblog. This is where we always strive to bring you, helpful, informative, and inspirational content around topics that are important to wellbeing and community. Last month we had an inspiring post about the little know National Upsy-Daisy Day and how it’s a reminder to always take time the time to enjoy the small things throughout your day. MINES was also the recipient of two Founder’s Awards from Peer Assistance Services and you can read about that here.

As always, for more information please check out the links to the left or hit the share button to send us a message. To be notified when we post more resources and articles make sure to subscribe to MINESblog. See you next month!

To your total wellbeing,

The MINES Team

The Path: Social Security Benefits and Social Wellbeing

When you think of Social Security, you may not automatically see the connection to your social wellness. However, Social Security is a social benefit by nature, meaning it is available to all, within its limitations, and it affects the community as a whole. It also affects your social support system as your family could receive Social Security benefits. Helping your support system understand your benefits can only help you feel more confident and prepared for the future which inevitably helps improve your social wellbeing.

Mankind is meant to be social. We are built to interact, connect, and support each other. Even if we are more introverted or prefer to be behind the scenes, we still look to our families and friends to be our support system and enjoy being around others to some extent. As you think what being social means to you, try to find a way this month to expand your social network either through social media or in your community or workplace. Take time to find an activity to do- go to a parade or concert- or take a road trip to discover something new about yourself and those around you.

Here are some great tips on how to be social even if you don’t feel like it or if you consider yourself to be an introvert.

Check out these great tips here!

Social Security Benefits include financial assistance for you and your family members through retirement, disability, and Medicare coverage. Take the time to talk to your family and let them know what you have decided to do and how you can be financially secured regardless if you and your family have access to Social Security benefits. You can never be too prepared.

Check out this month’s webinar to learn more about how Social Security Benefits work, so you can feel equipped when you have to make a financial decision about Social Security for you or a family member.

Check out the webinar here!

The Connection: Get Involved

Wellbeing does not simply start and stop at the individual. Our community is connected to each of our own individual wellbeing in a huge way. When we are well we can better function within our community.  We can help our fellow humans thrive, and in turn, when our community is prospering, it helps each of us reach our goals as individuals. So why not help our community so we can all thrive together? Each month we will strive to bring you resources that can help you enhance the wellbeing of those around you or get involved with important causes.

There are a lot of people who struggle with understanding their social security benefits. If you have an expertise in this area, consider going to your local retirement community and asking if you can share your knowledge with those who might be using it. If you don’t have this expertise, take time today to step into your community (and workplace) and share whatever is your expertise with those around you. Interacting with your community is a great way to be a part of a communal support system and help develop your sense of belonging.

Click here to find a place to use your skills near you!

We’re happy to announce that PersonalAdvantage, an online benefit available through MINES, has been redesigned and is better than ever. It still has tons of the same great resources for all the dimensions of wellbeing that we discuss here, along with some articles and assistance for Estate Planning, and now has a new look, easier navigation, and works great on mobile too. If you haven’t checked it out yet, or want to see what resources they have for this month’s topic check out the link below. You’ll need your company login, so make sure to get that from your employer or email us and we’ll be happy to provide that to you.

Check Out PersonalAdvantage Here!