Thriving Campus

Thriving Campus: Featuring Christina Thiele

Thriving Campus: Featuring Christina Thiele

By Colin Hearne on January 7, 2015

This month features Christina Thiele, Communications and Community Relations Manager at the Centre for Hip Health and Mobility.

Welcome to Thriving Campus – a new addition to our Healthy UBC Newsletter featuring, testimonials, contributions and personal experiences from UBC staff, faculty and students.

What strategies do you use in your work life to help you thrive?

There’s nothing like some good old-fashioned peer pressure to help you stay healthy at work. My colleagues at the Centre for Hip Health and Mobility are some of the healthiest people I know, and every day I learn more from them about how to embed healthy strategies into my workday. Here’s what I’ve picked up so far:

  • It’s not always possible, but when you can, why not take a walking meeting?
  • Take those stairs. Our beautiful building was designed to encourage movement and our stairs were designed to be our prime method of moving between the floors, with adjacent spaces to encourage informal meetings and discussions, plus amazing views of the city.
  • Did you know sitting is the new smoking? I’m lucky enough to have a standing desk. I find that doing fine mouse work is better for sitting and an email/tackling to-do list is better while standing.
  • If you can, get to work using active transport, such as walking or cycling. It’s definitely not as fun when the days are shorter and it seems like it’s always raining, but I prefer it to taking packed bus or paying for parking.
  • Like many of the people at our Centre, I wear an activity tracker. My goal is at least 10,000 steps a day. If you are motivated by metrics, I recommend getting one.

A huge factor that helps me feel connected to the healthy habits of my colleagues is our Healthy Workplace Initiative (HWIP) called Hip to be Fit. It’s a points-based program infused with a bit of healthy competition where you earn points for using active transport to get to work, eating vegetables, and participating in healthy challenges.  To me, it drives home the point that you don’t need to run marathons and wear high-tech spandex to be a healthy person. You can realize so many health benefits just by building a bit of activity into your day. ­­­­­­­

What strategies do you use in your personal life to help you thrive?

I find that I get bored easily with any particular activity so I try to mix it up, though I cycle year-round. In the winter I do hot yoga and get a season’s pass to a different mountain each year with friends. In the summer I try to find new and exciting places to hike and swim.

 

­Christina holds primary responsibility for the communications portfolio at the Centre for Hip Health and Mobility. CHHM is a Centre filled with passionate researchers, clinicians, trainees, and staff who collectively care about research excellence, community, and health promotion.

She is also the vice chair of the Environmental Youth Alliance’s Board of Directors.

 

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Thriving Campus: Featuring Cheyenne Parizeau

Thriving Campus: Featuring Cheyenne Parizeau

By Colin Hearne on December 4, 2014

This month features Cheyenne Parizeau, Business Operations Coordinator at UBC‘s Robson Square location.

Welcome to Thriving Campus – a new addition to our Healthy UBC Newsletter featuring, testimonials, contributions and personal experiences from UBC staff, faculty and students.

 What strategies do you use in your personal life to help you thrive?

There are some days when I look at the day’s schedule – kids, mine, work, hubby’s, volunteering – and wonder how it can all possibly get done.  We have a great number of activities that take us all over the city, all in the name of health and happiness.  It can be a balancing act, and important for me to recognize when it tips into “over-scheduling”.  There is no way that I can do it all – I’ve tried.  I have learned that it isn’t healthy to live under the stress of getting to soccer and Brownies at the same time, nor is it even necessary.

I am extremely fortunate to have a tremendous community of friends and family who I can call on for assistance.   Organization and reciprocal pickups/playdates have become a cornerstone of my life. In addition to attending to the details of our daily lives, it is even more important to find the time to simply ‘be present’ with my two growing daughters.  Already eight and eleven, my eldest reminded me yesterday that it will only be five years until she gets her driver’s license.  That is less than half the time I’ve known her, and far too soon in my mind!  A nightly check-in has been very valuable in our relationship, and something we have come to rely on.  Without outside distractions – iPhones, TVs, siblings… – that relatively small amount of time spent is precious to me.

Finally, ‘me’ time – ironically last on the list.   Whether spending time with my monthly moms’ group, who have been an invaluable source of support and inspiration, or a date night with my husband, it is a time to relax, laugh and revive.   Exercise, probably the easiest thing to excuse away, is so important in maintaining my serenity and sanity. As I write this, it seems to me that I thrive by celebrating all I have to be grateful for, living with intention, and my network of generous family and friends.

What strategies do you use in your work life to help you thrive?

UBC Robson Square is an extremely dynamic and diverse department and campus.  We balance any number of events and activities along with our partners’ classes and have fine-tuned it over the years to a well-run machine.  Because each day can present new projects, it can be challenging to complete that (sometimes rather long) to-do list I’ve put together.  In order to thrive at Robson, I have drawn upon flexibility and able to work effectively through constant change.  A learned ability to get back on task, go with the flow, ask for assistance, and maybe have a laugh along the way has helped me considerably. I am extremely fortunate to work with my colleagues at Robson.

We have a talented and amazing group of people here who are supportive and encourage self-improvement, whether through professional development, sage advice, or going on much-needed caffeine runs.  Understanding and embracing my purpose at Robson has also contributed to my confidence and efficiency.  Humour, flexibility and an ever-changing project list have been key to my ability to thrive within the UBC Robson Square environment.  Working with an incredible crew is icing on the cupcake!

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As Business Operations Coordinator, Cheyenne Parizeau is responsible for facility management, human resources as well as health and wellness initiatives at UBC Robson Square.  UBC Robson Square hosts over 40,000 participants annually who attend adult educational programs, meetings, conferences and public seminars.

 

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December’s Healthy Recipes

December’s Healthy Recipes

By Colin Hearne on December 4, 2014

Welcome to this month’s delicious recipes inspired by UBC Dietetics student Stephanie Dang.

For more of Stephanie’s tasty treats visit our brand new HealthyUBC Recipe Series web page – Bon Appétit!

To keep informed of all new recipes and additional health and wellbeing offerings sign up for the Healthy UBC Monthly Newsletter or become a UBC Health Contact.

Readers Success!!Reader Choc Cookies

How fantastic do these look? One of our Healthy UBC readers made Stephanie’s Best Ever Chocolate Cookies adding her own twist of pure dark chocolate chips instead of white chocolate (more health benefits to dark!) and an added cup chopped walnuts – Yum! If you have any pics to share send them to colin.hearne@ubc.ca.

 

Stephanie-Dang-Stephanie Dang is a fourth-year dietetics student at the University of British Columbia. When she is not busy studying, Stephanie volunteers at the eating disorder clinic at Children’s Hospital, works at a local bar, and plays soccer. Stephanie believes that living “healthy” means enjoying everything in moderation, and maintaining a balanced lifestyle. Staying physically active and satisfying your body’s nutritional needs shouldn’t be considered a burden, and if it is, seeing a dietitian is a great way to get advice on how to enjoy healthy living!

 

 

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Thriving Campus: Featuring Chantal Duke

Thriving Campus: Featuring Chantal Duke

By Colin Hearne on October 29, 2014

This month features Chantal Duke, Leadership Program Manager in Human Resources.

Welcome to Thriving Campus – a new addition to our Healthy UBC Newsletter featuring, testimonials, contributions and personal experiences from UBC staff, faculty and students.

What strategies do you use in your work life to help you thrive?

Disclaimer- I’m far from what most consider ‘thriving’. I’m currently and probably always will be a work in progress, as I navigate competing work priorities, professional development and personal needs.  What I know is that in order to even begin to thrive, I need to be patient and flexible with myself, set boundaries, create and reevaluate goals, and vocalize what I need to keep healthy to those around me.

Thriving actually wouldn’t be my word of choice, but I have learned that to be successful and enjoy each day, I need to keep my mind and body healthy.   I see many parallels between my work in Human Resources and how I try to thrive.  I manage a program called Managing@UBC that supports managers across campus to work on various leadership and management responsibilities.  The program honours that managers have a busy and stressful schedule, so we don’t force managers to sit in a room at learn about a topic that isn’t relevant or meaningful for them – we assign them a program advisor and allow them to articulate what they want to change/need support on and allow them tap into offerings that support their goals.  Offerings involve access to a just-in-time portal for support, and face-to-face events to address questions that come up in a management role.   Just like I do with Managing@UBC participants, in order to ‘thrive’, I need to ask myself “What am I seeking change in?  What do I need to holistically be successful? And what offerings can I tap into to support this?”  The key fact around the program as well as thriving is that you need to be your own advocate and find what is important and meaningful for you.

What has worked for me- Well, as much as I am involved in offering developmental opportunities,  I often need to remind myself how important it is to continue my own development, as well as check that I do not have unnecessary stress in my life.   How I create space for development is by carving out time in outlook (in advance) for two hours the day before I’m out of the office for an event, and two hours the morning I’m back – to give space for urgent items or last minute priorities.   In regards to managing stress, a big plus for me is to work alongside some amazing people who make my workspace a healthy, stress busting area.  Recently my colleague Arlene Decaire has been facilitating lunchtime yoga sessions in our office which I have welcomed as a distraction once a week; and the UBC Health Wellbeing and Benefits team who sit in close proximity host regular events such as the Pick your Peak Stair Challenge (our office walked nearly 70km of stairs in one month!).    Despite having heaps of work to tend to, once challenged, the competitive edge in me came out and I did the stairs at least once a day.

What strategies do you use in your personal life to help you thrive?

Outside of work I love being outdoors – I try to swim as much as possible, hike the local mountains, and play soccer and volleyball with friends regularly.  I also find that I am at my happiest when I am exploring new places globally, have had eight hours of sleep, and am spending time with my favourite people.

As Leadership Programs Manager, Chantal Duke is responsible for program management, marketing, planning, and development of the Managing@UBC Program offered through Organizational Development & Learning at UBC.  Managing@UBC is a self-directed program designed to support formal managers, recognizing the significant responsibility they hold for employee performance, engagement and achievement of unit goals.

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Thriving Campus: Featuring Nicole Yeasting

Thriving Campus: Featuring Nicole Yeasting

By Colin Hearne on October 1, 2014

This month features Co-op Coordinator Nicole Yeasting from the Business Career Centre in UBC’s Sauder School of Business. In 2014, Nicole and her colleagues developed a ‘Fitness Breaks’ program that runs every Tuesday at 2:45pm or Friday at 10:00am at the Hari B. Varshney Business Career Centre.

Welcome to Thriving Campus – a new addition to our Healthy UBC Newsletter featuring, testimonials, contributions and personal experiences from UBC staff, faculty and students.

What strategies do you use in your work life to help you thrive?

Being active and trying new activities is certainly part of my life and it encourages me to maintain a healthy work and life balance. I consider September and October as the start of the New Year and it’s a perfect time to create new routines or adjust older ones. As I work closely with students, sometimes it’s hard to take breaks or even take a lunch break. This fall, I’ve made a more conscious effort to pack a healthy lunch, take at least a 15-minute walk (encourage my colleagues to join me!) and drink water from a smaller cup to encourage myself to get up frequently. Our unit was also awarded funds during the summer to launch a healthy workplace initiative. By having such a positive effect on our colleagues, we now have bi-weekly fitness breaks in the fall where we hold 60-second planks, stretches and lunges around our cubicles.

What strategies do you use in your personal life to help you thrive ?

Outside of work I’m always one to try new things. I enjoy participating in activities where I’m surrounded by people. I’ve joined the Running Room for weekly runs, regularly take Bar Method classes; and have bought a Living Social deal at one of UBC’s staff and faculty corporate fitness discount partners Urban Fitness where I can try classes like Tabata, Zumba and Obstacle Boot camp (a class taught by a current BC Lion’s football player!). I also attempt to leave my car at home and walk or transit where I can on the weekends.  I’ve grown up playing sports and being active is a part of my lifestyle. Being active both at work and at home helps me keep my stress levels down, to be more productive at work and I think overall it attributes to my positive and happy demeanor.  I encourage you all to try a new activity and encourage your friends to join you.

Nicole Yeasting has worked in both the public sector and non-profit industries within Human Resources, Volunteer Engagement and Fundraising over the past six years. Nicole has a BA from UBC and is also a graduate of the Arts Co-op program.  She joined the Business Career Centre as a Co-op Coordinator in 2013 and is a strong advocate of the Co-operative Education program. She takes great joy in being able to coach students, watch them flourish into young professionals, and share their excitement as they land their first job.

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Thriving Campus: Featuring Fiona Walsh

Thriving Campus: Featuring Fiona Walsh

By Colin Hearne on September 9, 2014

This month features Fiona Walsh from UBC’s Sauder School of Business, who was a recipient of Healthy UBC’s Healthy Workplace Initiative Program (HWIP) funding in 2014. Welcome to Thriving Campus – a new addition to our Healthy UBC Newsletter featuring, testimonials, contributions and personal experiences from UBC staff, faculty and students.

Read a short interview with Fiona below on how the HWIP fund has helped her and her department thrive at UBC.

What strategies do you use in your own life to help you thrive? 

I’m a big believer in the power of exercise to help control stress.  It’s one of the most important things you can do for yourself, not only in terms of stress management, but also for long-term health.  I do struggle at times to fit in regular exercise, but I always recognize how much better I feel when I get myself moving.  I look for activities that I find fun.  I also make a habit of sitting still at least once a day for five minutes.  This gives me a chance to catch my mental ‘breath’ and drain some of the tension out of my neck and shoulders.   The newest ‘thrive’ habit I’ve given myself is not turning on email first thing in the morning.  I’m finding that taking 15-20 minutes first to plan and think about my day has really increased my focus.

What drew you to apply for UBC’s Healthy Workplace initiative Program?

We saw an opportunity to gain knowledge about stress management in the workplace by increasing overall morale, incorporating health and fitness, increasing team building opportunities, and fostering a culture that prioritizes health and exposes staff to different opportunities at UBC and in our local community. We are doing this initiative in conjunction with the Sauder Undergraduate and Graduate Programs Offices.

What are you doing with the HWIP funding?

The funding is allocated into two categories: Nutrition and Exercise. The bulk of our activities are throughout the summer months, but we are now working on a year-round initiative. The funding is being dispersed into a variety of events, such as ‘Lunch and Learn’ workshops, cooking classes, and a wellness library with a variety of magazines and books. We also introduced a tracking board as a way for staff to gain points by engaging in a variety of activities. The tracking board is positioned in each of our three offices and includes all the participants’ names.

What results are you seeing?

Unbelievable results!  Our stress management initiative has instilled a positive energy in our office.

There have been big increases in team building and a collaborative environment; we are getting to better know staff from the Undergraduate Office, the Graduate Programs Office and other units within the Faculty. There is also more interaction amongst staff and people are asking questions about health related topics and are sharing health related tips to modify their everyday lifestyle.   Stress levels are way down.

Without a doubt this program has had a major positive impact on the culture at the Business Career Centre– everyone is healthier and happier.  The results I’ve seen in the team far surpassed anything I expected.  I’d recommend this program to any unit – it’s a game-changer!

Fiona Walsh is the Assistant Dean and Director of the Hari B. Varshney Business Career Centre at UBC’s Sauder School of Business.  She leads a team of 24 people who provide career development and recruitment services for Sauder students and alumni. Prior to coming to UBC nearly three years ago, she worked in sales and business development in the corporate world. In June, 2014, Fiona and her team were the recipients of our Healthy Workplace Initiative Program (HWIP) Fund.

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September’s Healthy Recipes

September’s Healthy Recipes

By Colin Hearne on September 9, 2014

Welcome to the new Healthy UBC Recipe Series featuring the recipes of Stephanie Dang  from the School of Food Nutrition and Health.

These recipes are distributed one-per-week through our UBC Health Contacts and will available here as a group each month. Bon Appétit!

 

 Stephanie DangStephanie Dang is a fourth year dietetics student at the University of British Columbia. When she is not busy studying, Stephanie volunteers at the eating disorder clinic at Children’s Hospital, works at a local bar, and plays soccer. Stephanie believes that living “healthy” means enjoying everything in moderation, and maintaining a balanced lifestyle. Staying physically active and satisfying your body’s nutritional needs shouldn’t be considered a burden, and if it is, seeing a dietitian is a great way to get advice on how to enjoy healthy living!

 

 

 

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