Travelling is top of mind for me right now. On spring break, I spent two weeks chaperoning teenagers across Italy and Greece. And though the dust hasn’t even had time to settle on my suitcase, I’m already dreaming of my next adventure and my next destination. Unfortunately, a major barrier to my wanderlust is always the associated costs. Travelling is expensive and requires discipline both prior to and during a trip.
This month, I’m sharing some money-savvy hacks to support your frugal and fruitful travel.
Sign up for alerts on cheap flights or last-minute deals from sites like YVR Deals or Flytrippers.
Book hotel stays that include breakfast. Start your day with a big meal and pack extra snacks so you can save money on food throughout the day.
Pack your own food on travel days so you can avoid paying for pricey food on flights and trains or in airports. With healthy options on hand, you’ll be able to avoid the drive-through.
Many museums and galleries have free days or visiting times throughout the week. Some also offer discounts for students, children and families. Check their websites in advance.
Be sure to check your travel insurance coverage, or the coverage of a spouse or dependent. If you’re already covered through work or a credit card, you can avoid paying additional insurance costs. If you are enrolled in UBC’s extended health befits, be familiar with your coverage while travelling outside BC or Canada. Visit the UBC travel benefits site.
A vacation does not always need to involve travel. Take advantage of the amazing sights, eats and activities available locally. This will also allow you to save your dollars for a future trip. Read more about staycation ideas for Metro Vancouver on Daily Hive and Miss604.
Wherever your travels take you, I encourage you to prioritize taking time off. Breaks are important for building resilience and promoting mental and physical health. Allow yourself time to breathe, relax and be present without the threat of an incoming credit card bill looming in your head. Have any savvy travel hacks of your own? Share in the comments below!
All my best,
Miranda
Photo credit: Miranda Massie
The Healthy Workplace Initiatives Program (HWIP) provides start-up funds for health-related activities for UBC departments and units interested in promoting wellbeing in the workplace. Do you and your colleagues have a great idea for boosting the health and wellbeing of your team? Need a little financial assistance to supplement department resources? Consider applying today.
To date, the HWIP program has funded 327 grassroots initiatives, including stretching classes, health challenges, mental health training and creative activities.
In 2018, the program funded the following in Vancouver and the Okanagan:
Send your applications before the April 18, 2019 deadline.
Full details, including regulations, funding toolkits and application forms can be found on the HWIP page.
This month, we feature Dr. Sarah Parry, a sessional instructor in academic writing and American literature in the Department of English Language and Literatures. Learn how developing and 
teaching a wellness curriculum intended to help students inspired Sarah to make changes that support her own health, as well as the wellbeing of her colleagues.
Sessional faculty face many challenges. We often teach many courses and work close to year-round, and our workloads can negatively affect our physical health, mental health and relationships. As well, contract work can be stressful as the prospects of long-term employment are uncertain. The lack of tenure-track positions can also result in low morale.
With the help of the Student Health Promotion and Education unit, I developed a wellness curriculum for my first-year writing course. Though it was originally meant to help students, I have found that it helps me just as much! I use the text, Wellness Issues for Higher Education, which looks at stress, emotional health, exercise, diet, sleep and social and intellectual wellness, among other topics.
During the course, students develop and implement their own strategies for exercise, nutrition or time-management, and they write personal reflections about the changes they make to support their wellbeing. Some students use apps to monitor their social media use in order to create time for other activities. Others establish meal-sharing traditions or take yoga or other exercise classes.
I have learned how to sleep well as a consequence of teaching wellness and now swim three days a week. Taking the 30-Day Mindfulness Challenge was great, too. I am currently working to improve my social and relationship wellness by making sure I do something social once a week.
I find it helpful to leave one day a week free for rest, even it it means getting up early on other days. I think it is a good practice to work no more than 60 hours per week in peak periods. The single most important thing I have learned is to maintain a regular sleep/wake cycle.
As part of UBC’s Healthy Workplace Initiative Program, I established a faculty wellness room for the department, where faculty can retreat for short stretch, exercise or meditation breaks.
I also initiated ergonomics education to help faculty promote their own wellbeing while marking and lecturing. It’s important for them to know about best practices such using a slant board when marking to avoid excessive neck strain and using an anti-fatigue mat when lecturing. As well, I contacted the UBC Ergonomics Program about creating some classroom ergonomics resources to help faculty promote their own wellbeing while marking and lecturing.
I am also a member of the Teaching and Learning Wellbeing Community of Practice, which advocates for policies and practices that improve student and faculty wellbeing. We hold several events at CTLT (Centre for Teaching, Learning and Technology) every year. Faculty interested in joining us can contact Michael Lee, Gail Hammond or me at sarah.parry@ubc.ca.
Dr. Sarah Parry is a sessional instructor in academic writing and American literature in the Department of English Language and Literatures. She is chair of the Standing Sessional Committee and also serves on the Faculty of Arts Joint Occupational Health and Safety Committee and the Teaching and Wellbeing Community of Practice design team.
Photo courtesy of Sarah Parry
If your department is looking for more efficient response and support with regards to ergonomic issues for staff, consider taking the three-hour Ergo Rep Training. Learn about basic ergonomic risk factors and assessments, proper computer workstation set-up, and resources to take back to your unit. Find out more and register now.
Part 1: The Detox Equation | April 10 | 12:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m.
“Detoxes” can be nebulous and controversial. Find out more about toxins and cleanses and whether or not we really need them. You will also learn how to use this information to improve your own health, as well as three simple dietary and lifestyle changes to support your “detox” equation. Find out more and register now.
Part 2: The Superfood Showdown | April 25 | 12:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m.
In stories about superheroes, villains play a role too. Let’s define what makes a food “super” and uncover misconceptions around “villainous” foods. Learn how to evaluate a superfood and pick up three dietary suggestions to nourish yourself and improve your nutritional health. Find out more and register now.
Part 3: Diet, Hormones & Health | May 1 | 12:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m.
In this final session, let’s put superfoods and myths aside and explore the impact of diets on metabolism and health. We will cover the dos and don’ts of dietary changes and learn how diets impact hormones. You will leave with three tangible steps for balancing food choices, metabolism and overall health. Find out more and register now.
This free, innovative, evidence-based training is for all UBC staff and faculty looking to incorporate mindfulness into the workplace and in their everyday lives. Content is delivered online via any device, and focuses on simple yet powerful and achievable learning objectives. Just 10 minutes a day for 30 consecutive days, will help participants to be healthier, more productive and better able to problem-solve and work in a team.
Mindfulness has many positive effects for individuals and can also help your team by easing conflict and enhancing collaboration, performance, communication and creativity. It also allows teams to focus on tasks and priorities and fosters emotional intelligence. Learn more and register for the challenge now.
UBC faculty and instructors who interact regularly with students and peers may find this two-day training session helpful for building awareness and skills related to mental health challenges. Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) is a Canadian, evidence-based program that aims to improve mental health literacy and provide the skills and knowledge to help people better manage potential or developing mental health problems in themselves, a family member, a friend or a colleague. Find out more and register now.
Photo credit: UBC Communications & Marketing
UBC’s Workplace Health Promotions team has been very busy in 2019. Check out the photos and stories below for a look into our activities across UBC and beyond.
Throughout February and March, in partnership with UBC’s Pharmacists Clinic and pharmaceutical science students, we provided over 200 kidney health screenings to staff and faculty at the Vancouver campus and Diamond Health Care Centre.
Chronic kidney disease is irreversible. Our goal at this year’s Travelling Health Fair was to assess attendees’ risk factors and identify early symptoms of reduced kidney function. The assessments identified high blood pressure readings in 16% of attendees and some degree of reduced kidney function in 3% of participants. Attendees now understand why kidneys are important and how to minimize their risk of future kidney disease. Most importantly, they were referred to appropriate health professionals if they required additional support.
On March 7 and 8 we attended the annual Healthy Minds | Healthy Campuses 2019 Summit along with our UBC colleagues in Student Health Promotion & Education. The theme of this year’s summit was Building Connections at All Levels: A Socio-Ecological Approach to Wellbeing on Campus. At the event, students, staff, faculty and senior administrators from across BC came together to promote mental health and wellbeing on our campuses.
In collaboration with Student Health Promotion colleagues, Miranda Massie delivered a presentation focused on UBC’s strategic approach to mental health literacy. Melissa Lafrance and Miranda also hosted a booth at the summit, showcasing UBC’s unique and innovative strategies and programs for promoting workplace wellbeing. Their goal was to inspire other institutions to adopt or adapt these strategies for their own campuses.
As part of the UBC HR catalogue of health programming, the Workplace Health Promotions team hosted and delivered a number of workshops, including Welcoming Change in Your Life. Provided by UBC’s EFAP provider Morneau Shepell, the workshop focused on helping participants to develop strategies for managing change more effectively.
Reminder: UBC departments and units have access to a variety of free personal and professional development workshops through Morneau Shepell. Please contact Melissa Lafrance for more information.
We participated in the annual UBC Walkabout with members of our HR team. If you’re looking for opportunities to be active with your colleagues on campus, sign up for Sports Day or check out our next issues of the Healthy UBC newsletter for information about the upcoming Pick Your Peak Stair Challenge.
Photo credits: Miranda Massie and Melissa Lafrance
Financial concerns can be overwhelming and can leave you feeling worried and powerless. That’s why taking control of your finances is crucial to enhancing and maintaining your financial and overall wellbeing. With the right advice and support, you can learn to be financially responsible, which will help you live well.
Monica is fairly new to the workforce and, like many recent university and college graduates, she has accumulated some debt. She isn’t sure how to manage her income and expenses while paying down her debt, which worries and frustrates her. She wonders if living debt-free is even possible. Monica hopes to learn about finance and debt management so she can pay off her student loan and achieve financial security and wellbeing.
How EFAP can offer financial advice and education:
Morneau Shepell, UBC’s Employee & Family Assistance Program (EFAP) provider, offers professional financial advice through free confidential consultations over the phone. EFAP financial advisors can answer Monica’s questions and recommend a course of action to help her meet her goals. If Monica needs more specific, personal and/or longer-term financial advice, they can refer her to a financial advisor outside of the EFAP.
Monica can also learn from EFAP’s Online Financial Planning Service, an interactive and personalized financial education and planning program. The three-month program includes an assessment of her current financial situation and a tailored action plan complete with worksheets, calculators and task lists.
When she calls the Care Access Centre at 1-800-387-4765, Monica can book the type of consultation she needs.
Morneau Shepell’s online resource hub offers articles on financial security; topics include debt management, budgeting, investing and retirement planning. (Note: Please enter “University of British Columbia” as your organization to access these articles.)
How to access health coverage through Extended Health benefits:
As a UBC employee, Monica can support her financial and overall health and wellbeing through the UBC Extended Health plan. She can be reimbursed for the cost of many healthcare services, including prescription drugs, paramedical practitioners’ services and vision care. Learn about the many benefits available to UBC’s faculty and staff.
The nature of working and learning on university campuses often promotes sedentary behaviour, from sitting in classes, meetings and offices to working on computers with few breaks for physical activity. In addition to the effect on physical wellbeing, high levels of sedentary behaviour and low levels of movement also impact mental wellbeing and academic and professional success.[1]
Emerging research suggests that prolonged sitting can lead to physical states of “exercise resistance” where the body stops producing the typical metabolic benefits that accompany physical activity.
This month, we’re sharing ways to fit more movement and activity into sedentary periods of your day.
Infuse some movement and fun into your work day by participating in this university-wide event. There are numerous activities to enhance your mental and physical wellbeing and to suit any ability. Gather your colleagues and make it an exciting, active, team-building afternoon. Register now.
To break up long periods of sitting, try doing one or more of these suggested exercises (Washington Post).
Grab a colleague and explore the campus with one of five UBC Vancouver walking maps or one of UBC Okanagan’s trail routes.
Learn how to move and protect your body by incorporating posture exercises and stretching into your daily routine.
For more ideas and inspiration, check out Move UBC’s Make Your Move page.
Let us know your favourite tricks for breaking up sitting time throughout the day!
[1] https://move.ubc.ca/the-sitting-epidemic/
Photo credit: UBC Recreation
Nourishment goes beyond nutrition, beyond food labels, calories and superfoods. Nourishment is a mental, physical and even spiritual state where we feel fulfilled, satiated and whole. Our modern lives often have us running to and from commitments, engaging with fast-paced technology and navigating personal and professional demands. This leaves little time to think of food as anything but the fuel to help get us there. In the spirit of Nutrition Month, I’m providing a little ‘food for thought’ (pun-intended), some simple steps to support feeling nourished.
At the start of a meal, take a quick moment to consider where your food came from. Picture who had to work in order for the food to land on your plate. In that moment, pause and say thank you.
Why: Gratitude supports mental health and wellbeing, and slowing down supports healthy digestion.
Read more about mindful eating.
The body needs food to function, but it needs hydration to survive. To ensure that you are hydrated throughout the day, try water tracking and reminder apps, incorporating beverages into your daily routine (before breakfast, before bed, with all meals), and using a favourite water bottle.
Why: 60% of our bodies are made up of water, which needs to be replenished in order to support many important health functions.
Download the Metro Vancouver TapMap to find free refill stations, or discover why UBC drinks tap water.
Set up a sleep routine and do your best to keep it consistent. Try setting a reminder to go to bed at the same time each day, invest in comfortable sheets, limit caffeine consumption and avoid technology before bed.
Why: Sleep and nutrition go hand in hand. Our diet can positively or negatively impact our quality of sleep, and our sleep patterns can result in irregular or overindulgent eating habits.
Read more about the connection between food and sleep.
For me, comfort food includes cheesy pasta, salt and vinegar potato chips and wine. We all deserve to indulge once in a while: it’s important. However, we should also be aware that we define these foods as ‘comfort’. We often use these foods as a way to avoid dealing with challenging people, situations or emotions. By identifying the foods that you crave the most, it brings awareness to the emotions driving the eating.
Why: Being more mindful of why and when we reach for certain foods can interrupt habits and enable portion control and increased self-awareness.
Learn how to make your favourite comfort foods healthier.
Pay attention to subtle signs your body might be telling you about your diet. Consider writing them down or tracking them over time. Have a headache? Your body might need more water or perhaps you’ve been drinking sugary beverages. Experiencing a gastro-intestinal issue? This could indicate an allergy or a need for more fibre-rich foods. Skin inflammation? This might indicate a food intolerance.
Why: Getting to know your body’s rhythms can help catch an issue, challenge or allergy early, leading to increased physical comfort and piece of mind.
Read about common signals your body might be sending you.
This month, I encourage you to look beyond nutrition and reflect on what helps you feel nourished. This may mean eating meals with friends, establishing a new bedtime routine or even indulging in your favourite comfort foods (just to make sure they’re still as delicious as you remember).
You can also read more about strategies to help you feel nourished.
All my best,
Miranda
UBC’s favourite workplace funding program is back! Applications are now being accepted for the Healthy Workplace Initiatives Program (HWIP).
The HWIP provides start-up funds for health-related activities for UBC departments and units interested in promoting wellbeing in the workplace. To date the program has funded 327 grassroots initiatives, including stretching classes, health challenges, mental health training and creative activities.
In 2018, the HWIP funded the following in Vancouver and the Okanagan:
Do you and your colleagues have a great idea for boosting the health and wellbeing of your team? Need a little financial assistance to supplement department resources? Consider applying today. Deadline for applications is April 18, 2019.
Full details, including regulations, funding toolkits and application forms can be found on the HWIP page.
Photo credit: Liu Institute
Ready to celebrate the end of the school term? Be sure to sign up early when Sports Day returns for its ninth year! UBC’s annual Staff & Faculty Sports Day will take place on Friday, May 3, 2:30 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. An “Apres” Sports Day social and beer garden follows from 3:00 – 5:30 p.m.
Open to UBC faculty, staff and grad students, this free event is an exciting team-building afternoon that encourages inclusivity, accessibility, mental and physical wellbeing, and fun! Participate in what your time allows.
The event sells out every year so mark your calendars for March 18 and be sure to sign up!
Full details available on the Staff & Faculty Sports Day page.
Click here to view last year’s photo gallery.
Looking for UBC Okanagan information?
You’re in luck! Staff & Faculty Sports Day is also happening on May 3. Visit the UBCO Sports Day website for more details in the coming weeks.
Photo credit: UBC Recreation
The Travelling Health Fair is visiting the Diamond Health Care Centre and there are a few appointments left! The fair is open to all UBC staff and faculty. This year, we are focusing on kidney health, so sign up to get assessed and learn how to maintain your kidney health.
Visit the Travelling Health Fair page to reserve your appointment and find out more information.
Optimize your computer work environment to improve comfort and reduce the risk of injury. This one-hour tutorial combines a presentation with a practical session, giving you hands-on experience adjusting typical office equipment. By the end of the tutorial, you will know how to set up your chair, keyboard/mouse, and monitor to promote neutral working postures. Find out more and register now.
This workshop will provide important information about different types of sit-stand desks and platforms available for the workplace. Understanding the pros and cons of each will assist departments, staff and faculty in deciding which option may be most suitable. Product samples will be available for participants to try in order to understand how the different models impact physical positioning and workflow. Find out more and register now.
Focusing on the negative side of challenges or issues can greatly affect overall wellbeing and affect performance. Join us for a session that will help you understand this seemingly automatic negative thinking and learn how to tackle negative thoughts effectively and increase your positive outlook. Find out more and register now.
In today’s environment of competing demands, relentless commitments and feelings of being short on time, balance doesn’t often come easily or naturally. Join us for a session to help you explore how your current choices impact work-life satisfaction and develop strategies to achieve a greater balance in life by identifying your priorities and the things you may not be able to control. Find out more and register now.
Change is a natural part of life. You may be aware that a change is imminent, but are uncertain about what it will involve and how it will affect your life. Join us for a session that will address the emotional reactions involved with change and help you learn the coping skills to manage change more effectively. You will understand the different types of change, develop management strategies and learn to view change in a more positive manner. Find out more and register now.
This free, innovative, evidence-based training is for all UBC staff and faculty looking to incorporate mindfulness into the workplace and in their everyday lives. Content is delivered online via any device, and focuses on simple yet powerful and achievable learning objectives. After just 10 minutes a day for 30 consecutive days, participants will be healthier, more productive and better able to problem-solve and work in a team. Learn more and register for the challenge now.
If your department is looking for more efficient response and support with regards to ergonomic issues for staff, consider taking the three-hour Ergo Rep Training. Learn about basic ergonomic risk factors and assessments, proper computer workstation set-up, and resources to take back to your unit. Find out more and register now.
Ongoing: Register now for UBC Camps (discounts for UBC staff and faculty)
March 7-9: Turn it Up and Disrupt
Photo Credits: UBC Communications and Marketing, UBC Camps