EMPLOYEE HEALTH & WELLNESS RESOURCES

Scroll down to find information on:

•  Managing anxiety and stress

• Telemedicine

• Counseling support and resources through the Employee Assistance Program (EAP)

• FREE membership to Headspace App

• FREE membership to Sharecare

MANAGING ANXIETY & STRESS  

Stress and anxiety are common experiences for many people. People deal with stress every day. Work, family issues, health concerns, and financial obligations are parts of everyday life that commonly contribute to heightened stress levels. There are practical steps you can take to manage stress and improve your well-being:

• Take Care of Your Body – Try to Eat Healthy Well-balanced Meals, Exercise Regularly, and Get Plenty of Sleep. Avoid Alcohol, Tobacco, and Other Drugs. Learn More About Wellness Strategies  for Mental Health.

• Get enough sleep - When stressed, your body needs additional sleep and rest. 

• Take deep breaths - Inhale and exhale slowly. 

• Welcome humor - A good laugh will go a long way.

• Count to 10 slowly - repeat as needed. 

• Move your body - exercise, ride a bike, walk, do yoga, swim, hike or dance like no one is watching. 

• Use your senses - Close your eyes and listen, feel what's under you, smell the air. 

• Connect with others – Share your concerns and how you are feeling with a friend or family member. Maintain healthy relationships, and build a strong support system.  Be flexible and creative in accessing support via phone, email, text messaging, and video calls. 

• Take breaks – Make time to unwind and remind yourself that strong feelings will fade. Try taking in deep breaths. Try to do activities you usually enjoy. Headspace has partnered with New York State to create a collection of meditation, sleep, and movement exercises to support you through stressful and challenging times.  These resources are free to access at headspace.com/ny.  

• Stay informed – When you feel that you are missing information, you may become more stressed or nervous. Watch, listen to, or read the news for updates from officials. Be aware that there may be rumors during a crisis, especially on social media. Always check your sources and turn to reliable sources of information like your local government authorities.  

• Avoid too much exposure to the news – Take breaks from watching, reading, or listening to news stories. It can be upsetting to hear about the crisis and see images repeatedly. Try to do enjoyable activities and return to normal life as much as possible and check for updates between breaks. 

• Seek Help When Needed – If distress impacts activities of your daily life for several days or weeks, talk to a clergy member, counselor, doctor, or contact the District’s Employee Assistance Provider, ComPsych for free and confidential support.  SCROLL DOWN TO THE EMPLOYEE ASSISTANCE PROGRAM FOR MORE DETAILS.

 Take a second to breathe

TELEMEDICINE

EMPLOYEE ASSISTANCE PROGRAM

Learn how to care for yourself and your students through mindfulness tips, techniques, and resources available for free from Headspace.  Using mindfulness every day, you will stress less, sleep soundly, and be more resilient.  Your Headspace membership will help you learn the life-changing skills of meditation and mindfulness, to use whenever you need them most.

•  Hundreds of guided meditations on everything from stress and focus to the workplace

• Sleepcasts, sleep sounds, and sleep music to help create the conditions for a better night's rest

• Inspiring videos, quick workouts, group meditation, and much more.