Most of us know that practicing self-care can reduce our stress, but finding the time to actually practice self-care can be hard, especially when trying to balance family, work and COVID-19 related stress. An article in Psychology Today helps remind us of the value of self-care during this time. Dr. Shainna Ali, LMHC says that often, self-care is easier said than done.

“Self-care can be tricky, particularly when facing a pandemic. However, this global crisis makes self-care crucial. While it may be tempting to neglect self-care during this time, over time you can experience decreases in sleep, relationship satisfaction, self-esteem, empathy, and compassion.”

Ongoing exposure to stress without proper coping puts you at risk for depression and heart disease, and other serious consequences. Instead of neglecting self-care during this time, Ali recommends shifting our focus to finding ways of adapting self-care to fit our new way of life.  View the full article here.

Self-Care Routine Resources

ESD 112’s insurance brokerage company, HUB International, recommends the following companies who have agreed to offer their resources to us at no-cost, for a limited period of time.

Wellbeats – On demand fitness, nutrition and mindfulness classes

Choose a variety of Videos for all different work out styles, including this fun one for kids.

Wellbeats includes a full library of more than 500 on-demand classes free of charge through April 30, 2020. This program includes fitness options for the whole family.

  • 500+ high quality, 1-60 minute videos
  • 30 channels, no equipment options, for every age, interest and ability
  • Recommendation engine used to personalize and serve up content
  • Highly certified, reliable instructors
  • Safe and education based

Got kids? Choose from a plethora of options to keep them engaged and moving!

How to get it:

  1. Download the Wellbeats App or visit the Wellbeats Portal Website.
  2. Select “Register Via Code” and enter invitation code: 57a4df63
  3. Create your profile, log in and choose your videos.

Calm – On demand meditation to support emotional wellbeing

Choose meditations on a variety of topics.

 

These challenging times remind us that it’s never enough to just look after ourselves. We must look after each other too. This is what it means to be Calm Together.

In that spirit, HUB handpicked some of their favorite meditations, sleep stories, movement exercises, journals, and music. Visit their Calm Together blog to access the hand-picked content free of charge.