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Wellbeing

September 2018

Culture of Health

WELCOME BACK!

While summer is the perfect time to get away and spend time with friends and family, all that “fun” can make it challenging to stay on track with your wellbeing goals. Not only does the start of the academic school year allow you to get back into a structured routine, it’s also a great time to start or resume healthy habits. Here at Harvard, we’re excited about several new offerings that are designed to enhance your overall wellbeing—and even help those around you.

We recently launched Improving Your Business Through a Culture of Health, a massive open online course (MOOC) offered through edX. Funded by a grant from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, this course explores Culture of Health—a movement that maximizes the good health and wellbeing of employees, consumers, communities, and the environment—ultimately contributing to a healthier population and economy.

Over the span of nine course sessions, faculty from the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Harvard Medical School, Harvard Law School, and Harvard Business School present strategies, tactics, and tools for creating a healthy, safe, and productive workplace. The best part? The convenient online format allows you to take the course anytime, from anywhere, and at your own pace. Sign up online!

Practice Mindfulness

PRACTICE MINDFULNESS IN MANY WAYS

Mindfulness can take many forms—and offer just as many benefits. The Office of Work/Life’s Mindfulness at work programming offers all benefits-eligible staff and faculty a variety of free options—ranging from one-hour classes to eight-week courses—aimed at helping you reduce anxiety and stress, build resilience, foster compassion, and, ultimately, be present in the moment.

From family relationships to workplace responsibilities, everyone faces pressure in life—but mindfulness can help. To learn more about the fast-growing field of technology-assisted meditation, consider attending the Symposium on Technology-Assisted Meditation on September 29. Co-sponsored by the Cambridge Health Alliance Center for Mindfulness and Compassion, Dharmakaya Center for Wellbeing, and Harvard Center for Wellness and Health Promotion, this event offers Harvard employees a 50 percent discount with the code “HarvardStaff.”

Uh-oh! Ever had the sinking feeling that you may have been hacked after you clicked on a link in an email Practicing mindfulness can help protect you—and Harvard—from email phishing scams. To learn how to stay focused and understand the state of mind hackers exploit, the Office of Work/Life, in collaboration with Information Security, has developed a 90-minute mindfulness session, Click Wisely: A Mindful Approach to Cyber Security, (HarvardKey required) which addresses email clicking habits.

Mind & Body

Take some time for you! Practice self-care by taking advantage of these Harvard resources aimed at improving your physical and mental wellbeing.

  • Ready to roll? Blue Bikes (formerly Hubway) is in the process of adding 100 stations and 1,200 new bikes. As a Harvard community member, you’re eligible for a discounted $70 annual membership, which offers unlimited 45-minute rides. Learn more here.
  • Have a green thumb? Get your hands dirty or relax among the flowers on our Longwood Campus at the Countway Community Garden Harvest Celebration and Wellness Fair on September 20, 4–7 p.m.
  • Losing someone who is close to you can be devastating. To help you cope, Harvard Medical School experts created Grief and Loss—a special health report filled with strategies for processing your grief and helping healing take place.

Learning & Growing

School’s back in session, making it the perfect time to discover exciting learning opportunities.

  • Calling all Harvard managers! Set yourself up for success and learn to create a safe, productive, and inclusive work environment in Universal Manager Training (UMT) (HarvardKey required).
  • Let’s connect! Follow Center for Workforce Development (CWD) on LinkedIn and Twitter to stay up-to-date with the latest news in workplace trends and upcoming CWD classes and programs.
  • Classes at CWD helped Nada El-Newahy thrive in her role at Harvard. Find out how by reading Nada’s tips.

Living & Working

These resources from the Office of Work/Life are designed to help you manage your responsibilities at home.

  • Download the HARVie Conversations Web App (using these simple instructions) to converse with your colleagues about child care, mindfulness, and more.
  • Juggling eldercare responsibilities? Then register for our interactive webinar on Proactive Elder and Adult Care Planning, September 13 at 2 p.m., led by Katherine Orcutt, Senior EAP Counselor from KGA, and Attorney David J. Smith.
  • Whether you’re caring for your children or your parents, there will come a time when you may need an extra hand. Care @ Work offers a range of dependent care services through Care.com. Be prepared—register here before you need it.

Finances & Security

Whether you’re looking for your first apartment or thinking about retirement, the following resources can help simplify the process.

  • From saving for college to investing wisely, you can explore a variety of helpful online and in-person financial programs in our bimonthly Financial Education Calendar. Also, take our five-question survey to be sure we’re providing the financial programs that interest you.
  • Tracking prior employer retirement accounts can be challenging—but it doesn’t have to be. Call the Harvard University Retirement Center (1-800-527-1398) to roll eligible pre-tax accounts into your Harvard University TDA.
  • Looking for a roommate? Planning your next vacation? Whatever your needs, HARVie’s Classifieds – housing listings (HarvardKey required), our community-member-only housing bulletin board, can help.