With World Mental Health Day fast approaching, we want to highlight Staff Wellbeing Kick-start week as a time to remind ourselves about our wellbeing.
We want to emphasise the importance of wellbeing in the workplace and encourage everyone to consider their own wellbeing and the things they need to help themselves thrive. Diverse activities contribute to our wellbeing, therefore we are making a range of events available to support you and kick-start your ongoing wellbeing action plan.
Put time aside for Wellbeing Week and get involved in a these FREE events that are being held in various locations:
Apps for Wellbeing workshops
We all lead busy lives and often don’t have enough time to look after our mental health and wellbeing. However, it is important to stop and take care of ourselves and there are many ways in which we can improve our wellbeing. In this digital era, where we have easy access to smartphones and the Internet, why not use mobile apps to keep our Wellbeing in check?
During our Apps for Wellbeing Workshop you will learn about various types of Apps which can help with different aspects of your life. You will be able to try out some of the Apps on our tablets and download those that particularly interest you to your personal devices.
Please join us for a 1.5-hour session to explore how Apps for Wellbeing can be a convenient way to help you relax, unwind, be healthier and introduce good habits.
Check your health with a free drop in assessment
(no booking required)
Take a moment to think about your wellbeing and visit the foyer of the Claverton Rooms to receive a free assessment including:
- Blood Pressure Assessments
- Height, Weight and Body Mass Index (BMI) assessments
- Body Fat Analysis
- Exercise and Nutrition Advice
Available for staff during wellbeing week:
- Monday 14th 10:00 – 11:00 and 12:30 – 14:00
- Wednesday 16th 10:00 – 11:00 and 12:30 – 14:00
- Thursday the 17th 10:00 – 11:00 and 12:30 – 14:00
- Friday the 18th 10:00 – 11:00 and 12:30 – 14:00
Mindfulness and Relaxation
There are a number of sessions you can book into that will provide you an opportunity to experience the practice of Mindfulness and Relaxation. These relaxed sessions will offer you the opportunity to find out what mindfulness is (and isn’t), as well as the ‘whys’ and the ‘hows’ of practising these techniques. In addition to learning about the evidence demonstrating why these work, participants get to 'give it a go' and experience mindfulness practices for themselves. The take home practices provided can easily be adapted and applied in everyday working and personal life.
- Monday 14th, sessions running on campus at The Edge, book here.
- Monday 14th, 1 hour (14:30 – 15:30) session at the Virgil Building. Book a place by emailing the team with Virgil Mindfulness as the subject: uhse@bath.ac.uk
- Wednesday 16th, 30 minute (13:15 – 13:45) lunchtime Meditation session in 2 South. Book a place by emailing the team with Wednesday 2 South Meditation as the subject: uhse@bath.ac.uk
- Wednesday 16th, 1 hour (12:30 – 13:30) lunchtime Mindfulness session in 1 West. Book a place by emailing the team with Wednesday 1 West Mindfulness as the subject: uhse@bath.ac.uk
- Friday 18th, 1 hour (13:15 – 14:15) Guided Meditation session in 2 South. Book a place by emailing the team with Friday 2 South Meditation as the subject: uhse@bath.ac.uk
Art and Science of Breathing
Breathing techniques to manage stress and anxiety
Breathing, we all do it, but how conscious are we of how we breathe and the effects it has on us?
Because your breath directly controls your nervous system, it is the remote control to instantly calm your brain and body. Come along and spend some time learning about what happens in the body when you breathe and practice some techniques that can be used to calm the brain and body.
Six Domains of Resilience and Wellbeing workshop
Research indicates that looking after our wellbeing and boosting our resilience involves adopting various approaches that can enable us to thrive and flourish in challenging times and recover from setbacks effectively.
The evidence is also clear that our natural resilience is a combination of personal characteristics and learned skills, and most importantly it is recognised that the quality can always be developed whatever our starting point.
Engage in this workshop to explore six area that can support you in the rapidly changing world we now live in and enable you to become more adept at being able to manage the demands placed us.
Coaching to manage your Workplace Wellbeing Wheel
The Workplace Wellbeing Wheel is a handy tool that you can use in your everyday work life, as it outlines the areas that are associated with health and wellbeing at work.
Completing the wheel gives you the opportunity to reflect on various aspects of work and evaluate what is working well or maybe not so well. You then have the opportunity to consider what can be done to make a difference.
Book a coaching session to identify reasonable and practical actions to manage your wheel by emailing the team with coaching as the subject: uhse@bath.ac.uk
Mental Health and Wellbeing workshops for managers and staff
Additional dates have now been organised for the Mental Health and Wellbeing Workshops.
- Managing Mental Wellbeing at Work - for managers and those with people responsibilities
- Managing My Mental Wellbeing - for looking after yourself
Find out more and book your place here.
Walking Groups
(No booking required)
Consider your clothing/footwear, for example appropriate shoes for potentially soft/muddy ground.
- Monday 14th October: 12-12.45pm, a 45 minute walk. Meet by the planters in front of the Library.
- Wednesday 16th October: Nature Walk, 12.15-1.00pm. Meet outside the Library.
- Thursday 17th October: 12:30 – 13:00, a 30 minute walk. Meet by the planters in front of the Library.
Online learning
The Development Toolkit
This is an online tool, so available anytime and anywhere, with over 2,000 resources such as top tips, key guides and self-assessments on a range of topics including wellbeing.
Book some time out in your diary to have a look around and explore this valuable resource.
Here are a few of the advantages of online learning.
- More flexibility in your time management, you to fit them into your schedule and decide when you want to engage
- More comfortable, you can stay in your pyjamas in an environment that is familiar to you, this can make it easier to work. There may also be less pressure when you are not surrounded by other people.
- Adaptable to your needs, you can work at your own pace. If you are faster than others, there is no need to wait for them. The opposite is also true: If you are slower, you can take your time without embarrassing anyone.
Learning new skills can be useful, with evidence showing that continuing to learn throughout life can improve and maintain our mental wellbeing. It is associated with greater satisfaction and optimism, can boost self-confidence and self-esteem and improved ability to get the most from life.
Book a slot in your calendar to take a look at what is available to support you, for example:
- Management 101: Wellbeing (e-learning)
- Wellbeing (topic resources)
- Work-Life Balance (topic resources)
- Stress Management (topic resources)
- Confidence (topic resources)
- Resilience (topic resources)
Yoga
Take control of how you start your day with an energising yoga class on either Monday 14th or Thursday 17th October. The 45 minute session is both suitable for seasoned yogis as well as total beginners. Find your balance and leave feeling refreshed for the day ahead.
Wear loose comfortable clothes. Yoga is done with bare feet.
Limited mats will be available on the day, so bring your own if you have one. Also, bring a blanket and something warm to wear for the relaxation at the end.
Book a place by emailing the team with yoga as the subject: uhse@bath.ac.uk
Menopause Café
(No booking required)
Date and time: Monday 14th October at 11am. All genders and all ages are welcome.
Venue: Claverton Rooms (soft seated area towards the back of the room, near the door to 4W).
Join an informal, social get-together to talk about menopause. If you're experiencing menopause symptoms yourself or it is affecting some close to you, come and meet others to chat about what this is all about.
Attitudes to the menopause can range from empathetic and understanding to insensitive and jokey, to a complete lack of sympathy for people who are experiencing this normal life event. Talking about menopause and raising awareness supports both our people and our commitments.
For more information contact Marcia Martin on adsmam@bath.ac.uk
Parents' Network meeting
(No booking required)
The Parents’ Network has been set up as an informal, inclusive and welcoming support group for all staff who are parents. The Network will meet monthly, in a social space, and aims to connect people with others who are experiencing or have experienced the same changes or challenges due to parenthood. The next meet up will be Thursday 17 October from 10-11am in Polden Café.
Volleyball
Whatever your background, experience or level of skills, join this very friendly volleyball club for both beginners and more experienced players. We play for fun and for social time and have two sessions in w/c 14th October:
- 4-5pm, Monday 14th October, STV
- 11am-12pm, Wednesday 16th October, STV
Everybody is welcome to attend one of the above sessions as a free taster.
To book, please contact Shan at sc236@bath.ac.uk
Board Game Club
Come along and enjoy classic, modern and the latest games played on boards (with cards) once a month. A great way to meet people and learn strategy, cooperation and negotiation skills.
Join the next session on Tuesday 15th October at 12.00pm in Chancellors Building
7 ways board games can have a very positive impact on your wellbeing.
Board games:
can improve your memory and help you with creativity because you are required to pay attention to what’s going on during the game and keep track of everything.
can help with anxiety and depression because you can focus on achieving small, manageable goals and talk to others who share the same interest.
help keep your brain younger for longer as an active brain is at lower risk of cognitive decline.
help reduce isolation as they are designed to be played with a group of people they help stave off loneliness, and builds positive relationships with others.
reduce stress, support mental balance and help with relaxation, through escapism, a chance to take leave your daily worries behind for a while and do something completely different.
are a great way to connect with others, to take you away from the normal troubles of life for a while.
Help you stay healthy by reducing your blood pressure, speeding up your responses and boosting your immune system by keeping you positive.
Please get in touch with Holly Dean - Young at h.m.e.dean-young@bath.ac.uk if you are interested in attending or want more information.
Free bicycle winter checks
“Life is like riding a bicycle. To keep your balance you must keep moving” Albert Einstein.
The wellbeing benefits of cycling are well known and the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) recommends active travel to boost mental wellbeing.
You can get your bike ready for winter with a free check up by Dr Bike on Wednesday 16 October from 12-4pm.
Dr Bike will be on campus to check over bicycles and make simple repairs to ensure they are in good working order, including things like fixing punctures, adjusting gears and making sure the brakes work well.