Albuquerque Public Schools: March 2022 Employee Wellness Newsletter

Press release from Albuquerque Public Schools:

February 28, 2022

Wellness Wire - March On

Ahhh-March!  Our expectation is warmer weather and calmer winds ahead. Literally and metaphorically, we are so ready for it. Yet, March is very much an unpredictable month for us in New Mexico.  In one day we can easily experience at least 3 seasons of the year!   

I view March as a transitional month and it got me thinking about how similar that is to our situational well-being. Our lives are as equally unpredictable as the weather.

We expect it in nature but rarely give ourselves the same grace.  On any given day, we’re going to have unexpected storms we have to weather. Despite it all, with the right mindset and intention, we can still march on to better health and wellness. 

It may be hard to see – hidden under cold layers of fatigue, stress, and anxiety – but good things are still happening. Mother nature gives us March and the earth somehow knows it will bloom despite it all.  In the same way, the uncertainty of chaotic life events swirling around on the outside can feel like continual setbacks. Like we just can seem to gain any soft ground to break through it all.  However, the good things we continue to nurture will contribute to our mental, emotional, and physical growth, and renewal. 

This week my encouragement to you is to use March as an opportunity to transition your mindset and behavior around wellness.  To stick with it. It’s not an overnight accomplishment. It’s a daily, weekly intention of growth and pruning to lessen stress, enhance well-being and simply feel better every day. 

To help you with this metamorphosis check out these APS Employee Wellness programs! 

APS Employee Wellness offers many free programs to help all employees (regardless of benefits coverage or full/part-time status) lower their risk for disease, attain lifestyle and weight loss goals as well as manage stress and mental health issues.  

• Join the Desk to 5k Run/Walk  External link Training Program! This is a 6-week training program for all levels. The training officially starts the first week of March but employees can register anytime. This year advanced 5k-ers have the option to participate in a 10k. The program culminates in the Albuquerque Half-marathon, 10k, 5k & kids k event by RunFit. APS employees receive discounted entries to the event. Check the Employee Wellness Google event calendar External link  for discount codes and more. 
• Health Coaching: Open to all APS employees. If you would like help with managing a chronic illness, weight loss to improve your health, or to simply feel better, APS offers free Health Coaching  External link to all APS employees.
• Livongo: Get your life back and manage diabetes, high blood pressure, and obesity with this personalized program- Livongo External link . The name is short for Live On The Go! Because having a chronic illness can hinder our positive life experiences. We want you to get that back and feel better! Participants receive one on one expert coaching, integrated tools to manage blood sugar, blood pressure, and weight loss. *This program is free for eligible employees.
• Saturday, March 5, 10:00 am- Life on Mindfulness workshop: Mindfulness & Eco-Anxiety.  Check out your new Life on Mindfulness External link  portal with password APSLOM. This program is a free, flexible program for all employees that offers weekly drop-in meditations, new monthly content, and Saturday workshops. Links for weekly drop-ins and the Saturday sessions are in the APS Employee Wellness Calendar External link . Enroll in the Life on Mindfulness Program External link  for all content and email reminders. 
• Do you feel like you need to lose weight, manage your nutrition and get more movement but you just don't know how to start? The Pre-Diabetes Prevention Program may be for you! Join this national pilot program External link  from the CDC and through NMSU. Options for online/virtual and continuous, personal coaching for one full year. 
• 2022 Employee Wellness Incentive Program  - This is a voluntary wellness reward program for all full-time APS employees. The new year and program have begun for 2022. You have until January 14 to submit points for 2022. Get those points in and redeem for any number of rewards like New Mexico Sports & Wellness memberships, LesMills OnDemand, Stone Age gym passes, Wecks, Flying Star, or Sports Systems gift cards. If you haven't participated, take time to read more about it, log in to your Wellness@Work well-being dashboard, and get started this year. 

• Effective January 1, 2022, there are new APS mental health benefits with no cost/co-pays for covered employees and dependents. 
• All APS insurance benefits plans offer virtual and digital mental health services. 
• Mental Health Corner External link opens a new window.  -  We are all facing continual stress and uncertainty in our home and work lives. Burnout is the result of this ongoing, chronic stress. But we can ease this burden with wellness practices and outside support. Click on the Mental Health Corner  External link for a list of different community and APS resources for mental and behavioral well-being as well as direct resources you have under your APS health insurance plan. 

• Nourish Your Green Zone: What is your green zone and how can you grow it? Our capacity to manage stress and burnout in a more healthful way can improve when we Nourish our Green Zone! External link  Sign up for this ongoing, self-paced virtual program. 

• My Stress Tools: For interactive, online, and app-based resources to help manage stress and anxiety and build resilience try MyStress  External link Tools.

This press release was produced by Albuquerque Public Schools. The views expressed here are the author’s own.