March 2021 Wellness Newsletter
Spring is in the air! Yes, along with the pollen and the inevitable snowstorm yet to grace our gardens - but it is out there ready to bloom. There is something about March and the ushering in of a new season that gives me renewed motivation.
Spring summons our emergence from winter hibernation. Usually, that’s only a few months but this season it feels like we’re coming out of a long COVID-19 winter nap that just happened to have had a warm spell called Summer. It was almost a year ago when the virus hit and we went into lockdown mode. Now, like mother nature’s clockwork, we’re finally seeing fewer cases, a release of restrictions, wider vaccinations, and people are wiping the cobwebs from the door frame ready to greet the world again.
The problem is sometimes we miss a step that can be hugely beneficial to our wellness when we go through a transition of seasons like this one: A good ole fashion Spring cleaning.
Just like we can keep a bit of Christmas hanging around the house a little too long past the new year, we have a tendency to carry old feelings into new experiences and seasons.
When we do this season after season, we can get bogged down by defeat and regret. Then we have a real mess of heavy build-up on our hands. Emotionally and physically ‘winter’ has been hard. As we move out of this pandemic frost, try to clear the clutter of disappointment and year-long loss. Wipe the slate clean from unmet well-intentioned expectations. Drop that baggage in the dumpster. Don’t look back. Forge ahead into March with a revitalized sense of energy and commitment to your wellness.
APS Employee Wellness has programs to help you prepare for these brighter, fresher days ahead! Please take a look and spread this handy information like juniper pollen dancing in the wind!
- If there is something we want to put through an intense deep clean to lessen build-up, it’s our arteries! We just launched Livongo for high blood pressure. We now have one program for two of our most prevalent, preventable chronic illnesses: Diabetes & Hypertension. This is free for APS employees and dependents covered under APS benefits. Read more about all the benefits of both programs. This Spring, take back your health & feel better!
- Shake-off those walking shoes and grab your allergy meds because what’s Spring without a 5k?The APS Desk to 5k Run/Walk program just started! This is a great way to get motivated past the dusty threshold of your door, win prizes, and earn wellness incentive points! The run/walk training program culminates in the virtual event Miles for Minds 5k Run/walk April 10-18.
- Know Where to Go- With the onset of nicer weather we tend to get that spring cleaning and declutter bug but sometimes forget that we have been in a mode of hibernation. Our brains aren't the sharpest tool in the shed and those tools can slip, trip, and make us fall leading to accidents and/or injuries. Keep this graphic handy to avoid unnecessary cost, stress, and time with an ER or Urgent Care visit.
- Everyone struggles from the grit of too many hard seasons. When that happens help is available. Reach out to APS EAP services for free, confidential counseling or your mental/behavioral health benefits.
- If there is something that helps clear the clutter of harmful emotions and enhances our well-being, it's mindfulness. Join the Life on Mindfulness Saturday, March 20th Workshop "Heart of Mindfulness: Self Awareness & Acceptance"
- Give yourself a weekly shakedown with Tuesday/Thursday 11:45 am stretch breaks. Join in via Google meet "apsstretchbreak".
Read more fitness, nutrition, and wellness trends in the news.