Self-Care

As students, faculty and staff navigate changing environments and expectations, it is important to establish healthy, productive and flexible surroundings and utilize the resources that can best support your unique needs. Ohio University experts give the following advice for prioritizing your wellness:

Take this time to slow down, evaluate your values and beliefs, and develop a routine that puts those values into action.
Your work and learning space should reflect your values and personal style. Spending time to set up an environment that is conducive to your learning and working style is essential to ensuring productivity and satisfaction.
Give grace and kindness freely, not only to others, but to yourself.
Build routines for regular exercise, sleep, hydration, nutrition and laughter to enhance your strength and resilience of body and mind. Share your routine with those in your household so you can all help each other remain accountable for practicing self-care.
Try to find the good in each day and share your gratitude with others. Practicing gratitude can foster resilience.
Give yourself the space to identify your needs and find the resources that will best address those needs.

A variety of self-care resources are available to students, faculty and staff during this time of remote learning and working. As new resources become available, they will be shared on this web page.

General Resources

Free Virtual Fitness Classes

Ohio University WellWorks and Campus Recreation have partnered to offer live virtual fitness classes to faculty, staff, students and community members. Membership is not required to participate in these classes, but participants will be asked to complete an online liability waiver prior to receiving access to the fitness class private URL.

Class offerings include yoga, strength, cardio and toning classes. Classes will be offered at various times to fit a variety of schedules. Instructors from Ping Recreation Center and WellWorks will lead these classes. This schedule of offerings will remain flexible as participant needs and instructor availability change. If you cannot attend a session during the live class time, recordings will be added to Ohio University’s wellness playlist on YouTube after the live program has concluded.

Fill out the liability waiver

Additional Fitness Resources

At-home fitness does not have to be intimidating! There are plenty of free fitness resources available to provide members of the Bobcat community with fitness education and accountability as you work toward reaching your health and wellness goals. Plus, Campus Recreation has uploaded a variety of pre-recorded fitness classes so you can exercise at home when it is most convenient for you.

Healthy Breaks Campaign

If you are struggling to take time out for yourself right now, try viewing wellness as a special treat that you get to enjoy throughout any given day. This mindset can help make it easier to adopt lifelong healthy habits. Start small by trying out a few 5-, 10-, and 15-minute healthy break ideas.

Getting Outdoors During Stay-At-Home Orders

Research has shown that time spent outdoors provides significant benefits to one's mental health. Despite stay-at-home orders in many states, residents are still encouraged to prioritize their wellness by participating in healthy activities outdoors. Campus Recreation's Outdoor Pursuits program provides Bobcats with ideas, tips, tricks and strategies to ensure you are comfortable getting outdoors during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Virtual Involvement Center

Keep Athens close to your heart and stay engaged with these virtual activities that can be done from home! Have fun solo, with your family at home, or over the internet with your faraway friends.

Find activities for virtual fun

Student Resources

Bobcat Well-Being Webinars

Tune in to Campus Recreation's weekly Bobcat well-being webinars, which are focused on providing Ohio University students with education and support resources. Each week, webinar hosts will highlight ways to prioritize your self-care during this time. Bobcat well-being webinars will be hosted on Wednesdays from 12-12:30 p.m. throughout the month of April.

Bobcat Well-Being Tips

Campus Recreation is providing weekly evidence-based health and well-being tips to Ohio University students. Each week, readers will be directed to accredited sources that offer tools to be active, be connected and be yourself. These tips Bobcat well-being tips will be shared each Wednesday through April.

Professional Coaching and Mock Interviews

More than ever, it is critical to review application materials and prepare for the job force and post-grad life. Mock interviews, career coaching, leadership coaching and more are being offered over the phone or online through the Career Network. Further details and information on how to schedule any of these services can be found on the Career Network’s website.

Connect with an Advocate

To speak to a confidential advocate immediately or to schedule a virtual appointment, contact the Survivor Advocacy Program’s 24-hour hotline: 740-597-SAFE (7233). You can also schedule a phone or virtual appointment with an advocate by emailing survivor.advocacy@ohio.edu. On weekdays after 5 p.m. and on weekends, 740-597-SAFE (7233) is our acting crisis hotline and is answered by a confidential triage service that will dispatch an advocate to meet with you.

Recovery Services

During this time, we understand how challenging and essential it is for Bobcats in recovery to maintain sobriety. Ohio University recovery services are still happening remotely and we encourage you to reach out. Recovery meetings take place twice a week via Teams. Contact Ann Addington to join upcoming meetings.

Additional University Resources

Ohio University is committed to providing students with a variety of support resources to enhance their wellness. All University offices are currently operating remotely but are still providing services and resources to students. Contact information is available on each departmental/office website, so Bobcats can proactively request support as they navigate at-home self-care.

External Resources

With so many wellness apps and websites available, it can be difficult to determine which ones will work best for you. Campus Recreation has vetted some of the most popular resources so you can find the strategies that meet your needs:

The National Intramural and Recreational Sports Association (NIRSA) offers a list of recommended digital tools and apps to help students prioritize self-care.
Those seeking more information about anxiety and depression can gain access to free documentaries from Future Health.
Participate in a free course about The Science of Well-Being from Yale, where participants will engage in a series of challenges designed to increase happiness and build more productive habits. Professor Laurie Santos reveals misconceptions about happiness, annoying features of the mind that lead us to think the way we do, and the research that can promote change. By the end of this course, participants will ultimately be prepared to successfully implement a specific well-being activity into their lives.

Faculty and Staff Resources

Employee Well-Being Newsletter

Ohio University’s WellWorks manages an Employee Well-Being Newsletter. Any employee that is not receiving these newsletters can first check their Clutter/Junk Mail to determine if the email has been rerouted to alternate mailboxes (if so, mark the Sender as “safe” so future emails will be routed to the Inbox). If you need to subscribe/re-subscribe to WellWorks newsletters, there is an online form.

Access the Benefits Available to You

Ohio University's Human Resources department is currently building an online health resources website to easily connect you to resources such as the Anthem Live Health Online telemedicine program and various Employee Assistance Program resources, such as Personalized Medical Guidance. This website will be made available through the University's HR Benefits site shortly.

Mobile Well-Being, Powered by Virgin Pulse

Benefits enrolled employees (and their enrolled spouses/partners) have access to the University’s online wellness platform, Virgin Pulse. Track healthy habits, find support and intentionally develop a new normal. Initial registration is fast and, once on the platform, employees can use SSO to easily login each day.

All eligible employees can participate in the University-wide Healthy Habit Challenge: Low Carbon Lifestyle, which will take place April 13-19 and include daily tips for ways to increase your positive impact on the environment during this time.

New resources are now available on Virgin Pulse in response to COVID-19:

Questions about Virgin Pulse? Email Annie Laurie Cadmus at cadmus@ohio.edu.

Impact Employee Assistance

All employees, any person living in an employees' residence and the parents/in-laws of employees are encouraged to access the Employee Assistance Program, powered by Impact Solutions. There is counseling available and tele-coaching services in areas of nutrition, fitness, finances, parenting, time management, eating disorders, grief, LGBT issues, work concerns and work/life balance.

To access these free resources:

Navigate to Impact Employee Assistance
Click "Go to member login"
Enter 'ohiouniversity' as the username

General External Resources

Looking for additional information and support? Below are some of the support resources that Ohio University trusts.

Info for:

Log In

Locations

Connect