Whether your life circumstances and workplace routines have shifted drastically or remain relatively unchanged, it is always important to prioritize your psychological well-being, to help cope with personal and professional demands. We continue to navigate new circumstances and face new challenges. Pressures and struggles that may have been manageable in the past could be surfacing differently and require more attention or support. Let us continue to take care of our mental health and look out for the mental health of those around us.

Mental Health Resources and Supports

Employee and Family Assistance Program (EFAP)
Individuals can contact Homewood Health through their website or by phone toll-free, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to book appointments, or access any EFAP service.

Psychological Well-Being during COVID-19
On this site you will find a number of employee resources and articles – such as Parenting During a Pandemic or Strategies to Manage your Stress and Well-Being – that you may find helpful during this time.

Supporting Faculty and Staff in Distress
Everyone plays an important role in creating healthy and respectful work environments. Here, Managers and Leaders can find helpful tools to provide support and guide respectful communication.

Professor Hippo on Campus
The Professor Hippo-on-Campus program has been designed and tested to help us learn more and support student mental health. Let’s start talking about the hippo in the room – mental health!

Ontario’s Mental Health, Wellness and Addictions Support
Learn about what supports are available, such as Bounce Back: a free skill-building program that adults and youth 15+ can access over the phone, to learn things like how to improve your mood by changing the way you think or respond to things.

Self-Assessments

Mental Health Meter (CMHA)

Stress Index (CMHA)

Mental Well-Being Quiz (BC)

Apps & Websites

Check out this resource with a list of helpful tools, websites and apps. Please note that the section on “A Place to Relax” has not been updated to reflect current Covid-19 restrictions or protocols. 

The Student Wellness Centre also has a comprehensive list of helpful apps and websites for a wide array of health topics.

Additional Resources

Well-Being for your Mind

Mental Health Resources Page

MacMoves
#MacMoves is an initiative created by McMaster Athletics and Recreation to promote a healthy, active lifestyle for everyone within the McMaster Community. Between numerous virtual fitness classes offered each week, nutrition resources, outdoor skills videos and more, there are plenty of resources to keep your heart healthy. Check out this Stretch and Relax yoga video with Jenn Stanley to help reduce stress and get moving!

Heidi O’Brien has also put together a stretch and move video for you to participate in if you’re looking for a quick body break!

Click here to stretch and move

Lunchtime Yoga with McMaster Alumni

Join McMaster Alumni and McMaster graduate, Helena McKinney from Hamilton’s In Fine Feather Yoga, for a weekly online yoga session. Visit the website to get further details, or visit our events page to register!

Photo-Voice Activity 

Our physical (and virtual) environments have a large impact on our wellness in ways that we may or may not be aware of. We want to reflect and help understand the student, staff and faculty experience further during this year’s Thrive Week.

To reflect on this, we are going to use an activity called photo-voice, to begin thinking more about the impact our surroundings have on our wellness.

Through this activity, you will be able to:

• Reflect on the impact of your physical environment on various aspects of your own wellness
• Share your understanding of part of your physical environment’s impact on your own wellness through photography

Take a look at this submission example!

To learn more and participate, please see the photo-voice submission form.

Deadline for submissions is January 31st. Participants will be entered into a raffle to win one of five available prizes (including a movie night prize package, houseplant delivery and more!)

*Note that staff/ faculty will receive prizes, while students will be eligible to win gift cards. 

Sleep Crossword

RBG Nature Holiday Traditions Crossword

Hygge Comfort Crossword

Hygge Comfort Crossword ANSWERS

Hygge Themed (starting with C)

Indigenous Plants Crossword

Indigenous Plants Crossword ANSWERS

Working from Home with Children

Many McMaster employees have had to adjust to not only working from home, but working from home with children. This presents unique challenges to the McMaster community in how to structure a workday and maintain productivity while spending meaningful time with children.

Below are some resources staff and their children can access from a variety of local institutions directed to educating and engaging children online.

1. Art at home

• Weekly online workshops at the Art Gallery of Hamilton
• Classroom activities at the Royal Ontario Museum

2. Nature at home:

• Conservation Hamilton
• Grand River Conservation Authority
• David Suzuki: How to get kids into nature
• Royal Botanical Gardens

3. Education at home:

• Play and Learn is an online tool co-created by experts in child development at McMaster University, to support parents in challenging their children in engaging activities that can help them learn, grow, and thrive.

The Healthy Workplace Committee has put together simple changes you can make at home to help kick off a more sustainable-living lifestyle. Earth Day comes around once a year, but these lifestyle changes could be beneficial for the other 364 days, as well as years to come!

There is no planet B so let’s do what we can to take care of the one we have!

• Washing your hands is very important. However be sure to turn off the faucet when brushing your teeth or washing your hands – you can save up to 8 gallons of water a day just by shutting off the tap!
• Unplug and power off appliances and devices when not in use – household appliances waste energy even when not turned on, make the small effort to unplug them when not in use.
• Try reusable batteries – when it comes time to replace your batteries, opt for reusable ones instead.
• Go Paperless – switch to getting your bills and bank statements sent electronically
• Compost your food waste – take advantage of your city’s Green Bin & Composting program, or even do your own backyard composting (which is a great way to get some nutrient-rich soil for your garden you’ve started)
• Use environmentally-friendly, non-toxic cleaning products – you can even make your own with simple ingredients such as vinegar and baking soda.
• Run your dishwasher only when it’s full to save water and energy. Or better yet hand wash your dishes!
• Buy energy-efficient light bulbs that could even save you a few dollars in the long run.
• Collect rainwater, there’s so much you can use this non-drinking water for — such as outdoor cleaning and watering your plants

The Healthy Workplace Committee is looking for people with a passion for wellness who are willing to role up their sleeves and volunteer! Volunteers have the opportunity to conceptualize, organize, and execute wellness resources and events in the areas of physical health, nutrition, psychological wellness, and healthy spaces. If you are interested in joining our team, please click on the recruitment window below.

Frequently asked questions about volunteering for Healthy Workplace can be found here.

For any additional questions, please contact the Program Coordinator, Engagement & Wellness at healthyworkplace@mcmaster.ca