Month: October 2020

Message from the Chief Wellness Officer

| Emily Keeler
Hello Everyone,
It is hard to believe that we have been living with the COVID-19 pandemic for over half a year now. Research indicates that the ongoing stress is negatively impacting our mental and emotional health by triggering chronic stress, anxiety and depression along with unhealthy coping behaviors, such as increases in alcohol use as well as overeating combined with declines in physical activity. If you are experiencing anxiety and/or depression to the point that it is interfering with your concentration or functioning, please reach out to our employee assistance program. There is no shame whatsoever if you find yourself needing some help. You can regularly assess how you are doing with our new Check and Improve Your Stress and Well-being tool. See on the positive side, challenging times can help us appreciate our strengths and reassess priorities.
Remember, these are difficult times and, now more than ever, you must prioritize your own self-care and be kind to yourself. When the pandemic started, I developed this acronym with strategies to help people COPE with COVID-19:
Control the things that you can, not the things you can’t
Open up and share your feelings
Practice daily stress reduction tactics, including physical activity
Engage in mindfulness; be here now; worry will not help!
Count your blessings daily
Overturn negative thoughts to positive
Volunteer to help others
Identify helpful supports and resources
Do your part to prevent spread of the virus
Check out my most recent Ohio State Alumni Magazine article to read more about ways to flourish during challenging times. If you are struggling with online fatigue, read more on how to manage your stress and stay resilient.
I encourage you to make your mental health a priority this month and practice tactics to increase your resiliency and decrease stress.
Stay healthy and well,
Bernadette Mazurek Melnyk, PhD, APRN-CNP, FAANP, FNAP, FAAN
Vice President for Health Promotion
University Chief Wellness Officer
Dean and Professor, College of Nursing
Professor of Pediatrics and Psychiatry, College of Medicine

Pharmathon Goes Virtual

| Emily Keeler

In consideration of the health and safety of our participants, volunteers and community, we’re hosting our annual Pharmathon 5K Run/Walk virtually this year.

For the first time, anyone, anywhere, can participate. That’s right you can participate as an individual or even form a virtual team with friends, coworkers or family. You can do the Pharmathon 5K with your fellow Buckeyes in Chicago, Uncle in California or classmates in Columbus.

Your virtual 5K Run/Walk mileage can be completed anytime from Sunday 11/1/20 through Sunday 11/8/20 at midnight. You can also choose your own 5K route, your own starting time, and your own pace.

Please be sure to practice social distancing while participating in the virtual Pharmathon.

Registration includes your virtual event entry and a Pharmathon neck fandana. Pharmathon fandanas will ship to the shipping address provided at the time of registration. The fandanas will be shipped on or about October 27, 2020.

Register and learn more at https://runsignup.com/Race/OH/Columbus/osupharmathon.