February 8, 2021

Newly Added Self-Care Resources for Employees

Moving Forward Together

In a time of unprecedented crisis, many higher education institutions are faced with increased concerns regarding the well-being of students and staff and the challenges they face with COVID-19. The University continues to find ways to provide our community with the latest information and helpful resources to support the campus community.

We strive to provide ongoing resources to keep the campus community informed and to maintain overall safety and continuity of operations. Refer to the Restart Employee Resources for additional details and frequently updated information about wellness and working remotely for all employees, managers and parents. We hope that our employees and their families find this web page to be a useful source of information as we work to keep our campus and surrounding communities safe during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Please note that these are optional resources and are not necessarily endorsed by Montclair State University.

Wellness Resources

Mental Health Association of Essex and Morris County (NEW)

Mental Health and COVID-19: As the pandemic continues and many workplaces and schools remain closed, anxiety is on the rise. The Mental Health Association emphasizes the importance of caring for ourselves physically and mentally and has tips and resources for coping with stress.
Virtual Webinars hosted by MHA where they explore topics such as:
- Why the Show Must Go On…Creativity & Your Mental Health
- 12 Stepping for Wellness
- Women for Wellness
- Family Support Group

Calming Podcasts to listen to if you’re feeling anxious right now (NEW)

Here are six podcasts by psychologists or coaches with 5-star reviews on Apple Podcasts that are addressing coronavirus anxiety and stress.

CONCERN — Employee Assistance Program

These global events can produce a wide and fluctuating range of emotional responses, which may vary from person to person. As always, Montclair State University Employee Assistance Program provides free support services for all of its employees and their families to consult regarding any distress, through CONCERN, a behavioral health program with Atlantic Health System. To schedule a confidential appointment, call CONCERN at 800-242-7371.

Professional Development

Finding Time to Better Manage Your Time – In this four-part series focused on time management and work productivity in our new reality, here is some practical advice on how to better lead ourselves through structuring our day to feel better, work more effectively, and adjust to our new reality by actively designing our new reality rather than feeling that the new reality is designing us.

ITDS Course Registration for Faculty and Staff – While continuing to work remotely, take advantage of Information Technology services for Technology Training and Support.

Google Apps
Microsoft Office
Adobe Acrobat
Zoom

Faculty may refer to Teaching during University Closures for Live On-Line Training and Support with ITDS Online Training Workshops providing a series of online training workshops and web-based resources.

Teaching Online for Academic Continuity
Canvas Web Conferencing
Using Panopto for Teaching Online
Introduction to Canvas
Leading Effective Discussions, Teamwork and Collaboration in Canvas
Designing Assignments, Quizzes & Tests in Canvas

Tips & Tokens

Give a Yoga Mat to a Friend – Consider giving a yoga mat as a well-being token to someone you care about. If you already have one, roll out a yoga mat and take a break, stretch and breathe! Regardless of your level of yoga expertise, meditation and breathing can help you feel better from head to toe. Yoga and meditation offer physical and mental health benefits for people of all ages including relieving stress, relaxing the mind and improving well being. Check out this Virtual Yoga Class from Campus Recreation!

Cook book – Pick up a new cookbook. The shift to family meals is one of the silver linings of the pandemic. Cooking inspires immediate family members to work together and is emotionally, as well as physically, nourishing.

Questions

Please contact Keesha Chavis, Assistant Vice President for Learning, Development and Performance at chavisk@montclair.edu for any questions related to these resources.