With most staff at The University of New Mexico entering their third week of a working from home order, UNM's Human Resources division is dedicated to ensuring student, staff and faculty are healthy both mentally and physically during the COVID -19 stay-at-home order.

UNM's Department of Human Resources has released a series of resources for maintaining physical and mental health all from within the home.

Working Out from Home
With gyms around the state closed, Employee Wellness is encouraging continuing work outs at home, and is offering some forms of guidance. Check out Employee Wellness YouTube channel for movements you can do not only at home, but at your desk too. Employee Wellness Health Education Consultant and personal trainer, Lauren Lewis is also hosting daily live fitness classes Monday through Friday at noon using Zoom. The class will be mostly body weight, circuit-style training. No equipment is required, but a yoga mat and floor space is recommended. Email Lauren at lclewis@unm..edu to receive a Zoom invite. A calendar link and access to class will be sent each time a class is scheduled.

Nutrition and Fitness Information
Employee Wellness offers two weekly resources from Health Education Consultants. ‘Food for Thought’ offers nutrition tips from Reed Vawter, registered dietitian and nutritionist. ‘The Fit Life’ offers discussions on fitness and practicing daily movement from Lauren Lewis, fitness trainer and movement expert. To subscribe, compose an email to listerv@list.unm.edu. While leaving the subject line blank, include the following message:

  • For Food for Thought write “subscribe EAT-WELL-L First Name Last Name”
  • For The Fit Life write “FIT-LIFE-L First Name Last Name”

Yammer, UNM’s own social media-style platform, also offers information on fitness and wellness issues and allows users to interact with one another. This platform is led by Lauren Lewis. To join Yammer, visit the website. Register with your UNM Net ID and password; then, find the UNM Employee Wellness Information and Resources Group to join.

Managing Fears and Anxiety
The news about COVID-19 can create anxiety and concerns for many. First and foremost, be sure to get facts from reputable sources like the Centers for Disease Control. It is also important to take a digital break. Maintain a healthy respect for the virus without panic and focus on things that are in your control. Limit exposure to the constant cycle of news, and maintain healthy boundaries to information exposure. Control assumptions about others and practice healthy habits to keep yourself well.

During this time, choose to practice active mindfulness, whether you sit quietly in the moment, think of something you are grateful for, spend time with pets or follow a guided relaxation meditation. Ultimately, it is about supporting yourself and those around you. If you are feeling overwhelmed, seek help. At UNM, available resources are Student Health and Counseling to support students, Counseling Assistance and Referral Services or Employee Wellness to support faculty and staff. There are also outside sources available to protect mental health during this time of uncertainty.

The New Mexico Crisis and Access Line has created a tip sheet outlining information that can assist individuals in being prepared during this time. Their staff is available to support individuals and communities during this time. As a professional mental health line, they maintain a solution focused approach built on validation, normalization and access to resources. They are prepared to appropriately respond to not only mental health concerns, but also the COVID-19 outbreak. Call 24/7 at 855-662-7474. They are ready to listen.

Balancing Kid Time and Work Time
It’s one thing for a family’s routine to be off for a few days over the holidays. It’s quite another to be off of a routine for an unknown amount of time, without any of the familiar signposts to anchor the situation. Here are some strategies for making it through quarantine with kids.

Financial Security If dealing with immediate financial hardship, visit the State of New Mexico’s financial hardship website. The state and private companies are taking measures to mitigate financial hardships and the state is diligently working to identify additional sources of relief and to advocate for a full measure of federal support.

For more long-term concerns, resources provided by UNM Benefits, the Voluntary Retirement Plan Representatives that serve UNM, and the Financial Wellness Program has gathered a series of resources to help gain an economic perspective. These resources include a global perspective, staying focused on long-term financial goals, how emotions ties into the market and what to do when financial markets are shaky.

The University of New Mexico is dedicated to ensuring the Lobo Community remains healthy during this pandemic. Continue to check back as more resources become available.