Category Archives: Health & Wellness

Advice, Health & Wellness

Overcoming Distractions: Tips for Staying Productive at Home

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Working from home, or even taking classes online, has become the new norm since 2020. While many of us have adapted to this vast change, there still is a lot to learn about overcoming distractions and staying productive at home. Keep reading for my tips and tricks on how to stay motivated while working from home.

Create a designated workspace: Set up a dedicated workspace that is comfortable and free from distractions. This will help you maintain focus and productivity. While it can be tempting to convert your bed to a desk during the work day, this is a prime example of how a nap could sneak its way into a meeting.

Stick to a routine: Try to maintain a regular schedule, including regular working hours, breaks, and mealtimes. This will help you stay on track and avoid burnout. It is easy to take the leniency of being at home all day as opportunity to complete tasks at different times each day. Stick to a schedule though, and I promise your productivity will not falter.

Dress for success: While you do not need to dress as formally as you would for an office job, it can help to get dressed and groomed each day to signal to yourself that it is time to work. Staying in your pajamas is tempting, but to your mind you are not in work mode until you are changed and groomed.

Minimize distractions: Turn off your phone notifications, close unnecessary tabs on your computer, and let family members know when you are working so they don’t interrupt you. Without the watchful eye of leaders around, it can be tempting to take a quick TV break, but this makes it that much harder to get back on track with your work day.

Take breaks: It is important to take regular breaks throughout the day to avoid burnout and maintain focus. Get up and stretch, take a walk outside, or do some other form of physical activity to help refresh your mind. When you would normally take a bathroom break or converse with a coworker at the office, now take that time to be with yourself, away from work.

Communicate with your team: Make sure you stay in touch with your colleagues through email, chat, or video conferencing tools. This will help you stay connected and feel less isolated. This will also hold you accountable for completing tasks throughout the day.

Set boundaries: It can be easy to blur the line between work and personal time when you’re working from home. Set clear boundaries around when you are working and when you are off the clock to help maintain a healthy work-life balance. It is also acceptable to voice these boundaries to those you live with and those you work with.

Practice self-care: Working from home can be isolating, so it is important to take care of your mental health. Make time for activities that you enjoy and that help you relax, such as reading, listening to music, or taking a bath. I would especially recommend planning time to get out of your house, so you are not confined to the same four walls for days on end.

Working from home, or taking classes online, is not for everyone. It is important to acknowledge that. While these tips and tricks should help with keeping distractions at bay while working from home, there is no guarantee this is the lifestyle for you. Always take that into account and advocate for yourself and your personal needs.

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Gabrielle Krick is a senior Business Administration major with a concentration in Management and minor in Marketing at Millersville University. Her interests include human resources, social media marketing, and content marketing. When she graduates in May 2023, Gabby hopes to work for a large company’s human resources department, specifically representing minorities and the LGBTQ community. She hopes to either stay in the Lancaster, Pennsylvania area or move somewhere near Rehoboth, Delaware.  

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Health & Wellness, Student Life

ScreenU Alcohol Assessment

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Are you interested in learning more about how alcohol affects your life? It only takes 10 minutes! Research suggests that alcohol misuse impacts students at a variety of levels, from academic failure to delayed advancement, due to injury or student conduct issues. ScreenU Alcohol is an anonymous and confidential screening tool that will give you immediate unbiased feedback on your alcohol use and risk for experiencing negative consequences. It will also provide you with the community and campus resources and support needed for you to be successful academically and beyond.

If you are interested in taking the screening, please use the following link: https://app.screenu.org/screening/e1fc1344-ed6f-4b15-ac94-369675295e50 or scan the QR code with the camera on your mobile device. The screening with be open until Saturday, May 7, 2022 at 11:00 PM.

Advice, Health & Wellness, Resources

Managing Anxiety in Times of Change: An Interview With Sinclair Ceasar

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Sinclair Ceasar is a mental health speaker and educator whose mission is “to end mental stigma by helping people share their stories, explore their brokenness, and seek healing resources.” On Wednesday February 17, 2021, Sinclair spoke with the University Housing & Conference Services staff during a virtual staff development meeting about how to manage anxiety in times of change. During his presentation, he shared coping mechanisms for dealing with anxiety and advice on how to stay grounded.

About Sinclair: He has led content-rich workshops and programs at institutions and non-profit organizations around the country. He has years of professional experience as a higher education administrator, including within residential life, academic advising, and first year experience programming. He has been featured in the London Times, Essence Magazine, HuffPost, and Buzzfeed, and has partnered with global wellness brands like The Mighty and Shine Text.

The interview:

Q: Can you talk about “box breathing” and why it’s important?

Sinclair (S): Box breathing is a centering activity that can be used to manage stress and anxiety. Essentially, you inhale for three seconds, hold for four seconds, and exhale for five seconds – or do any variation of these numbers (1-2-3; 5-6-7; etc.). I’ve found it to be beneficial because focusing on my breath so intently takes my mind off my worries and pulls me from the panic spiral I might currently be experiencing. It’s a useful technique especially during times where the ground seems to constantly be shifting beneath us. Another helpful practice is to notice five objects in your current space whenever you’re feeling anxious. Similarly, this can help bring you to present time and feel much more relaxed.

Q: What is a “when/then habit” and how can people maintain one?

S: So this is adapted from the teachings of James Clear, who recently wrote the bestselling book, Atomic Habits. Essentially, you identify the habit you’d like to build, and you integrate it with unconscious habits you do each day. Say you pick up your phone when you wake up in the morning (unconscious habit), and you want to increase your water intake each day (habit goal). Then you’d practice drinking 10 oz. (measurable goal) of water when (time) you awake (action) in morning, then (reaction) you’re able to go on your phone (reward). To keep track of this, I recommend printing out a calendar, and crossing off each day you accomplish this goal. Try not to miss two days in a row.

Q: Why should people celebrate their small wins?

S: Because, we’re naturally inclined to focus on scarcity, deficits, failure, and danger. Taking a few minutes each week to identify how we’ve won (e.g. I woke up today; I tried my best on this test; I supported a friend even though I was exhausted) can boost our energy, pull us out of a rut, and remind us of hope.

Q: Do you have advice for people who are struggling to stay positive during difficult times?

S: Listen, it’s okay to not be okay. Sometimes, just getting to the next right thing, the next breath, is the best you can do. And, you know what, that’s more than enough. You will get through this.

Learn more about Sinclair and his message:

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Lydia Shaloka is a senior Business Administration major with a concentration in Marketing at Millersville University. Her interests include digital marketing, content marketing, and social media marketing.  When she graduates in May 2021, Lydia hopes to work for a digital marketing agency either in or near her hometown of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania or in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. 

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Advice, Health & Wellness

How to Handle Stress

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Stress is totally normal – and it totally stinks. Whether your stressed about a job, schoolwork, personal relationships, or pretty much anything else, it can be hard to cope with. Fortunately, there are some ways that you can manage your stress and stop it from controlling your life. Keep reading to find out what they are and how you can use them to start feeling better:

1. Talk to someone

Source: http://gph.is/1E2gEVj

Reaching out to people who care is one of the best things you can do when you’re feeling overwhelmed. You’re not alone – stress affects everyone in some way, and it really helps to get things off your chest. If you feel like there’s no one you can reach out to, Millersville’s Counseling Center is open for the summer and you can schedule a teletheraphy appointment either through Zoom (preferred) or over the phone. Call 717-871-7821 to schedule an appointment.

2. Look at the positives

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Is the glass half full or half empty? That depends on how you look at it! If you send all of your time focusing on the negatives, you’ll never be happy and it’ll be much more challenging to de-stress. When you’re faced with something that stresses you out, try to think: “What are the positives of this situation?” “Are the negatives really as bad as I’m making them out to be?” You may not be able to make the situation better, but you can improve how you respond to it.

3. Practice relaxation techniques

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Close your eyes, imagine yourself in a calm environment, relax your muscles, and take a few deep breaths. Try to clear your mind by focusing on your breathing rather than whatever is stressing you out. You may feel like just closing your eyes and taking a few deep breaths won’t help anything, but it really does!

4. Take time to yourself away from stressors

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What are some things that help you relax? For me, I love cooking/baking and watching my favorite shows on Netflix. Whatever it is you like to spend time doing, take a bit of time out of your day when you’re feeling overwhelmed to enjoy that activity. Whether it’s for ten minutes or two hours, take however long you need to regroup and relax your mind.

5. Accept that there are things you can’t control

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As much as we’d like to be able to control all aspects of our lives, we can’t. There are things like the COVID-19 pandemic that happen and there’s nothing we can do to stop it. Stressing out about the things you can’t control won’t help anything. There’s nothing you can do to change the situation, so it’s important to recognize that, realize it’s okay, and do what you can to make the things you can control better for yourself.

6. Take care of your health

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Making sure you’re physically healthy can help improve your mental health. Eating healthy and exercising can help you relax and manage stress. I like going on walks after a long day to unwind and decompress, and I think it really helps me feel better after I’ve had a stressful day!

Stress is extremely common, but manageable. Don’t let it control your life.  Practice the techniques above or let us know what techniques you use to cope with stress in the comments! Remember, tough times don’t last forever, and you’re not alone!

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Advice, Health & Wellness

10 Rules For Living Your Best Marauder Life

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Are you truly living your best life? If that’s a question you have to think about, or if the answer to it is “No”, don’t worry, we’re here to help. Keep reading to learn our 10 rules for living your very best marauder life:

1. Leave the past in the past: It can be hard not to dwell on the past, but it’s so much better for you when you don’t. You can’t change the past; the only thing you can control is the present and your future. Accepting what has happened and being hopeful about what will happen will help you move on and enjoy every moment of your life.

Source: https://giphy.com/gifs/1n4JO2Nz6DVpaJCP3w

2. Help others: One of the EPPIIC values that members of the Millersville University community live by is compassion. Being compassionate and helping others is a great way to give back and find happiness. Click here to learn about some volunteer opportunities you can take advantage of right now.

3. Remember what you’re working towards: Keep in mind that everything you’re doing has a purpose. Even if you can’t see the benefits of your actions now, they’ll pay off in time. Continue to work hard and set goals for yourself – the results of your work will be worth it!

Source: https://gph.is/28ZV1ch

4. Love yourself: Life is hectic and stressful. Show yourself some love and give yourself a pat on the back for how you handle all of life’s craziness. Be proud of who you are. Remember to also take time to yourself and do things that make you happy. Click here to read our blog post that includes self care tips that will help you show your mind and body some love.

5. Live your values: Like I mentioned before, Millersville University’s core values are EPPIIC. EPPIIC stands for exploration, professionalism, public mission, inclusion, integrity, and compassion. Marauders should strive to be EPPIIC whenever and however they can, while also reinforcing their own personal values. Click here to read more about EPPIIC values at Millersville.

Continue reading 10 Rules For Living Your Best Marauder Life →

Health & Wellness

Self Care Tips

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It’s so important that we take care of our bodies and our minds in order to stay healthy and happy. Make sure to make time for self care in your daily routine. Even little things like taking a walk or listening to your favorite music can have a positive impact. It can be easy to forget to take good care of ourselves when there’s so much going on around us, so here are some tips to remind you of how and why you should look after yourself:

1. Get Organized


Source: https://cartl.tumblr.com/post/52858406827

I’ve noticed that when my room is cluttered, my mind is cluttered too. Having a clean and organized living space makes it easier to focus. When I’m finished cleaning, I always feel accomplished and like I have one less thing to worry about. It can be hard to get the motivation to organize your stuff but once you do, you’ll thank yourself for it! Check here to check out an article that shares 100 organization tips.

2. Meditate

Source: https://gph.is/g/4oydmO0

Breathe in. Breathe out. Repeat. Meditation is a great way to help you relax and reflect. It’s a nice pause from everything going on around you. If you’re feeling overwhelmed or just want to spend some time to yourself, meditating is a great way to clear your mind and be calm. There are plenty of YouTube videos, articles, and apps that help you learn how to properly meditate, like this article or this website that also has a free app you can download.

3. Take Time for Yourself

Source: https://tenor.com/view/amy-adams-party-alone-myself-solo-gif-9401802

Even if you have a super busy schedule, it’s so important to take time (even if it’s just a few minutes) to do something that makes you happy. Whether it’s online shopping, drawing, playing a game, calling a friend, or listening to your favorite song, just schedule time in your day to spend doing what you enjoy. You’re never too busy to show yourself some love! Click here to read an article on Oprah.com about how and why you should prioritize spending time with yourself. 

4. Stay Healthy

Source: https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=354975365104205

Getting a good night’s sleep each night, eating right, and exercising are all good ways to take care of yourself and your body. Sometimes, it can be hard to get the motivation to workout, eat healthy foods, and not stay up until 3am watching Tik Toks, and that’s okay! You don’t have to be a gym rat or vegetarian to practice self care, but staying healthy in a way that is sustainable and makes you happy is really beneficial. Click here to learn some simple ways to improve your health and happiness. 

5. Don’t Pressure Yourself to be Great

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I’ve seen a lot of posts, articles, and videos about people using the extra free time they have because of quarantine to lose weight, develop a new skill, etc. Don’t feel pressured to use this time to be more productive than usual. It’s okay to take this time to relax without making a major change. As long as you’re doing what makes you happy, there’s nothing else you need to do. 

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Health & Wellness, Lifestyle / Hall Life, Resources

The Importance of Sleep

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As college students, we tend to suffer from lack of sleep. Whether it is because we don’t go to bed until 2 am or we have a lot of homework that needs to be done, we end up staying up late or getting up really early. Is it healthy to live like this? The answer is no, it is not good for us. Here are some of the pros of getting a good night’s sleep:

Better productivity and concentration throughout the day.

By getting a good night’s sleep we wake up refreshed and ready for the day. This helps us feel like we can get things done, unlike when we are tired. Also your concentration during class is enhanced since you are not falling asleep.

Better calorie intake.

Believe it or not, by getting a good night’s sleep a person will consume less calories during their day. In fact according to this study sleep loss can effect your weight loss entirely.

Sleep can boost your immunity.

By not getting the 8 hours of sleep recommended you disrupt the sleep cycle. This can take away the time your body needs to build up your immune system, making you more susceptible to sickness.

Can help your mental wellness.

Getting a full night’s rest we are ready to face the day. When we don’t get the sleep we need we tend to be moody and easily irritated. By getting the 8 hours of sleep we can help our mental health.

So that leaves the question: How do you catch up on the sleep you lost?

The only way to catch up is to get more sleep. It won’t happen with one day of going to bed earlier or waking up later. It takes time to regain a proper sleep schedule.

For more information about sleep check out:

https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health-topics/sleep-deprivation-and-deficiency

Announcements, Health & Wellness

Things to do While Social Distancing

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By now most people are starting to run out of things to do. It is hard to be home all the time and not allowed to go or do anything with anyone. Even those who usually like to stay home are finding it hard to handle, but there are things to help with being confined to home.

Streaming movies and TV shows can be a good starting point. Maybe binge watch that TV show you have been wanting to see that you never had the time for. One show that I am re-watching is The Office on Netflix.

Playing game consoles can be a great way to pass the time. You can even connect with friends while still adhering to the social distancing. There are games you can play online or through game counsels that can help you stay in contact with your friends.

Keeping up with your school work isn’t as hard as it was and can help pass the time. I finished a paper and was able to look over it and get a second opinion on it before turning it in. I have been able to excel on my discussion posts for different classes because of the extra time I have. Take this time to improve upon your grades.

Spring cleaning is another great way to pass the time. Personally I have taken the time to go through my room and get rid of the things that I don’t want. Even working in your garden can be fun and help you get some fresh air.

Finally, spend some time with your family. This is the perfect time to have a meal together because most, if not all, of your family members are around. Try having a family game or movie night. My family has done both since the social distancing started. It has been nice to spend time with them.

This has been a hard time for everyone, but it is important to make the most of it. Try spending some time outside on nice days instead of staying inside all the time. Take time to call your friends up and see how they are doing. Just because you can’t be with them doesn’t mean that you can’t still talk to them. No one could have predicted this, but it is up to us how we want to live through it.

Stay Healthy Everyone.

All photos are courtesy of Canva.

Announcements, Health & Wellness, Lists

Tips on Surviving Social Distancing

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It is getting harder for people to continue with social distancing. Having to stay away from those who do not live in your home can be difficult, especially since people need to interact with others. I know that I am starting to go a little stir crazy being stuck inside all the time. So the question remains, how can a person survive being away from others for so long? Here are some tips on how to survive social distancing:

Keep in touch with those you aren’t able to see everyday.

With what is happening now, technology is a great tool to have. Most people have a cell phone or access to a laptop, so use it to keep in touch with your friends and family. It may not be the same as being with them, but at least you can still stay in contact with them. This will help with the isolation and loneliness that comes from being away from them.

Go outside at least once a day.

Getting some fresh air can help your mental health. Go for a walk or play a game outside. You could even do your homework outside. Whatever you do, try to get outside as much as possible.

Exercise Daily.

Finding ways to exercise can help your mental health as well. Try finding a routine you can follow and sticking to it. Going for a run, biking, or yoga are some great forms of exercising. Since you can do these outside, you are able to get fresh air and stay fit.

Find a hobby.

If you already have a hobby, great! If not, find something you typically don’t have time for. I love doing arts and crafts. I may not be the best at it, but I find them fun and soothing. Since I have been home I have had more time to do more of what I like.

Help someone in need.

In times like these it is important to remember our EPPIIC Values and who we want to be as a person. If you have an elderly neighbor or someone who is unable to get out for groceries, maybe you can offer some sort of assistance. It is important not to lose sight of who we are during these difficult times.

It is imperative for us to stay close as a community while also adhering to the social distancing rules. Just because we can’t be with our community does not mean we have to give up our humanity. We need to be united now more than ever before.

Stay Healthy Everyone.

Health & Wellness, Lifestyle / Hall Life, Lists

Finding the Motivation to Finish Strong

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After spring break it is hard to find the motivation to do anything. It is even harder now that all courses have moved online. The semester feels like it will never end and it is hard not feeling drained. It is important, however, to keep working hard towards your goals. Here are some ways in which to stay motivated for the rest of the semester.

Remember what you are working for.

It is safe to say, that if you are in college then you desire to learn and grow into the person you want to be. Remember that in order to learn you need to do the work and show up for the Zoom meetings that your professors may have set up. It may be hard, but it will be worth it in the end.

It’s okay to change your mind.

Sometimes you need to change your goal or the steps to achieving that goal. It is okay to change your mind as long as you don’t give up entirely. I have changed my major multiple times as well as what I want to do after I graduate.

Change your HOW.

Instead of just trying to get your work done, turn your mindset into doing the task right. Instead of waiting till the last minute to do a paper or project start them early. This will help ensure you are doing them right and will cause you less stress.

Remember the feeling.

Keep in mind how it felt to get one step closer to your goal. It always feels good when a project or paper is done. Every assignment and test gets you just a little bit closer to your goal. It will feel even better at the end of this semester.

Find a meaningful quote.

Finding  a quote that means something to you may seem insignificant, but could help in the long run. We all need a little motivation to get us through the tough times.

My favorite motivational quote is:

Play to your strengths.

Everyone has strengths and weaknesses. It is important that you play to your strengths instead of letting yourself be discouraged by your weaknesses. If you don’t like online classes because you don’t feel focused enough try to think of your strengths. This could help you find a way past the difficulties you will face.

It has been rough on students, faculty and staff during the COVID-19 pandemic. We just have to remember our EPPIIC Values and try to finish this semester strong.