Making UC ANR the healthiest place to work, learn and live

4-Hers take a walk along the shore during a mindfulness retreat.

The University Of California's goal to make “UC the healthiest place to work, learn and live” acknowledges that in order to fundamentally change our health environment, campus communities must invest in a host of small changes that add up to meaningful shifts, thus producing a lasting culture of health. 

UC ANR is now part of the Healthy Campus Network and is actively promoting activities and resources like meditation, stress reduction and physical activity. As part of the Healthy Campus Network, UC ANR will also start to participate in systemwide initiatives like the Diabetes Prevention Program and Healthy Vending Policy. 

Mental hygiene, as a component of wellness, is not a new concept; it dates back to 1908. The World Health Organization formally defined mental health and mental hygiene in 1950. However, the ways in which employers and individuals foster wellness have changed. In the past, an employee may have taken a day off for a stomachache or headache, while not really feeling confident they could reveal the need for time off for wellness.

As the concept of wellness becomes more prevalent, new ways of incorporating wellness activities into our daily activities are emerging. UC ANR is committed to wellness beyond just the workplace. When working from home, there can be additional challenges to maintaining a healthy work environment.

Take a moment to make some small changes that add up to meaningful shifts toward your wellness: garden, meditate, walk, paint, practice your instrument and pet the furry kids.

Wellness resources are available to UC ANR employees at https://hr.ucdavis.edu/departments/asap/services.

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