Healthy at Home: Tips for Wellness and Balance
Published on March 20, 2020
The current pandemic crisis is creating unprecedented situations for us all. Campus Life Services is here to support you and your family with tips and resources to help you stay physically and emotionally healthy while sheltering in place. From breathing exercises to fun activities with children, we are a one-stop-shop for your needs. During this challenging time, we want our community to be well so here are a few ideas to get you started.
Mindfulness, Wellness, and Community
Stay Social
- Stress and anxiety are natural during a crisis. To help, Wellness and Community has curated a list of resources to help you weather the storm, including special discounts from local businesses for the UCSF community.
- Stay social during social distancing: Human connection is essential to our wellbeing. Reach out on text, keep a chat open while you’re working or home, or host a virtual coffee break, lunch, or happy hour. Watch the ZOOM tutorial.
Meditate 
- Guided breathing tool from Calm.com
- All US healthcare professionals who work in public health settings qualify for free access to Headspace Plus through 2020. Redeem your subscription using your National Provider Identifier and email address. Headspace.
- Tips to lower your stress from the American Heart Association.
Other Great Resources for Mental Wellbeing
- Feeling anxiety about the coronavirus? UCSF Psychologist Elissa Epel offers tips to stay clear headed.
- UCSF’s Dr. Rupa Marya is working on the front lines of the COVID-19 response. Dr. Marya has gained valuable insight into what we can all do personally and offers useful recommendations based on a combination of common sense, evidence-based practice, and traditional indigenous knowledge. Read more about Marya’s list of things that she does personally to stay well and help others stay well during this time.
- Mindfulness expert and UCSF consultant, Pierre Khawand offers these learnings and quick tutorials to minimize stress and anxiety:
- The Greater Good Science Center at UCB is a great source of material and free courses and ideas on the topic of mindfulness (which is the new wellness!) You’ll also find lots of articles on COVID-19 wellness. Visit the Greater Good Science Center.
Physical Fitness and Health
- Thanks to UCSF Fitness and Recreation, you can stream over 100 group fitness courses online and work out from the comfort of your own home.
- American Heart Association shares a circuit home workout.
- Get the kids to join in: family workouts that are fun for everyone.
Food and Nutrition
- UCSF partnered with Farm Fresh to You to get food delivered from the local farms to your door, for 15 percent off your total. To learn more visit the Wellness & Community discounts page.
- Heart Healthy Essentials for Meal Prep
- How to Not Eat Everything in the Fridge When you Work From Home
Family
Education and Family Life Resources
- Talking to kids about COVID-19 from PBS.
- Information from the San Francisco Unified School District.
- Resources that support distance learning (intended for educators but may also be useful for families.)
- Our Family Coalition - includes links to English/Spanish/Chinese information on coping with the outbreak. Scroll to bottom of page for list of activities and links to virtual field trips.
- First 5 California activities for preschoolers, toddlers and infants - not specific to shelter in place order.
Child Care & Emergency Child Care
The COVID-19 outbreak has resulted in widespread school and child care closures. UCSF Family Services is promoting various resources that may be helpful for UCSF employees who have been designated as essential on-site personnel.
Pregnancy and Lactation Resources
- The CA Preterm Birth Initiative has pulled together a working list of resources to promote through our public awareness campaign, Voices for Birth Justice, to help pregnant persons and their families manage during this challenging time.
- CDC shares tips and resources on COVID-19 and breastfeeding.
- Women, Infants and Children’s Program nutrition and breastfeeding services is an essential service and is open to provide vital remotely by phone.
- Academy of Breastfeeding Medicine - AB Statement on Coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19)
- 4thTrimesterProject shares resources for new moms in the middle of the pandemic.
- UCSF Birth Center Tour
Work from Home Tips