Feeling stressed? Take a minute to Thrive

Feeling stressed? Take a minute to Thrive

October 28, 2015

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[Dodge ball team]
A team of Employee and Labour Relations staff members (pictured above) will square off against a team from Faculty Relations in a friendly game of dodgeball on Nov. 6 during Thrive week at Queen's. Nearly 70 events are planned for Nov. 2-6 to promote positive mental health and wellbeing among Queen's staff, faculty and students.

The campus will come alive with Thrive activities all next week.

The new initiative designed to promote positive mental health kicks off this Monday with activities planned throughout the week.

Thrive began several years ago at the University of British Columbia, with other post-secondary institutions adopting the event for their campuses. Human Resources staff members are spearheading the effort at Queen’s.

“We are excited to engage all staff, faculty and students,” says Sydney Downey, Manager, Return to Work and Accommodation Services. “Thrive is all about fostering a safe and welcoming environment where people can discover resources and support their colleagues so that we can all ‘thrive’ at work and at home.”

Thrive gets underway Monday with a blast from the past for staff, faculty and students: a large ball pit that will be set up in front of Stauffer Library.

“The ball pit is a great opportunity for members of the Queen’s community to take a break from their busy schedules and connect with others across campus,” Ms. Downey says. “We hope the ball pit will create a relaxed environment where people can talk about life’s challenges or share a funny story with a new friend.”     

Currently there are close to 70 activities throughout the week. Some of the highlights include:

  • A workshop focused on combatting stress
  • A Zen meditation session on West Campus
  • A yoga session in the Agnes
  • A sleep workshop where participants learn about getting a better night’s rest
  • A variety of wellness activities such as a walking/running club, a dodgeball tournament, and a cardio funk dance class.

The complete schedule of events is posted on the Thrive website. The organizing committee has also provided resources for hosting a Thrive event in your department or unit.

Follow Queen’s Thrives on Facebook and Instagram