Professional and Personal Development Programs

Open to faculty and staff. Improve your skills and get ahead in your career by taking advantage of the many development opportunities provided by Human Resources. Register at http://knowledgelink.upenn.edu/.

Resilience and Well-Being Workshop (Week 3); 4/8; noon-1:30 p.m. The Resilience and Well-Being Workshop Series for Penn faculty and staff will present core resilience and well-being skills you can use in your personal and professional lives. During each 90-minute workshop, you’ll learn how each skill contributes to resilience and well-being and participate in group exercises with colleagues to explore the content together. We hope that this series provides you with new tools to bolster your resilience and well-being and enhance your relationships at work and at home.

Assertiveness Skills; 4/20; 12:30-1:30 p.m. You may experience situations when you need to use assertiveness to complete a task, goal or project. In this class, we will identify personal blocks to assertiveness, identify both assertive and non-assertive language and behaviors, and learn ways to use assertiveness in everyday situations.

Work-life Workshops

Open to faculty and staff. These free workshops, sponsored by Human Resources, offer information and support for your personal and professional life. Register at www.hr.upenn.edu/registration.

Webinar: Living Debt Free; 4/1-4/30. Is your wallet full of credit cards, but low on cash? Are most of your paychecks already spoken for in the way of debt payments by the time payday rolls around? Many people are burdened with the debt they are struggling to pay every month—car payments, student loans, medical bills, credit cards payments, and so on. This webinar is an interactive session that teaches how to break the chain of debt, so participants can start building wealth and enjoying life. We will walk you through the process step by step, so you can begin the journey to living debt-free.

Virtual Workshop: 6-Week Mindfulness Course—Positive Momentum; 4/5, 4/12, 4/19, 4/26, 5/3, 5/10; 12:30-1:30 p.m. This 6-session mindfulness course offers participants an opportunity to practice calming and effective awareness activities adapted by Jennifer Schelter of the Best of Philly­—recognized Radiant Retreat—your fullest gifts, self-care, and creativity retreat. Sessions will begin with a brief guided meditation to feel present. Following this mediation, participants will experience a short journaling exercise to clarify your most cherished gifts or current goals (health, career, community, relationship, etc.). The group will also discuss how to apply mindful awareness to everyday life for greater ease, natural evolution, and self-development. The session will conclude with a simple body scan, visualization of successes, and a communal gratitude circle. No experience necessary. Participants must attend all 6 sessions to earn 30 BITK (Be in the Know) Bonus Action Points.

Call Up Calm Mindfulness Workshop; 4/6; 12:30-1:30 p.m. In these uncertain times, it’s essential to release fear and step into the calm. This call is offered for participants to have the opportunity to be led in guided meditation, practice letting go of stress, fear, and anxiety, and be present to having courage, and resilience. The guided meditations will focus on breath, letting go of negativity and fear, and allowing oneself to feel inner reserves of strength, clarity, and intentionality. No experience necessary.

Preparing to Care for an Aging Parent; 4/7; noon–1 p.m. With a longer lifespan, it’s more likely we are going to need assistance.  This is why it’s extremely important to prepare financially and understand the roles and responsibilities of caregivers. During this workshop, sponsored by MetLife, you will learn about:

• What it means to be a caregiver in today’s world
• Different types of care and the options to receive care
• Legal and financial considerations
• Planning tips and available resources

Webinar: Removing the Man-Can’t Myth; 4/13; noon-1 p.m. Moms and dads have been struggling during the COVID-19 pandemic, experiencing equal amounts of stress, despite stereotypes. Dads today are “all in” and more emotionally and physically involved at home than ever before. Josh Levs, an expert on modern dads in the workplace, will share how men can engage on issues of gender equality and diversity, how they can become co-champions for change, and strategies to offer work-life balance for both women and men.

Radical Resilience Discussion Group; 4/13; 2-3 p.m. This event offers participants in our previously held Radical Resilience Workshops the opportunity to re-connect and discuss the content and their experiences with this topic further in a small group setting. We’ll review resources and content briefly, ask participants to continue to share takeaways, and respond to questions. The size of the group will be capped at 15. If more participants are interested, additional times will be scheduled.

Guided Mindful Meditation; 4/23, 4/30; 12:30-1:30 p.m. This workshop is for participants to practice present moment awareness with kindness and compassion. During the first part of our practice, we will begin with a guided meditation focusing on the breath. The second half of our session will focus our attention on a guided exploration of the body, bringing awareness to the different areas of the body, and allowing ourselves to experience how each part feels, without trying to change anything. No experience necessary. All warmly welcome.

Women and Investing with PNC; 4/27; 12:30 p.m.–1:30 p.m. This seminar addresses specific financial issues that women face—because women and men may be affected differently by demographic factors and often have different perspectives on money. We’ll examine the challenges women face at each stage of life, from their first job through retirement, and discuss investment strategies for each stage to help you achieve specific goals throughout your life and plan for expenses in retirement.

Maximizing the Campus Visit; 4/28; 12:30–1:30 p.m. Virtual or in-person, the concept of information gathering about colleges and universities has changed during the pandemic. We will offer tips, suggestions and share resources as you and your family make “visit” plans.

Stress Management; 4/29; 12:30–1:30 p.m. It is natural to become stressed when the demands on time and energy have become too great. This can happen both at home and at work and can severely limit productivity and effectiveness. This workshop shows the physiological stages of stress development and its harmful effects on the body. It also addresses the defining symptoms and different sources of stress. This useful information is incorporated with helpful stress relievers and imagery techniques.

Penn Healthy You Workshops

Open to faculty and staff. From expert nutrition advice to exercise and wellness strategies, we can help you embrace a healthy lifestyle. Register at www.hr.upenn.edu/registration.

Chair Yoga; 4/7, 4/21; noon-1 p.m. Chair yoga is a more moderate form of yoga that is done while sitting in a chair or using a chair for support. You get the same benefits of a regular yoga workout (like increased strength, flexibility, and balance) but don’t have to master complex poses. Chair yoga can even better your breathing and teach you how to relax your mind and improve your well-being. Ready to give it a try? Don’t worry about your experience or flexibility—chair yoga can be modified for all levels! This workshop will be led by Judith Glass from UPHS.

Gentle Yoga; 4/9; noon–1 p.m. Let your body reward itself with movement! Join us for this Gentle Yoga session and explore the natural movements of the spine with slow and fluid moving bends and soft twists. During this session, you will flow into modified sun salutations that loosen those tightened muscles and joints of the lower back, neck, shoulders, and wrists. And as an added bonus, you’ll get a workout in the process. To maximize the benefits, we encourage you to use a mat and props.

HIIT Strength; 4/14; noon–1 p.m. Come for a 45-minute High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) workout! Each week will be a different sequence of exercises, with a focus on strength training. This short workout will be a full-body blast guaranteed to leave you sweating!

Taking Care of Your Emotional Well-Being; 4/15; 12:30–1:30 p.m. This presentation is designed to build awareness of overall emotional well-being and provide tools to identify stressors and signs. We will discuss the stigma surrounding mental illness, what emotional health is, review signs, symptoms, and behavior changes, and share resources for those seeking help. We will also debunk myths of depression and suicide and discuss ways to help someone you may be concerned about by referring to EAP and professional resources.

Bodycombat; 4/16; noon–1 p.m. This fiercely energetic cardiovascular workout program is inspired by martial arts and draws from a wide array of disciplines such as Karate, boxing, Taekwondo, Tai Chi and Muay Thai. Tone and shape muscles while burning major calories!

—Department of Human Resources