Employee Spotlight: Lana Kobeici
Lana Kobeici, Senior Administrative Coordinator in Microbiology and Immunology in the Faculty of Medicine at McGill.
Lana has been working at McGill for 3 years. She is a member of the My Healthy Workplace working group and started a meditation group for colleagues every week at lunch time. Read more to discover Lana's tips and strategies to protect and promote her mental health, what she does to turnaround a day when she is feeling rundown.
- What do you do in your life to protect, promote and celebrate your mental health?
Having an active lifestyle is key for me. When I move my body, my mind and spirit feel good! My favourite ways of moving are: yoga, dancing, hiking, spending time in nature (even a short 30 minute lunch time walk at Mount Royal does wonders!), weights workout (thank-you McGill Staff Fitness program!) and biking (I love Bixis!). I like to have a morning ritual to start my day right:
- I start with a warm cup of water with lemon and honey.
- Depending on time, I like to unroll my mat for a few yoga poses and stretches.
- If it’s a particularly grey or dark morning, I like to put on music for an extra dose of joy and to brighten the day.
- 30 minutes of fun time per day: doing something I love every day puts me in a good mood, especially in the winter. I like to channel my creativity by painting, making bracelets, folding origami
- Being grateful and keeping a gratitude journal
- Meditation helps me connect with myself. Either alone or part of a group. I started a meditation group at lunch time on Wednesdays at 12:30 at the Duff building. Everyone is invited, experienced or not!
- Being surrounded by positive, uplifting and nourishing people. I am grateful to have a wonderful family, amazing close friends and the best colleagues I could have asked for!
- What do you do in your life to actively take care of your mental health?
I listen closely to my body, giving it what it needs. I observe my thoughts: having a positive mindset helps me get through more difficult times as well as reaching out to someone who knows me well for help.
- At times when you felt stressed at work, run down, tired what you do to turn it around?
When I realize that I am stressed or run down, I ‘’go back to the basics’’ which means taking good care of my health first:
- Clean eating (hello fresh fruits, vegetables and smoothies!)
- Aiming for 7-8 hours of sleep
- Spending time in nature.
- Meditate to feel grounded (for as little as 5 minutes!)
- By taking care of the basics, I am able to recharge my body, calm my mind, and be ready for my next challenge.
- I also organize my time better to be more efficient on the ways I complete projects.