President Robbins Shares Thoughts on Well-Being in LWC Video

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Get enough sleep, watch what you eat and live in the present. Those are some of the thoughts shared by University of Arizona President Robert C. Robbins in a video produced by Life & Work Connections.

Employees "need to know their numbers," Robbins says in the video, the fourth installment in the "WellBeing in Action" series. "What's your blood pressure, what's your ACL, what's your LDL, what's your body mass index?"

People also need to think about much sleep they're getting, and whether it's quality sleep, Robbins said in an interview.

"Get ahead of the game. Think prevention so you don't have to undergo a major operation or a major life-changing event. You'll be more productive, happy and you'll enjoy life more."

The video series, produced by Life & Work Connections, part of the Division of Human Resources, features UA employees participating in activities to improve physical, social and emotional well-being. In the January installment in the series, Robbins shares some of his top health recommendations.  

"This (job) is a big responsibility that I take seriously, and I'm inspired by it," Robbins said. "I'm very much looking forward to taking advantage of all the wonderful facilities that we have, not the least of which is the Mall."

When he's not on campus, Robbins enjoys being on a different patch of grass.

"My passion is playing golf," Robbins says. "If you walk, that's 7 miles on an 18-hole golf course."

And whether he plays well is beside the point.

"If I play poorly, I can't wait to get back out and try to do better," Robbins says. "And if I play great, I can't wait to get back out and duplicate that. So it's a win-win situation."

Like many at the UA, Robbins looks for ways to manage work and life stress.  

"Certainly, the enormous responsibility of this job can be stressful," Robbins said. "Moving to a new city, having aging parents, having children that are transitioning into the workplace – there are a lot of complicated things going on in one's life that can cause stress."

His advice:  "Focus on the positive things in your life and things you do have control of. Live life in the moment, to the fullest every day."

"Father Time wins all games and we are all going to get older," Robbins said. "The longer you can be active – not only physically, but mentally – you'll have a more productive, fun and meaningful life."

To help employees meet their well-being goals for 2018, Life & Work Connections offers individual and department health screenings covering metabolic, fitness and biometric values. LWC also provides the following services:

• Employee Wellness and Health Promotion
• Employee Assistance Services
• Work/Life Integration
• Childcare and Family Resources
• Elder Care and Life Cycle Resources

Visit the Life & Work Connections website for more information.

To see previous installments in the WellBeing in Action series, click here.