As we near the apex of the school year and finals, students and faculty alike can easily get overwhelmed. What's important to remember this week is to practice self-care. I’m not talking hot-baths and watching Netflix in fuzzy pajamas self-care, although that can be a part of it, but true wellness self-care. This requires looking at all areas of your life and making sure they are getting the time and care they need. You can do this by looking at all seven dimensions of wellness.
The first is physical wellness. This is an act of listening to your body and meeting its needs. Physical wellness is the foundation for other aspects of wellness. Physical wellness can often be overlooked during finals when people are focused on completing tasks and become absorbed. It can actually help you to be more productive if you take time away from work to focus on your physical wellness and eat a healthy meal, do some stretches, or go for a walk. You also can practice physical wellness by walking around campus or going to the campus gym.
Emotional wellness is the next stepping stone in self-care. Achieving the ability to monitor and regulate your emotions is about more than depression or anger problems. It can include your ability to cope with stressful situations, like finals week, but also encompasses optimism, self-esteem, and self-acceptance. Emotional wellness can have a ripple effect on our self-images, our work, and our relationships. You can improve emotional wellness by recognizing harmful thought patterns and adjusting them, spending time meditating and developing mantras, seeking counseling, and limiting your intake of news and social media. If you're struggling with emotional wellness, reach out to the Loras Counseling Center Services.
Growing our minds through intellectual wellness is another foundation of overall wellness. Being in classes we learn new things every day. This is great for our intellectual wellness. However, it's good to step outside of school work to stretch our brains. It can be relaxing to step back from an assignment to do a crossword puzzle, check out a local museum, or read a book for pleasure. This type of wellness means intentionally keeping our minds open and active, encouraging new thoughts, opinions, and ideas. If you're interested in expanding your intellectual wellness, explore writing about all aspects of wellness in the book display on the Library’s main floor.
Spiritual wellness is not always considered, but it too is another important dimension. This does not necessarily entail becoming religious or connecting with a higher power, rather it is about one's search for meaning and purpose in life. It is about finding peace and harmony in our lives. There are many ways to develop this aspect of wellness including yoga, meditation, spending time in nature, getting involved in a local worship community, or volunteering. You can also check out the resources of Loras’ Spiritual Life Center.
Environmental wellness is another vital area that pertains to our existence on our planet. This type of wellness is grounded in treating mother earth with kindness and finding a connection to the world around us. To stay in harmony with the planet you could pick up litter, start a compost, take a nature walk, or start a small garden.
The next area is social wellness. The importance of this become very apparent during the pandemic when people were cut off from usual connections with friends and family and communities. Social wellness encourages forming relationships through active listening and open communication. This can be practiced during finals week by setting aside time to spend with a friend, meeting up with a club or organization, or communicating your needs to family and friends that you may not have time for those things during finals because you’ll be focusing on your work.
The last dimension of wellness is occupational or career. This involves a healthy work-life balance and finding fulfillment in one’s work. This is even important for students, whose current work is school. Occupational wellness can be hard to maintain during finals when you're cramming for tests and finishing papers. It’s important to remember the end goal. Think about what your why is behind achieving a degree and let that motivate you. In addition, make sure that you give your life a balance and see friends, eat right, and take study breaks.
Have a great finals week. Good luck! And remember to take care of all seven dimensions of wellness, in order to remain balanced and not get overwhelmed during this stressful time.
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