For the longest time, I thought of wellness as being exclusively related to physical health. However, when I began to consider the personal needs within different aspects of my life, I became increasingly aware of wellness as a spectrum. The National Wellness Institute has defined six dimensions of wellness: emotional, occupational, physical, social, intellectual, and spiritual. It is important to actively adress concerns within each dimension of wellness to maintain your overall health. Use this guide to be more mindful of addressing your wellness needs in all aspects of your life.
Social wellness is about maintaining relationships with the people in your support system and community. Especially during the pandemic, its important to find ways to stay connected with your loved ones and your community. Doing your favorite activites, like watching movies or have a meal togeher, are easy ways to spend time with your family. Having video calls with your friends or playing games together online are easy ways to connect with your friedns under social distancing guidelines.
Emotional wellness is primarily concerned with your mental health. It’s important to feel secure in addressing your emotional concerns and having an awareness of your mental well-being. Confiding in loved ones and journaling are common ways to confront your feelings. It is also important to seek professional support if you have further concerns.
Occupational wellness is about finding satisfaction in your career and professional pursuits. As a college student, there are a lot of resources available to take care of occupational needs. Talking to advisors is a great way to plan for your future and explore career options. Using your personal and academic interests to guide your exploration of career interests can be beneficial in deciding on a good occupational pursuit or post graduation plan. At this time of year, searching for internships or other summer opprtunites is also the perfect way to work on professional development.
Physical wellness is important in maintain your body’s general health. Exercising and eating healthy are two of the more obvious means of doing so. However, stress management and sleep are also important parts of physical health, especially college students. Even if you are not going to the gym, there are thousands of fun, at-home workout videos on YouTube!
