As we reach the end of the school year, some of us find our schedules opening up for more “down time,” while the rest of us might find our schedules just as busy as before. Either way, summer can sometimes prove to be a difficult season to continue working on our seven dimensions of wellness.
To help you out, here is a list of ways to keep on track with your wellness during the summer months:
Physical: Stay hydrated!
Replace your tall glass of lemonade with an even taller glass of ice water! Water is essential for every bodily function, because we’re actually made of 70 percent water. Not drinking enough water can lead to various health problems and leaves us feeling drained of energy.
Social: Stay social!
Social wellness is all about communicating your thoughts, feelings and ideas. Stay in touch with your social circles: Organize an outing, explore a new place, or take a well-deserved trip with friends and family!
Environmental: Stay involved!
Share your talents and skills by contributing to the community! Volunteer at an organization, such as Habitat for Humanity or a food bank, visit a nursing home or hospital, or contribute to a cause you care about.
Spiritual: Stay mindful!
Make an effort to be mindful, live in the moment, and appreciate life’s simple pleasures. When interacting with others, give your full attention. When you are glancing at your phone or computer, or thinking about your to-do list, those around you pick-up on cues that you are not fully listening.
Vocational: Stay interested!
Take up a hobby that suits your personality, interests or talents. Vocational wellness is closely tied to personal values. Spending time working on something that you truly enjoy is not only healthy, but is great practice as well.
Emotional: Stay positive!
Between surrounding yourself with positive people and getting rid of any negative thoughts as they come to mind, keeping a positive attitude will help you enjoy summer even more. Take some time out of your day to lie outside, catch some rays, read a book, and soak in all that you have to be thankful for.
Intellectual: Stay alert!
Challenge some of your unconscious habits, like brushing your teeth using your non-dominant hand or taking a different route to work. This actively challenges your brain to keep itself on its toes!
Whether you have a newfound abundance of time, or still need to schedule moments throughout your week, keep up the hard work on balancing each of the seven dimensions of wellness.
Enjoy a fun, safe, and healthy summer!
Join SEVEN and discover wellness at Illinois State
Challenge yourself to make YOU a priority! SEVEN is a free program from Health Promotion and Wellness for students, faculty, and staff that focuses on the importance of the seven dimensions of wellness: emotional, environment, intellectual, physical, social, spiritual, and vocational.
SEVEN runs from September to the end of April, and you can join at any time. Log wellness activities to earn points toward monthly prize drawings. Participants also receive the SEVEN newsletter and information on campus wellness events.
