Health & Wellness

Create Your Wellness Plan!

Ensure you enjoy an enriching professional experience by optimizing your personal wellbeing during the course. Tune in to the morning and afternoon wellness activities to stay healthy and engaged during the course.

Physical Movement

A few days of sitting for course presentations and lectures can lead to unhealthy amounts of physical inactivity. Use the tips below to intentionally move more throughout the day and add short bouts of moderate to intense exercise. Exercise can increase your mind-body resilience to physical, mental, and emotional stress.

Set a timer to limit sitting for no longer than 60 minutes and take a stretch break. Take advantage of scheduled breaks to walk stairs, stretch, or do jumping jacks.
Use the stairs instead of the elevator and enjoy conversations during a casual stroll.
Try a 5-minute core workout or 15-minute yoga session on YouTube. Even small short bursts of activity are linked to better overall physical and mental health. If doing a whole workout seems overwhelming tell yourself you will walk for one minute. This amount is not overwhelming psychologically and usually leads to more excercise. Getting started and being consistent wins the day.
Diversify your workout routine by trying a new workout session with a buddy, and discuss the pros and cons of how it made you feel.
Participate in the physical wellness activities: core workout and the walk/run.

Nutrition & Hydration

Be kind to yourself and nourish your body with healthy, delicious, and nutritious foods. Foods rich in flavonoids, such as fruits, vegetables, teas, and chocolate may offer health promoting benefits. Flavonoids reportedly reduce oxidative stress, which can lead to chronic conditions; and provide antioxidants and neuroprotective benefits. Consider these tips:

Start your day by drinking 8 oz or more of water. Make water your drink of choice, and add a hint of fresh citrus, fruit, or herbs (e.g., mint) for flavor.
Practice mindful eating. Sit and enjoy your meal or snack without distractions (e.g., no screens or scholarly papers).
Keep a nutrient dense snack, such as nuts or fruit, on hand to keep you properly fueled. Nuts, walnuts, and seeds are an excellent source of omega-3.
Eat nutrient-dense and colorful fruits and vegetables such as berries, kiwi, apples, kale, and broccoli which support high levels of vitamin C, offer cellular brain protection, and may boost immune function.
Eat sources of omega-3 such as fatty fish which include salmon, mackerel, and tuna.
Eat a meal with a colleague to enjoy the added benefit of social connection. When dining out, choose a broth-based soup or side salad for an appetizer to get in extra nutrients without too many added calories. Share an entrée with colleague to avoid food waste and overeating.

Social Connection

Social exchanges have numerous benefits: they can cultivate feelings of belonging and purpose, increase levels of happiness, reduce levels of stress, improve self-worth and confidence, and help your body heal faster. Social connections can also help buffer the effects of depression, anxiety, and even thoughts of suicide.

Plan to join the course wellness activity Laughter Yoga as a new and joyful way to connect with others.
Find a partner during the course, and hold each other accountable to complete a morning or afternoon workout.
Make time to connect with friends or make new ones during breakouts, organized socials, or mealtimes. Resist the urge to isolate to “catch-up” on work.
Be proactive and seek out a mentor or mentee, you’ll both benefit.
Practice actively listening and give the gift of empathy when it is needed.
Purposefully interact with new people or people working on projects different from your own.

Mental & Emotional Health

Ensuring positive mental and emotional health is essential to daily thriving, being present in life’s moments, and overcoming life’s challenges. How we think, what we speak, and what we eat impact our mental and emotional health.

Drink water! The brain is primarily composed of water and this assists in removing harmful toxins that can impair cognitive functioning.
Try the tips in the “Nutrition and Hydration” section above.
Be present and practice single tasking. Avoid the temptation to check emails or text while viewing a presentation.
Engage in activities that are calming and relaxing such as yoga, journaling, meditating, and coloring to get a positive mental health diversion away from negative thinking and boost creativity.
Change your scenery. Get outdoors, enjoy the sun, and meet new people. Science shows the connection between light exposure and mental health. Taking a walk and enjoying discussions with new people may help you get “unstuck.”
Practice gratitude and do a random act of kindness. Write down three things that you are grateful for each morning, and share one thing on your list with someone.

Spirituality & Authentic Self

Evidence supports a regular practice of self-reflection, life centering, or spiritual connection which can quell stress, anxiety, and depression; and even contribute to a longer, more fulfilling life.

Practice morning reflections by asking yourself the following questions: What personal strength and gifts can I share? What do I need to accept? What can I take for action? What drives me to be my best? What values do I want to live out?
Meditate (Mobile Meditation Apps: Insight Timer, Calm, Headspace, StopBreathe&Think)
Listen to music, read a book, or take a walk.
Practice yoga (YouTube and Mobile Yoga Apps: Pocket Yoga, Asana Rebel).
Make a list of what motivates you in life and how you can craft a values-based life.
Embrace you and be honest when your daily task plate is too full. Develop strategies to bucket the “must-do,”
“nice-to-do, and “not required.”

Tune in to the morning and afternoon wellness activities to stay healthy and engaged during the course.

Restoration & Rejuvenation

Sleep is the body’s sacred time to recharge our physical and mental resilience. Plan to get 7-9 hours of sleep each night and remember that sleep quantity AND quality matter.

Be consistent with daily rest and rise time.
Avoid heavy meals, caffeine, or alcohol within four hours of bedtime
Turn off devices (i.e., cell phones and computers) an hour before bedtime.
Melatonin, aroma therapy, and herbal tea can help the body relax and unwind
Journal about what went well during the day and who you can encourage or support tomorrow.
Boost your sleep routine by getting closer to the recommended 7 hours a day.