8 Dimensions of Wellness

Educational Wellness is personal satisfaction and fulfillment in your academic and work path. It is also finding that your program of study aligns with your values and that the coursework is challenging, yet manageable. Studies show that increasing educational wellness leads to greater life satisfaction, increased confidence and productivity, and reduced burnout and stress.

Ways to increase Educational Wellness:

• Make an appointment with Career Center to consider future plans.
• Try the Pomodoro study method.
• Schedule time to study/do homework.
• Meet with your advisor.
• Get 7-9 hours of sleep each night.
• Take a career interest survey.
• Go to your professor's office hours.
• Set SMART goals.
• Use a schedule to plan your priorities.
• Go to class regularly.

Emotional Wellness is an awareness of your feelings and your response to everyday interactions. It’s also having the skills to cope effectively with life’s ups and downs, being resilient, and believing in yourself. Increasing Emotional Wellness is linked to clearer mind, better mood, enhanced self-esteem and better communication skills.

Ways to increase Emotional Wellness:

• Aim for 7-9 hours of sleep.
• Be kind to yourself.
• Practice breathing exercises.
• Focus on what you can control. 
• Drink half your body weight in water.
• Seek professional help.
• Set healthy boundaries.
• Limit alcohol and substance abuse.
• Keep a positive attitude.

Environmental wellness is occupying pleasant and stimulating environments that support well-being. It is also living a life that prioritizes the relationship between yourself, your community and your environment.

Ways to increase Environmental Wellness:

• Keep your room tidy.
• Find a study spot that works for you.
• Attend events on campus beyond classes.
• Call out racist, sexist or homophobic language.
• Take a walk on the Beaver Island Trail.
• Know how to ask, “Hey, You Okay?”

Financial Wellness is learning money management skills to successfully make financial decisions, planning for current needs and working toward future goals. Improving financial wellness can lead to many positive effects in the other dimensions of well-being. Studies show that increasing financial wellness leads to improved academic performance, decreased financial stress, and improved overall physical and mental health.  

Ways to increase Financial Wellness:

• Create a budget.
• Track your expenses.
• Automate bill payments and transfers.
• Stay on top of scholarship opportunities.
• Start building your credit score.
• Have an emergency fund.
• Buy used whenever possible.
• Differentiate needs from wants.
• Attend financial literacy workshops.

Additional Tips: 

• Encourage your Huskies to talk to the financial aid office about potential aid options. 
• Talk about reviewing Huskies Basic Needs Resources webpage. 
• Motivate your student to utilize the Huskies Food Pantry. 
• Make them research on health insurance and how it works. 
• Remind them to use their student ID card for the Free Metro Ride. 
• Motivate your student to apply for Huskies Scholarships. 

Intellectual Wellness is recognizing ways to expand knowledge, skills, and understanding through lifelong learning and curiosity, and sharing your knowledge with others. Studies show that increasing intellectual wellness leads to improved cognition, open-mindedness, clearer thinking, improved concentration and memory, the creation of neural pathways to support brain growth, and an overall more stimulating life.

Ways to increase Intellectual Wellness:

• Keep updated about campus happenings on Huskies Connect.
• Share an interesting concept from class with a friend.
• Read emails from St. Cloud State University.
• Keep a journal.
• Do a daily crossword puzzle or other brain stimulating activity.
• Examine topics from multiple perspectives.
• Try something new.
• Unleash your creativity.
• Eat foods high in Omega-3's: fish, nuts, plant oils, etc.
• Get a good night's sleep.
• Read a book.

Physical Wellness is implementing daily habits and behaviors that positively impact overall health, well-being, and quality of life. It includes topics such as sleep, exercise, eating habits, sexual health, and more. Improving physical wellness can lead to many positive effects in the other dimensions of well-being. Studies show that increasing physical wellness leads to stronger bones and muscles, reduced health risk, longer life, and improved overall mood and well-being! 

Ways to increase Physical Wellness:

• Aim for 7-9 hours of sleep a night.
• If you choose to drink, alternate alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages and consume responsibly.
• Understand standard drink size for alcoholic beverages. 
• Aim for 150 minutes of moderate intensity exercise per week.
• Develop a plan to reduce your risk of STDs/STIs/HIV and unwanted pregnancy.
• Become a member of Condom Club. 
• Pay attention to hunger and fullness cues.
• Drink plenty of water.
• Wash your hands regularly.
• Eat a balanced diet.
• Regularly check-in with your doctor.

Social Wellness is a sense of belonging through building and nurturing meaningful, supportive relationships with individuals, groups, and communities. Increasing social wellness leads to living longer, strong immune system, and overall improved health. 

Ways to increase Social Wellness:

• Join a student organization on-campus.
• Schedule a time to get lunch with your friends, roommate, classmates, etc. 
• Reach out to the people in your life and check up on them.
• Perform random acts of kindness.
• Pick up a new hobby.
• Create healthy relationships.
• Practice self-care.
• Devote time and energy to your relationships.

Spiritual Wellness is nurturing your understanding of the universe and why we are in it by formulating and following your guiding values, purpose and meaning. We encourage students to improve their own spiritual wellness to improve their sense of purpose and meaning, resilience and clear values to live by. 

Ways to increase Spiritual Wellness:

• Create and recite positive affirmations daily.
• Volunteer for a cause.
• Connect with nature.
• Stay connected with your community.
• Use your personal ethics to make decisions.
• Do an activity that aligns with your values.
• Aim to spend at least 10-15 minutes a day for meditation, prayer or personal reflection.
• Write down your personal values and hang the list where you will see it daily.
• List 3 things you are grateful for each night and shift your focus to positive aspects of your life.
• Dedicate one day a week to digital detox and disconnect from social media and technology.