Wellness Goals Final Reflection
Goal 1: Physical Goal
I will take 30 minutes to engage in some form of physical activity each day, as well as an hour, 3 times a week to workout with weights at the gym.
Goal 2: Environmental Goal
I will spend at least 30 minutes outdoors on a daily basis, rain or shine.
Final Reflection:
1. Were you successful in meeting your goal? Why or why not? If you answered “Yes”, briefly describe what supported you to meet your goal. If you answered “No”, describe the barriers you faced and identify 2-3 strategies you could have employed to support you to meet those goals.
Goal 1:
Yes, I was successful in meeting this goal. I very much in need a change of pace and environment in order to keep my mind fresh. My girlfriend is very active and always on the goal (I love this about her!). A couple of days that I spent a lot of time in front of a screen, she encouraged a walk or paddle as soon as she got home from work. This was definitely the break I needed to continue my work in the evening.
Goal 2:
No, I did not meet this goal. I only made it to the gym once this week, but I did make it twice the week before. I found that I would take advantage of time outside when the weather was nice, but I would tell myself that I would make it to the gym in the evening. Often, after a day in front of the screen, I decided that a night of quality sleep was more beneficial than going to the gym.
Strategies For Goal 2:
1. I could have taken the week away from the gym, incorporated a little more time into my environmental goal and come back to the gym when I had more time in the day.
2. Go to the gym first thing in the morning. Getting up earlier and starting the day with a workout would allow me the benefits of feeling good physically and having the rest of the day to complete my work.
2. What have you discovered about your wellness based on this experience?
Goal 1:
Getting outside and taking in fresh air clears my mind, resets my thoughts and allows me to be more effective in my learning. I need to take a break and connect with outdoors to keep my mind and body refreshed and ready to absorb new information and learning experiences.
Goal 2:
I definitely learned that having hip arthritis, I need to make sure I get to the gym to work on my strength and really take the time to stretch. Sitting for excess hours causes my hip to seize and the discomfort can work its way into my sleep at night. There is definitely a ripple effect if I neglect this area of my wellness.
3. Describe any connections between dimensions of wellness that you realized as a result of this process or working through the course content?
Goal 1:
My environmental goal often connects with the social aspect of wellness. I prefer to do outdoor activity with others. Most often I was out with my girlfriend and one day I joined a buddy for a paddle on the lake. This interaction often takes my mind off of stressful situations, ground me back to the importance of social connection and generally makes me happier.
Goal 2:
My physical goal is my personal time. It allows me to reflect on the day (which is often why I go in the evening), process anything that is on my mind and actively work out any frustrations. I think that I often connect to the financial, occupational, and psychological dimensions when I have time to myself. I work through any issues in my mind, come up with action plans, and often figure out solutions when I am in the gym. This week I noticed at times, that the "little things" were getting to me at times, which are things I would normally sort out while working out.
4. Based on this experience, share your perspective/opinion about the role of educators in supporting student mental well-being.
I think one of my biggest take away moments this week, in terms of wellness, is the platform of delivery. In a chat with Steve, during the week, I mentioned that I struggle with online learning. While I do "OK" in online situations that are built for chat room discussion and lots of read and respond assignments, I find it hard when the content really revolves around the need for social interaction and in-person learning. I am, by nature, a very social person...I learn the most from social situations where discussion and demonstration leads the way!
This made me think about our recent situation with Covid and how our students engaged in distance learning. If I, as an adult, can struggle with the online learning world, I can only imagine how many of our students do as well. So, we need to think about how to support our students mental well-being in this new normal. Whether or not we get back to in-class instruction or we remain online, I am going to do this wellness activity with my students. While I think in working with my teaching partners, we did a pretty good job checking in to see how our students were doing on a regular basis, it would be even better practice to draw their attention to the dimensions of wellness and give them opportunity to engage in self-reflection.
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