How to Prioritize Personal Wellbeing

Hey, Gators! During this time where we are all learning to live a new normal, it may be easy to forget how important it is to take care of ourselves.

Whether you are now taking classes from home, working virtually, or just have a lot more free time, staying productive can seem overwhelming. Creating a personal schedule can be very beneficial and help keep you on track. Waking up at the same time every day, planning time to eat meals, setting time aside to get moving, and going to sleep early can all be very helpful in keeping your body healthy and prepared to get things done. Do you find yourself getting distracted easily? Studies have shown that even short bursts, or Sparks, of physical activity can help relieve stress, increase memory skills, and primes the brain to perform its best (Ratey, 2008). Check out these Spark activities created by RecSports to keep your mind ready to work hard and learn.

Exercising our brains by learning new things is just as important as exercising our muscles. With more free time, there is an opportunity for you to learn all kinds of new things that you may not have had time to learn in the past. If you have ever wanted to learn how to play a musical instrument, now is a great time to pick up that guitar or piano (well maybe just sit down at that piano) and start making music. Do you miss going out to eat at your favorite restaurants? Try cooking your favorite meals from home and maybe you will find you have some hidden cooking talents. Are you missing the ability to travel to different countries around the world? Begin learning a new language from a country you hope to visit when you are able to travel again. This will keep you excited about the culture even now while you can’t actually experience it in-person. There are also many free courses online for a variety of other topics like business, leadership, economics, and even computer coding. A quick google search of any subject you are interested in will bring back lots of resources for you to use.

While staying productive and learning is important for our wellbeing, so is taking time to simply enjoy things that make you happy. Making sure you are content is extremely important to your mental and emotional health. There are so many options to enjoy things you love, so I am sure there is something out there for everyone. Pick up a book by your favorite author or about your favorite topic and find a cozy place to read. Put on your headphones and listen to an interesting podcast or some fun music. If you have a furry (or scaly, feathery, or even hairless) friend at home, take advantage of all the extra time you have to spend together by teaching them a new trick or playing with their favorite toys. Let your creative juices flow and create some artwork to decorate your home or to give to a loved one. Feed your competitive drive by competing with your friends in your favorite video games. And if you are like me, you probably have a few projects laying around that you haven’t had the time to finish. Now you have all the time you need to complete those DIY projects you have been trying to get to.

Keep in mind, the key to personal wellbeing is all about balance! While we want to stay active, keep our brains engaged, and allow time for us to relax, too much of any one thing can be unhealthy. Do your best to fill your days with a variety of activities so that you don’t get bored and stay interested in everything you choose to do.

-Leah Pendarvis

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