
It is well recognized that the pandemic forced many of us to slow down and take stock of our well-being and priorities. Mental health and workplace wellness are increasingly at the forefront as we have become more aware that wellness means more than the physical: we must also consider our emotional, spiritual, social and intellectual needs to balance our overall well-being. These changes are evident in the statistics. A 2021 survey by McKinsey showed that 79% of respondents believe wellness is important, with 42% considering it a top priority, and the wellness economy, having taken a dip due to Covid-19 is rapidly recovering; worth $4.4 trillion in 2022, the industry is expected to see an annual growth rate of 9.9%. The latest wellness trends also show a more holistic approach, from fitness collectives to an increased interest in getting back to nature and an emphasis on long-term health rather than weight loss.
As tempting as it can be to try out the latest fad, though, well-being is highly personal and subject to change over time. Understanding and accepting our own needs is essential, as is making wellness practices a part of our daily habits. This isn’t always easy though, so read on for some tips for ways you can look after both your body and mind, no matter your phase of life.
Physical Well-being
Physical wellness encompasses all aspects of physical health, from exercise and nutrition to sleep, relaxation and sexual health. We can have a positive impact on both our health and our mood by paying attention to what our bodies need and making choices accordingly.
Tips for physical well-being:
- Find activities you enjoy, and make sure to have some fun! This could be joining a football team, solo hiking or yoga; the most important thing is that you look forward to it, so that you keep going back. - Don’t build your physical wellness around others’ expectations, whether it is someone you know or society as a whole. We all have our own needs and baselines when it comes to what our bodies need – find yours, and then make this what you work to maintain or achieve. - Make physical wellness a habit, not a fad; a New Year’s resolution or a plan to catch up on sleep during a week off aren’t enough unless your baseline is usually strong. It won’t always be possible to have a complete balance, but prioritising the aspects that make the most difference for you is a good start.Emotional Well-being
Emotional wellness means that we are aware of, understand and – sometimes most importantly – accept our emotions. This can help us to stay present and deal with any change or challenges which come our way.
Ignoring or discounting our emotions can mean that we are unable to truly engage with the world around us, which can have a negative impact on everything from the decisions that we make to our relationships and careers.
Tips for Emotional Well-being
- Find a person with whom you feel safe discussing the way you feel; this can be a friend, a family member or a professional. It’s important to have a supportive outlet in which you feel comfortable working through your emotions, as understanding and accepting them can take a situation from one which feels overwhelming to one which is manageable.
- Practice mindfulness. This doesn’t mean you need to take up meditation, just that you learn to tune into the present moment, even (especially) in moments of high stress or anxiety. Try closing your eyes, taking a deep breath and noticing what’s happening around you: the sounds, the smells, the textures. Doing so can help to create a space between reaction and action, and we all know that acting on impulse in a moment of anger or stress rarely leads to good outcomes.
- Practice gratitude. You may think this sounds silly, but reminding yourself of what you have to be thankful for can be enormously helpful in moments that you feel down. Even if it’s something as simple as being happy that it isn’t raining, positive thoughts cause our brain to release dopamine and serotonin – the ‘feel-good’ hormones. Try keeping a gratitude journal, in which you write down the things you are grateful for – this not only helps in the present moment but allows you to go back and reflect.
Spiritual Well-being
Spiritual wellness means that we feel connected to something greater than ourselves, which can help to form our morals and values. This doesn’t need to be your religion - it could be the connection you feel in nature, or to your community. Feeling connected can make decisions feel easier and offers stability in times of uncertainty.
Because our personal values often form the basis of habits, spiritual wellness can also help ensure that these are positive and reflect who you are and what you aspire to.
Tips for Spiritual Well-being
- Make nurturing your spiritual wellness a regular part of your life. Go to church, take a walk in the woods, volunteer at a local shelter – the format it takes isn’t important as long as this part of you feels renewed.
- Keep your morals and values in mind when you make choices, especially the big ones. Make them part of your why, so that you can focus on what you need to do to achieve your goals rather than getting lost in figuring out your purpose.
Social Well-being
Social wellness comes from how we interact and relate with others. This involves building healthy and nurturing personal relationships, but it can also be impacted by the way we casually engage with others. Less intuitively, it is also impacted by the way we connect with ourselves, as this is the basis of our outer lives.
Social well-being is critical to resilience in overall wellness, as it can have a strong relationship to our emotional and physical health and for many is tied to spiritual practices as well.
Tips for Social Well-being
- Get to know yourself and make time for your own interests. Not all of us have the same social needs; you may enjoy spending time with a large group of friends or prefer to simply spend time alone in a café, with the proximity of others being enough. If you’ve had a long week full of demanding guests, the company of your dog or even your plants might be all you can handle. Whatever it is, tune into what gives you energy and make this a part of your schedule – looking after yourself will help you to look after others.
- Consider the way your relationships make you feel. You may not be able to completely discard ones which bring you down, but you can set boundaries or try to make changes. Understanding these interactions is crucial for managing conflicts. Conversely, make time for and nurture the relationships which you value.
- Learn how to decompress when you need to. This is important in hospitality, when much of our daily social engagement can be forced; even the most enthusiastic people person can only plaster on a smile for so long in the face of an angry guest. These faked emotions can turn into emotional labour, which can turn into burnout if it isn’t managed.
Intellectual Well-being
Intellectual wellness comes from the stimulation of knowledge, creativity and curiosity. This can come from taking a class, reading a book or taking on a new hobby – anything which engages our interests and keeps us open to new ideas and experiences.
Like the other dimensions of wellness, your intellectual well-being is highly personal and very much related to what sparks your interest. Attending a mandated course may not nurture this part of you.
Tips for Intellectual Well-being
- Follow your curiosity. Learning for the love of it, rather than because you’re told you have to, is the secret to developing a habit of lifelong learning. There is a seemingly endless pool of knowledge to explore, so why not jump in when a topic piques your interest?
- Challenge yourself. You may be hesitant to pick up a new hobby because everyone around you already does it well, but remember: every expert had to start at the beginning. Learning something which feels difficult or intimidating almost always feels incredibly rewarding when you succeed.
- Think about your CV: you use action verbs like expand, create and develop. Consider your intellectual well-being the same way and make your goals and activities ones which move you forward.
The Takeaway
External pressures and priorities can make balancing the dimensions of personal wellness a challenge, however doing so can make a significant difference in our quality of life. Take the time to think about what is important to you in each area and incorporate this into your habits and practices – well-being shouldn’t be an afterthought. Your needs may change over time, but by establishing a baseline of wellness you will find that you are better equipped to handle what comes your way.