Eat, sleep, move, and study well. Take care of yourself and find delight in your life.
Personal well-being practices improve quality of life by fostering positive emotions, satisfaction, and happiness: True self-actualization, building resilience, nurturing deep friendships, and learning to live fully. By being Purposefully Intentional, these practices encompass various aspects of life, including social relationships, physical health, and emotional well-being, all vital for a fulfilling life.
You're in college, juggling classes, papers, friends, TGIT, and life. Things are buzzing along. Sometimes, despite doing everything right, some days are just a little... rough. Maybe things aren't too bad; maybe you got most things in line and are just looking to spark that flame to ensure everything stays in line. Imagine you're chatting with a friend over coffee at the cap bar. What advice would you give? How would you inspire him or her to keep going? It’s simple: doing good things for you is the key to a fulfilling life. It’s the small, everyday things that matter. These things are essential for promoting physical, emotional, and mental health. Personal well-being practices improve quality of life by fostering positive emotions, satisfaction, and happiness: True self-actualization, building resilience, nurturing deep friendships, and learning to live fully. These practices encompass various aspects of life, including social relationships, physical health, and emotional well-being, all vital for a fulfilling life.
You might start with, why are you doing all this anyway? Being at college is a privilege; being at a private Catholic college is an intentional choice, so what brought you here, and what do you want to do here that will lead to where you will be in the future? Having a vision of purpose is the first part of having Purposeful Intentionality; more on that below.
First thing's first: to be healthy, you gots to be... healthy. Engaging in personal well-being practices is closely linked to better health outcomes. Research has shown that individuals who prioritize their well-being experience lower levels of stress, anxiety, and depression, leading to improved physical health and overall well-being. See below for some ideas on how to maintain a baseline of health. Embracing personal well-being practices is crucial for those who aspire to lead fulfilling and healthy lives. These practices take a comprehensive approach to well-being, addressing life's physical, emotional, and social aspects. By prioritizing personal well-being, you can elevate your quality of life, boost your health and resilience, and nurture meaningful relationships.
There is no way to cover all of the information here on one webpage. We’ll give you the essential information to accomplish each step in our Wellness Map and point you to the places on and off campus where you can find additional support and resources. If you need further support, don’t hesitate to contact our Case Manager!
Here are a few considerations for this first step:
*For Parent resources for supporting students, click here.
EAT Well / Stay Hydrated!
Get three balanced meals per day. It gets hot in Texas, so stay hydrated (3.7L for men and 2.7L for women per day—pregaming before Groundhog does not count)!
- Aramark Nutritional Services
If you need special accommodations for your nutrition, contact Aramark, and they'll be happy to help!
See more info on diet from UD Health Clinic.
See Harvard's Healthy Eating Plate for some good ideas about how to balance a healthy diet.
*Over 90% of female students report restricting nourishment, and 57% of men report
binge eating to some degree. If you are struggling with eating, here are some additional
supports.
How can you make sure you are getting enough internal resources built up to move effectively through your day?
MOVE Well
Get 20 mins of physical activity daily, or at least get moving when possible.
UD Fitness Center
Get outdoors! Explore the nature around campus or in Irving Parks and Trails.
What could you do -- where coud you go, that would help get you moving?
See more info on exercise from UD Health Clinic.
REST Well
Get 7-8 hrs. of uninterrupted sleep, and take time to rest. Try not to take extended naps.
See more info on sleep from UD Health Clinic.
How can you arrange your day to get to bed at a resonable hour?
STUDY (Work) Well
Take care of responsibilities first, then move on. *Otherwise responsibility tasks pile up and become unmanageably stressful!
Are there ways you can maximize your study time?
A great resource for study support is the Office of Academic Success.
See more info on studying from the UD Health Clinic.
ENJOY Well
Take delight in the world around you responsibly. Be responsible first, then enjoy, but make sure it is something that brings you delight and isn't something that ultimately adds to your stress.
What are some ways you can enjoy your free time? (*Maybe, how do you carve out effective free time in your day?) Engaging in idle doom-scrolling, Netflix & vegging, or endless screentiming your freetime, while fine in moderation, may not be the healthiest option for your brain health.
PRAY Well
Whether Catholic, Protestant, Muslim, Hindi, or other, Campus Ministry is here to help you on your spiritual journey! The Church of the Incarnation is open to all students needing some time to pause, be reflective, and center themselves within their day.
PURPOSEFUL INTENTIONALITY:
Start with WHY, be kind and PATIENT with yourself, then MOVE.
Your purpose is your aspirations, hopes, dreams, and personal outlook for your future. Your purpose shapes all other areas of your life and guides all the steps you take to get to your future. With a clear understanding of your purpose, you gain the confidence to make tough decisions and the resilience to overcome obstacles. Your purpose leads you to a deep and rewarding life. Understanding your purpose is essential to making helpful steps today to get you to tomorrow. If you aren’t sure what your ultimate purpose is in life, that’s OK too… that means it’s the time to discover this purpose! Take the time afforded you in classes and community to step towards your more profound purpose.
In this step... Just focus on who you want to be- today, tomorrow, five years from now, what kind of person do you want to be, regardless of where life currently has positioned you. Try to be more like that person today. What is going to get you to where you want to be in the future? Probably many different things; possibly some of which that are out of reach right now. The most important things, though, are your most basic needs today. We can't get closer towards your purpose Tomorrow without first getting through Today.
Try to start simple first, what is a simple thing you can do, Today? Start there, get the ball rolling, and let momentum pick up the pace for you as you go.
**Life isn’t always this easy. If you need additional support or help, move to Step 2 or contact us for further assistance.
ACHIEVABLE GOAL
What is one small thing you can accomplish in Step 1: Personal Wellness?
(Eat, Move, Rest, Study, Enjoy, Be Well-Intentioned)
E.g., Eat - Have three square meals for four days this week. (or) Rest: Get seven to eight hours of sleep four days this week. (or) Study: Set a calendar schedule of assignments due and when you need to start working on them. (etc.) *Only pick one to start, then expand as you go. Momentum is key here.
SELF-AWARENESS
You are more than the sum of your successes or failures. Glean insight into what is easy or difficult in achieving the goal above. Think of it as feedback rather than a success or failure. What will you learn about yourself after this week?
