Wellness Tip: take care of you and your well being during the break!

By Anne BARGIACCHI, Wellness Coordinator

A useful wellness tip is to choose activities based on your energy levels, to make time to rest and recharge whenever necessary, and to cultivate meaningful activities that bring you joy and other positive emotions. Take the time to “check in” with yourself (see Wellness Tip 1): slow down when you can and/or take a break, listen to notice your internal state and your body cues, and decide what feels right for you (including in terms of relationships, activities, sleep, movement and nutrition). Remember that it is easier to add positive emotions than removing negative ones (see Wellness Tip 2)! Consider how well being manifests for you - how do you feel when you are well? What kind of context, activities, situations, relationships, have an impact on how you are doing? You could choose to approach this with the curiosity of a scientist or explorer, examining what shapes your experiences and emotions. 

Break periods are also a great time to try new habits and activities, and to cultivate the ones you would like to keep during the rest of the school year. You could also aim to bring intentionality to your day when you can, including to your screen time: avoid scrolling mindlessly and rather look for ways to curate your feeds and focus on content that inspire you. Finally, whenever possible, practice doing one task at a time; it helps to reduce stress and improve focus, and to practice being in the present moment. 

Here are some examples of activities to try when you have more free time, your energy levels are higher, and you can slow down: practicing gratitude and savoring sweet moments by noting three good things each day, engaging in joyful movements, connecting with loved ones on a more regular basis, spending longer time in nature when possible, and setting limits on activities that drain you.

Remember, practicing mental fitness is different for everyone and it does not always prevent from experiencing symptoms that require professional attention. It is always ok to not be ok and truly brave to ask for help.

If you want to know more, please do not hesitate to visit the Wellness Center to work on your own wellness plan. If you are a 9th grader, you can sign up for the Science of Wellness class next year, which will explore a lot of these ideas in depth; finally, you could consider joining the upcoming mental health and Wellness Advisory Council. You will find other ideas to take care of your health in the Headlines and Pronote Communications. 

And if you are a senior graduating, consider signing up for this resource to transition out of high school with less stress and more confidence: 

https://jedfoundation.org/get-connected-with-set-to-go/

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STUDENT WELLNESS AND SUPPORT