Addressing the 6 Dimensions of Wellness When You’re Stuck At Home

Written by: Kendall Rosen, CFW Sr. Health Fitness Program Manager

Working from home mom and daughter

Dr. Bill Hettler, co-founder of the National Wellness Institute developed the Six Dimensions of Wellness in the 1970s.  Today, these interdependent dimensions still provide a concise and well-balanced approach to creating and maintaining a healthy life.  The following suggestions can help you on your wellness path, even during times when you are stuck at home.

Social

Being able to connect with others is one of the main elements of the CFW solution. Maintaining social connection is more challenging at a time when you can’t be physically close to your friends and family who are outside of your homes.  Fortunately, you likely have access to many social media outlets that can help keep these connections strong!  You can maintain positive social relationships through your social platforms of choice as well as through current technology.  Apps like Apple’s FaceTime, Android and iOS-supported WhatsApp or Signal, and Microsoft’s Skype allow you to video chat with those you would normally see on a regular basis.  Even if tech isn’t your thing, don’t underestimate the value of a simple phone call!  You may not be feeling the personal strain of being stuck at home yet, but that doesn’t mean your friends and family aren’t.  Dedicate a few minutes of your day to touching base with your social circle.

Emotional

Emotional or mental wellness has taken center stage in the health world recently, and with good reason. Maintaining mental health is critical to an overall healthy lifestyle.  The CDC has provided this helpful resource for managing stress and anxiety related to COVID-19.  To help mitigate the additional stress you might be feeling, identify calming activities that you can do alone or with your family like coloring, putting together a puzzle, doing a YouTube Yoga workout, or even getting a head start on spring cleaning!

Meditation at home

Spiritual

The National Wellness Institute defines this dimension as our search for meaning and purpose. Take this time to check in with yourself and identify actions you can take that align with your beliefs and values.  As you go through your closets during your spring cleaning, you can set aside items that you wish to donate to those in need.  If you regularly attend religious services, it is a great time to explore what your local spiritual leaders are offering to keep the community moving forward.  This could be a great opportunity for you to begin volunteering your time to help out remotely!

Occupational

Work from home occupational health

Feeling fulfilled with your job and career path may prove to be one of the bigger obstacles at this time. You may be looking at working from home for the first time in your career.  The New York Times published this article with great tips for maintaining productivity outside of the office.  If you are unable to work from home, you can still accomplish things that will help your career in the long term.

Look for continuing education and/or professional development opportunities online that are relevant to your occupation or position within your organization.  Make a list of those things that you’ve been meaning to work on, but haven’t had the time.  Being away from your daily roles and responsibilities makes this the perfect time for you to tackle that side project you’ve been putting on the back burner.

Intellectual

After the first few days of being off of your regular routine, the “vacation” will soon feel like it’s over. The National Wellness Institute suggests reading, playing board games or musical instruments, journaling, doing crossword and Sudoku puzzles, and learning new skills to address the need for creative and stimulating mental activities.  Try using some of your social resources mentioned above to host a book club with your friends and family who are also stuck at home.  Share links to websites that provide free crossword puzzles and work with a friend to complete a challenging one.  This might even be a great time for you to work on your foreign language skills!

Physical

Being unable to get to the gym might feel like it’s putting a wrench in your overall health goals. Luckily, there’s a wealth of fitness resources available online that you can access from anywhere. We are increasing our efforts to provide options and quality content from our own Team Leaders and curated from trusted sites.

home workout

Virtual classes and video coaching sessions are examples of solutions we’re putting into action.  And while most of us will have limited access to exercise equipment, bodyweight workouts are your friend.  Push-ups and Pull-ups are plenty hard without needing additional weight.  Exercises like squats and lunges can be made more challenging by adding in plyometrics, or jump training.  You can still get in your cardio by enjoying some fresh air, which goes a long way for your overall health.  Your body produces vitamin D naturally when it’s directly exposed to sunlight.  According to this article published on Healthline, Vitamin D helps fight disease, regulates mood, and even boosts weight loss.  Exercising outside in safe conditions is like multiplying your health and wellness efforts!

At CFW, we encourage all of our members, clients, Team Leaders, followers, and extended fitness family to stay well year-round.  While circumstances beyond your direct control may seem like they will impede your progress, it is important to find ways around obstacles.  It is vital to keep an open mind, try your best to stay positive, and find ways to promote health and wellness in your household and among your social groups as best you can.  Please remember that physical isolation and social distancing doesn’t mean that you are alone.  We are all in this together and figuring out things as we go.  We promise to help you in your efforts to stay healthy to the best of our ability.

For more information on the Six Dimensions of Wellness, visit the National Wellness Institute’s page here.