Well-being is more than simply the absence of disease. It is the full integration of social, emotional, spiritual, environmental, occupational, intellectual and physical wellness. These seven dimensions act, and interact, in a way that contributes to the overall quality of life.
Over the past months in the NCMS Bulletin, Jason Horay, MS, ATC, CHES, the NCMS Plan Health Promotion Coordinator, has been taking you on a journey through each aspect of well-being, offering personal reflections and examples of ways to enhance each dimension within your workplace, community, and at home.
We encourage you to share this content with colleagues using social media and to share your ideas and personal experiences for enhancing your well-being by posting comments to the blog.
The next installment focuses on physical well-being.
Physical Well-Being
Physical well-being is the ability to maintain a healthy quality of life that allows us to get through our daily activities without undue fatigue or physical stress. The ability to recognize that our behaviors have a significant impact on our wellness and adopting healthful habits (routine checkups, a balanced diet, exercise, etc.) while avoiding destructive habits (tobacco, drugs, alcohol, etc.) will lead to optimal physical well-being.
We are all on separate journeys with unique stories and different challenges we face each day. You have passions that excitedly get you to jump out of bed. You have dreams that help get you through some tough days. And you have a willingness/curiosity to engage with others. Personally, both physical activity and healthy eating have been a major component of most of my life. I grew up working physical jobs, playing sports, and enjoying well-balanced, home cooked meals. In adulthood, it’s much harder to find opportunities to be active as priorities in my life have changed. At work, I stand most of the day by utilizing a sit-to-stand workstation. I also schedule physical activity as an “important meeting” in my day.
Below are some additional examples of how to enhance your physical well-being throughout the day:
At Work
- Schedule walking meetings with colleagues
- Take a lunchtime fitness class
- Take the stairs
- Choose the furthest parking spot
- Bring a healthy “brown bag” lunch
- Join a local gym/fitness center
- Participate in community sponsored charity runs
- Take advantage of parks and recreation facilities, bike paths, and greenways
- Support local farms
- Exercise as a family
- Demonstrate healthy cooking to your children
- Start a garden
- Play games and sports together
I encourage you to share this content with colleagues using social media and to share your ideas and personal experiences for enhancing your physical well-being by posting comments to the blog.