Ideas for Keeping Health and Wellness in Check

Writer

Elizabeth Atwater

Elizabeth Atwater is the former Associate Director of Content Strategy at Babson College. Her writing has appeared in print and online in a wide range of outlets including Forbes, The Atlantic, Reuters, Chief Learning Officer, BostInno, and Seventeen magazine. Her career includes a stint at a venture capital-backed technology startup, as well as a chapter working for a small, family-run public relations firm. Atwater earned her undergraduate degree at Northwestern University and MBA at Babson College.

April 2, 2020

Listen

“Welcome to Babson College’s guided meditation voicemail,” said the recorded voice on the other end of the phone.

Like many in our community, I’ve found a good night’s sleep harder to come by as the COVID-19 outbreak progresses and upends our routines.

Babson’s meditation voicemail (dial +1-781-239-REST) is just one of the free, stress-busting resources available for coping and prioritizing self-care.

Here are a few other ways Babson community members are prioritizing health and wellness.

Lean on Your Professors

Professors can play an important role in the wake of traumatic events, by acknowledging the emotions that come with this time of uncertainty. Professor Danna Greenberg explored this in research she published on how professors guided their students post-9/11.

“Most professors are not likely to solely frame their role as that of an emotional healer,” she found, “though many do believe an important facet of their role is to provide students with emotional and psychological support when needed.”

We’ve seen time and again how much the faculty care about Babson students and the community. Lean on them as we navigate this chapter together.

Get Moving

It can be tough to thrive cooped up inside the same four walls. While working and learning from home, work some movement into your routine. Try a walk outside for fresh air, fitness classes through WELLBEATS, or join RecFit’s weekly wellness challenges.

Even just getting up from behind your computer between classes, and taking a break to do something fun in between schoolwork helps.

Virtual Health & Wellness

This week, staff from Babson Health & Wellness kicked off various virtual support groups via WebEx. All groups are open, drop in, and held in Eastern Time, with topics like “Seniors,” “Disrupted Abroad,” and “If You’re Sick” among others.

Health Services is still available for phone consultations and in-person for students who have remained on campus, with new procedures for social distancing.

Get a Good Night’s Sleep

If you can, 6-8 hours of sleep each night has countless benefits. It’s what gives you the energy needed to manage stress. It helps you study more effectively and increases your concentration and problem solving skills. And, it boosts your immune system, which is more important than ever.

“Aim to wake up around the same time each day to start a routine,” Assistant Director of Wellness and Prevention Services Elise Brucato has said.

Stay Connected

Although COVID-19 has forced us to physically distance ourselves, our relationships are more valuable than ever. At last week’s virtual community forum, Vice President for Student Affairs and Dean of Students Lawrence P. Ward encouraged social connection as one of the best coping techniques of all.

“Staying connected via email, a text, FaceTime, snapchat, anything, especially to those outside of your circle, will help us get through these times.”