As the holidays are approaching, we are focusing this week on the Social dimension of the PCOW Wellness Wheel. Social wellness is defined as “fostering a sense of connection and belonging with others. This involves using good communication skills, respecting yourself and others, and creating and maintaining a well-developed support system.” The positive effects of building and cultivating healthy relationships with family and friends are infinite. We respond better to stress, form better habits, are more at peace and boost our self-esteem to be comfortable in ourselves and more at ease in different social settings.

UMW offers many ways for its employees to practice social wellness on campus: eat lunch with a colleague, attend a UMW-sponsored event with your family, or cheer on your students at UMW sports event with a friend! What will you do to practice good social wellness this week and during the holiday break? Share it with us on our Facebook page: UMW Wellness or Instagram: umw_wellness.

The President’s Council on Wellness has a social media challenge for the month of November: “Savor the Moment.” Take some time and stop and appreciate each moment in your life. Snap a photo of one of those moments, whether you are enjoying a walk outside with the falling leaves, a cup of hot chocolate/coffee, or having a good time with friends and family. Post your photo on Instagram or Facebook and tag @UMW_Wellness with #UMWSavorthemoment. Everyone who posts a photo will be entered into a raffle and we will draw one prize winner each week to win a gratitude journal during the month of November!

“Seize every second of your life and savor it. Value your present moments.” – Dr. Wayne Dyer

November/December 2019 Wash Post

The President’s Council on Wellness (PCOW) puts out a newsletter called the Wash Post which can be found across campus on bulletin boards and in campus bathrooms. An objective of the Wash Post is to educate all of us on wellness and encourage our students to attend campus wellness events and help them form good habits.

The November/December theme of the Wash Post is “Grattitude is Everything.” Being grateful and positive helps to improve our wellbeing emotionally and is contagious to others. Are you present in your surroundings and grateful for the little things in life? For some fun facts and ideas, check out the Wellness Website for the Wash Post, Volume 11.

Everyone is welcome to attend the PCOW’s next open meeting on Tuesday, November 12^th at 8:30am in the UC Colonnade Room. President Troy Paino will be our guest speaker this month and we will be sharing updates from each of our committees. If you or your colleagues are interested in learning more or serving on the President’s Council on Wellness, please email wellness@umw.edu.

How do you define Physical Wellness for yourself personally? Do you incorporate nutrition into your daily diet, go to the gym weekly, or maybe just take a walk/run daily? There are number of great ideas on being physical well and active, but what can we do to make it a goal or a daily habit in our lives? We will be showcasing several ideas this month on helping all of us become more physically well and the first suggestion is to just walk. Make an appointment with yourself and grab your walking shoes and some friends. Go explore Fredericksburg either by walking downtown or enjoying nature on the hiking trails or surrounding battlefields.

Another suggestion is to join the President Council on Wellness (PCOW) sponsored Mary Wash Moves Event or the PCOW Walking Wednesdays. Mary Wash Moves is a team of faculty and staff split up into 6 teams. Keep track of your steps during the month of October and the team with the highest average wins some great prizes. Join a team by writing your name on the team color tab you choose in the official tracking document. For more information, email wellness@umw.edu.

Walking Wednesdays is available for anyone who has free time between 1:00 and 2:00pm on any Wednesday. We start in front of Lee Hall and explore different routes across campus or downtown for about 30-45 minutes. PCOW will be putting more information out in the coming weeks about this easy, once a week walking event. Let’s start some healthy practices to become more physically well!

The UMW President’s Council on Wellness would like to introduce one of the six dimensions on our Wellness Wheel: Physical. Being physically active is one of the more frequently thought of dimensions on wellness.  Physical Wellness is defined as “taking care of your body by partaking in healthy practices such as exercise, a nutritious diet, and getting adequate sleep. Acknowledging the importance of your physical surroundings and taking an active role in sustaining it.” Whether you are going for a walk or bike ride, playing a game of soccer with your kids, or doing yoga in the park, participating in any form of physical activity each day is a great way to stay active and healthy. Being physically active reduces the risk of various chronic diseases, helps you function better, and leads to higher quality of sleep. According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, adults require around 150-300 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic physical activity a week. What can you today to increase your “physical wellness”? Check out the Campus Recreation website at https://campusrec.umw.edu/ for some great ideas.