BUSPH Wellness Newsletter
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Self-Care for Winter
Days are short (but getting longer and lighter, thanks Winter Solstice!), and it can lead to feelings of seasonal affective disorder, cabin fever, and overall dread. Let's explore ways to embrace this season and make it work for us.
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Winter Magic & Tips
Although many of us can get frustrated with the cold weather, it is good to recognize what is happening during this time: underground, nature is having a little party preparing for springtime, prepping the bulbs and flowers to emerge in just a few short months. Every season has its importance, and the winter months allow us to slow down, recalibrate, do a deep check-in with ourselves, and focus less on
doing
and more on
being
.
Reflect on how you are doing, and what you want the upcoming year to look like.
Find indoor hobbies that nourish your soul- color, read, watching Disney Plus, invite friends over for a board game night.
Slow down. Winter is the perfect time to nurture your senses and notice the smaller pleasures of life- lighting a candle, sipping warm tea, using a fuzzy blanket.
Cook and bake seasonal foods.
There is less noise and less to do
. Spend some time cooking some in-season
foods like squash, carrots, and oranges
.
M
eal prep
can help you feel more connected to your body, save money, and
help you to
get in
some good nourishing
produce.
Get in those winter steps. There is nothing more peaceful than taking a quiet walk through the snow, observing the winter birds and breathing in the fresh, cold air. Bundle up and continue to get your steps, especially since we walk and move less in this season. We love the
Arnold Arboretum, just off the orange line.
Declutter mind and space.
While you're checking in with yourself and how you've been doing, also
be sure to take stock of
your stuff
. Use your time inside to see if you can reduce clutter. W
hat can you give away, sell, swap, donate? The more you get rid of, the more you'll value what you keep.
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We are inundated with New Year's Resolutions that can be shaming, blaming, and force us into changing or improving. Instead of making a resolution that feels forced, unattainable, steeped in diet culture, or not compassionate towards yourself, take a few moments to reflect on how you are doing and feeling, how you want to be doing and feeling, and small changes you can take to get you there. Reframing resolutions to be kinder to yourself is really important, such as adding in a few more fruits and vegetables a week, rather than attempting to lose an arbitrary amount of weight, or saying you'll never eat sugar again, which is unrealistic and most likely not healthy for your body or mind.
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Student Question of the Month
Towards the middle of last semester, I started feeling overwhelmed, burnt out, and was just counting down the days until break. How can I set myself up for success this semester so that I can take care of myself and focus on my priorities without impacting my mental and physical health?
Do a planner audit. Look through this past semester’s planner. What were you busy with? What “extras” did you have going on that were not lighting you up? Think about what you’ve said yes to that you can let go of. Don’t have a planner? Get one, or use an online one! Whatever helps you to plan out deadlines, times to study, and remember important dates (while also penciling in a few hours for self-care and relaxation!)
Know yourself. Are you a morning bird or a night owl?
Is your best work done at the beginning of the day or the end?
Study better in the library or in your bedroom? Know that when you’re super stressed, you will forget to grocery shop?
Whatever it is, the intricacies that make you
you will help you know how to set yourself up for success this semester. If you’re a morning bird, you should wake up earlier to get work done, knowing that the end of the day your brain will be too exhausted. If you don’t prioritize grocery shopping during stressful times, stock up on easy, healthy freezer meals from Trader Joe’s, or start freezing meals you’re making now for when you’ll need them most.
Allow room for spontaneity and outside passions. When we are too overscheduled, we might get resentful, and also burnt out and exhausted. Our brains are like gas tanks in a car- when completely exhausted and empty, nothing meaningful can come from them. We have to
fill ourselves up with soulful nourishment in order to get back to a place where we can produce quality work. Allow yourself to read for pleasure, go on a coffee date with a friend, dance to your favorite song everyday.
Prevent burnout. Though we live in a society that rewards being busy and stressed, burnout and exhaustion does not have to be your norm. Put together a community support team, from peers to tutors to your parents. Be honest with yourself and others about how you are doing, and lean into support before it gets too late. Carve out an hour each Sunday to plan for your week, and check in with your priorities (grocery shopping, sleeping, making time for any needed appointments.) Talk to your professors throughout the semester- they want you to succeed. And as always, come meet with the
Wellness Coordinator!
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January Journaling Prompts
Every month, you will be provided with journaling prompts to get you started with, in order to reflect on the theme of the month, understand yourself better, and slow down mentally and emotionally.
What do I want to cultivate this new year- internally, interpersonally, systemically?
What am I ready to release- whether that be a thought pattern, a habit, a relationship that is not serving me anymore?
How can I continue to step into my power as a public health professional and citizen of the world while taking care of myself?
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Dr. Jessica Chicka, Chaplain has office hours on Med Campus:
Thursdays, 1:00-3:00pm, TLB 211E- go say hi!
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Ilana Schlesinger, Wellness Coordinator has office hours:
Tuesdays, 12:00-2:00pm, TLB 220E- come say hi!
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Mindfulness Resources
Track Your Happiness
- app that asks you questions throughout the day so you can understand your mood, thoughts and behaviors better
Forest
- app for staying focused and present by not touching your smartphone and planting a tree for you staying accountable
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Boston University Medical Campus Wellness Resources
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Boston University School of Public Health
| sphwell@bu.edu
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