Healthy Habits to Promote Academic Success

1. www.FCIHE.com Healthy Habits to Promote Academic Success Denise Giarrusso, Florida State College at Jacksonville Kathleen Becht, University of Central Florida 2019 Hartwick Symposium Series

2. Learning Objectives • Look at your lifestyle and identify the barriers that keep you from being healthy • Learn strategies to improve your physical and emotional well-being. • Identify common stressors and stress management strategies. • Develop personal healthy habit goals and steps to begin.

3. Time as a Resource “Lost time is never found again” - Benjamin Franklin

4. Healthy Habit Assessment Take 5 minutes to complete the Heathy Habit Assessment • What did you learn about yourself? • Are you happy with your score? • Do you have any areas you want to change?

5. What makes being healthy so difficult? A Reality Check • What barriers do you see?

6. Common Barriers Toward Meeting Goals • Procrastination • Failure • Prioritizing • Level of Difficulty • Level of Commitment • Self Sabotage • Giving up

7. Common Stressors that can get in the way of your goals • Family arguments • Losing a friend or family member • Losing a job • Getting poor grades • Troubles with friends or relationships • Being sick • Feeling like you are not in control of your life

8. Techniques to Improve Physical and Emotional Well-being Find physical activities you enjoy and do them daily (cycling, walking, yoga, swimming, playing a sport, etc.) Choose cardiovascular activities to 3 hours weekly. • Reduces Stress – you FEEL better • Helps keep you at a healthy weight • Improves muscle strength and endurance • Increases flexibility

9. Finding Balance in Self Care Set Simple Goals • Drink 8 glasses of Water, EVERY day • Eat balanced / healthy diet • Exercise, 3 times a week, one hour each time • Sleep 7-8 hours daily Mindfulness Activity

10. Self Care for Academic Success Work, school, life balance • Organize yourself for success • Time Management • Map out your course work for the semester • Use phone reminders/ticklers • Stay current or work ahead on assignments • Make time for breaks • Pace and reward yourself

11. Develop a Support System Reflection Activity: How can you develop a healthy support system? • Identify 3 people who support you in your life. • What do they do that supports you? • Name 2-3 ways that you can support your friends

12. Finding Balance is Energy Management • Make some time weekly to dothings that restore and relax you. • What rejuvenates you? • Do you take time to do what rejuvenates you? • Know your breaking point • Know your options • Make your choices • Everyone has a different idea of balance.

13. Strategies/Techniques to Improve Emotional Wellbeing • Deep breathing is a strategy of taking deep, slow breaths. • Progressive Muscle Relaxation slowly tenses and relaxes each muscle group. • Meditation can result in greater relaxation and mental calmness. • Imagery is seeing peaceful and calming pictures in your mind. • Mindfulness is a strategy of listening to our body’s messages.

14. Keep Learning Learning improves overall well-being. • Self-confidence self-esteem • sense of purpose • Connection to others • Be a Life-Long Learner (even after school ends) • Learn to cook a new recipe • Visit a museum or art gallery • Learn a new skill • Rediscover an old hobby • Take on a new responsibility

15. What is your vision? “A year from now you may wish you had started today.” -Karen Lamb

16. Goal Setting Activity SMART goals for Health Habits

17. Closing Thoughts… It takes work to be happier, but it’s gratifying work; the real challenge is to decide purposely what to do-and then to do it. -Gretchen Rubin

18. www.FCIHE.com Questions?