When we think about health, many of us tend to focus first on the physical aspect of it – how we feel and look, and related behaviors such as eating and exercising. And increasingly, emotional and mental health is gaining more attention.
But how are you doing in the other Dimensions of Wellness?
Perhaps it’s a question you’ve never fully considered. If so, you’re not alone.
Wellness is critical in improving health outcomes. Wellness focuses on the whole person – not just a specific body system or illness. And all of the dimensions of wellness are connected, dynamically shifting in different times and seasons of life.
So what are the other dimensions of wellness to consider?
Starting with Eight Dimensions of Wellness
- Physical wellness is more than the absence of disease. It’s about adopting healthy habits such as getting adequate sleep, eating a balanced diet, keeping up with medical exams, and minimizing risky behaviors. And it’s about discovering which healthy habits fit your life and goals.
- Emotional wellness includes understanding, managing, and expressing emotions in healthy ways. It’s the ability to adapt to life’s stresses, and it can affect everyday activities, relationships, and overall mental health.
- Social wellness focuses on connecting with your community and the people around you. It includes taking an active part to improve your community and establish meaningful relationships.
- Intellectual wellness encourages engaging in mentally stimulating activities and lifelong learning.
- Spiritual wellness involves seeking and finding meaning and purpose in life. And it includes engaging in activities aligned with one’s beliefs and values. “It is more than prayer and believing in a higher being,” the University of Maryland tells its students. “A spiritually well person seeks harmony with the universe, expresses compassion towards others, and practices gratitude and self-reflection. When we integrate practices of spiritual wellness we are able to connect in mind, body, and soul.”
- Occupational wellness includes preparing for and participating in work that provides personal satisfaction and life enrichment consistent with your values, goals, and lifestyle.
- Environmental wellness involves understanding the dynamic relationship between the environment and people, from recognizing that we are responsible for the quality of the air, water, and earth that surrounds us, to noticing how these environments affect our health and well-being.
- Financial wellness includes being in control of your finances, allowing you to meet current obligations, save for the future, and make choices to improve your quality of life. It encompasses behaviors, attitudes and actions, from budgeting to saving and managing debt.
Two More Dimensions of Wellness: Creative and Digital
The Ohio State University Student Wellness Center even includes a couple of additional dimensions for its students to consider: Creative Wellness, and Digital Wellness.
“The creatively well person values and actively participates in a diverse range of arts and cultural experiences as a means to understand and appreciate the surrounding world,” the center explains on its webpage about the 10 Dimensions of Wellness.
And as for digital wellness? “A digitally well person considers the impact of virtual presence and use of technology on their overall well-being by taking steps to create sustainable habits that support their values, goals, community and safety.”
So where are you in these different dimensions?
They all need some attention for us to flourish, as they’re all interconnected. But the areas don’t have to be balanced. Ideally, we cultivate awareness of where we are in each dimension, consider what small, everyday choices support us in each aspect, and decide what may be missing that with gentle attention could boost our overall well-being.
If you need help establishing healthy habits that stick, you may benefit from working with a coach. Amy Hoogervorst helps sandwich-generation women carve out space for meaningful self-care, so they can keep prioritizing who and what matters most. Subscribe to the Well Check newsletter below to learn more!