Financial Wellness
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Financial Wellness is such an important part of our overall health and wellness. Studies have shown that finances are one of the leading causes of stress, and finding ways to manage your financial stress is important for your health. How many of you have gotten into an argument with your significant other about finances? How many of you avoid talking about or thinking about money because it stresses you out? How many of you feel like you need help with your finances and planning? Let’s take advantage of this month and focus on Financial Wellness. Check out the suggestions and challenges below, and adjust to fit your needs.
Complete at least three of the four weekly challenges to qualify for the Wellness Spirit Day! Click here to view the challenge.
Complete at least three of the four weekly challenges to qualify for the Wellness Spirit Day! Click here to view the challenge.
5 Ways to Reduce Stress: Students and Educators
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As educators, it may feel like you are in a constant stressed state. Consider these resources to help combat stress and anxiety for you and your students.
- Take five minutes for yourself each day to practice one of the following techniques from Alliance for a Healthier Generation’s Teachers Take 5 program:
- Breathe and focus
- Eat a healthy snack
- Stretch and move
- Hydrate!
- Connect with others
- Play music in the classroom that is proven to improve focus and promote relaxation
- Search Spotify or other digital music services and listen to “Classical Music for Studying”
- Classical Music for Studying
- Exam Study Classical Music to Increase Brain Power
- Connect with nature
- Aids in relaxation
- Reduces anxiety
- Boost your mood
- Try this! Bring nature into the classroom. To help your classroom relax, project a natural landscape on a large screen and play natural sounds. One minute of this technique will help students’ minds with a quick mini escape.
- Tip: @nationalparkservice has stunning images on Instagram
- Reduce classroom clutter
- Visual overstimulation can lead to unnecessary stress
- Keep materials away until needed
- Limit how much you put on your walls
- Create a calming corner in classrooms
- Works best for elementary and middle school ages
- A calming corner is ideally a quiet area of your classroom that is equipped with comfortable seating and materials
- Including coloring supplies (this can be for all ages!), noise cancelling headphones, bean bag chairs, calming activities and a feelings check-in method resource
- This space can help promote students’ ability to regulate (i.e., having a space to reflect, calm down and just have a moment to themselves)
- https://www.healthiergeneration.org/campaigns/teachers-take-5
- https://www.accreditedschoolsonline.org/resources/student-stress/
- https://www.heart.org/en/healthy-living/healthy-lifestyle/stress-management/spend-time-in-nature-to-reduce-stress-and-anxiety
- https://www.innovadesigngroup.co.uk/news/how-can-design-help-minimise-student-stress-in-the-classroom/
- https://drive.google.com/file/d/1d0g1w5sq10e0jdnAfoCLVV-0W8o3-eZX/view
- https://theartofeducation.edu/2019/01/21/how-to-create-a-calm-down-corner-in-5-easy-steps/
An Apple a Day...
Known for their versatile colors, flavors and uses, apples are a perfect way to welcome the changing season. Not only are apples a great source of fiber and vitamin C, they can help to control your weight, lower your cholesterol and may protect against diabetes and some types of cancer. Promote healthy snacking in your school and in families by taking a bite out of these sweet recipes: