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Wellness Resources and Ideas

Creating balance means finding ways to integrate various components of your life into your regular schedule.

In this section

Wellness Resources and Ideas

Creating balance means finding ways to integrate various components of your life into your regular schedule.

Intellectual Wellness

Intellectual Wellness is being able to engage in lively interaction with the world around you; flexing the mind’s muscle by learning, problem solving, processing and creativity; connecting with others on a cerebral level.

Resources and Ideas:

Social Wellness

Social Wellness is relating, interacting and communicating well with others; being comfortable in your own skin; maintaining a diversity of social relationships; and dealing effectively with conflict.

Resources and Ideas:

Physical Wellness

Physical Wellness is maintaining a sound, healthy body through regular exercise, proper nutrition, sleeping well and avoiding harmful habits.

Resources and Ideas:

  • Getting physical activity in the form of walking or running, preferably outdoors, to get sunlight and fresh air. Forest preserves https://www.lcfpd.org/ closest to RFU Campus:
    • Greenbelt Forest Preserve Cultural Center, 1215 Green Bay Rd, North Chicago, IL (9 minutes)
      Drive North on Green Bay Road for 2.7 miles to Green Belt Street, turn right (Cultural Center and walking trail) or left (forest preserve and walking trail). 
    • Independence Grove Forest Preserve, 16400 Buckley Road, Libertyville, IL (10 minutes)
      Drive North on Green Bay Road to Buckley and turn left (west). Follow Buckley for 4.8 miles to the Forest Preserve Entrance, called Des Plaines Drive. There is usually no attendant during the week, but parking fees may apply on weekends for those without proof of Lake County residence. Paved trail available for inclement weather conditions.
    • Old School Forest Preserve, 28285 N. St. Mary’s Road, Libertyville, IL (11 minutes)
      Go south on Green Bay Road to Rockland Road (Rt. 176) and turn right (west). Follow Rt. 176 for 3.6 miles to St. Mary’s Road and turn left (south). Go ½ mile to the entrance of the Forest Preserve. Paved trail available for inclement weather conditions.
    • Middlefork Savannah Forest Preserve, 1401 Middlefork Dr., Lake Forest, IL (11 minutes)
      Take Green Bay Road South to Rockland Road and turn right (west). Go 1.2 miles (past Target) and turn left on Waukegan Road. Continue 1.5 miles to Middlefork Drive and turn right. Go straight through the traffic circle to continue on Middlefork. Turn left on Jensen Drive to enter the parking lot closest to the Elawa Farm Foundation Farm, which has many lizards/snakes (available on Friday mornings) and several outdoor species (owl, eagle, bobcat).
  • Explore different workout options: BCBS PPO Fitness Program https://bcbsil.com/; Studio Sweat on Demand app; simple exercises for each muscle https://musclewiki.com/
  • Access options with RFUMS Fitness and Rec: https://dev.fastspot.com/clients/rfu/campus-life/fitness-recreation/
  • Buying, cooking, and eating healthy foods: https://www.eatthismuch.com/
  • Economical options for food include: Aldi, Trader Joe’s, and Lewis Market
  • Get quality sleep: Headspace: Guide to Sleep https://www.netflix.com/title/81328827; https://healthysleep.med.harvard.edu/healthy/getting/overcoming/tips
  • Limiting alcohol consumption and avoiding drugs

Spiritual/Creative Wellness

Spiritual/Creative Wellness is a sense that life is meaningful and has a purpose; embracing religious traditions; or connection to nature, creativity, and/or wonder/amazement.

Resources and Ideas:

Occupational Wellness

Occupational Wellness is finding fulfillment from your work and study, contributing meaningfully, and continuing to expand your skills and strengths.

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Emotional Wellness

Emotional Wellness is being aware and comfortable with your own thoughts and feelings; being able to express your thoughts and sensations; and being able to comprehend and relate to others in their emotions.

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Environmental Wellness

Environmental Wellness is creating healthy work and living environments; respecting and conserving nature and natural resources; and gaining personal fulfillment from your surroundings.

Resources and Ideas:

**Also, you can access some of our previously recorded programs on wellness which are located on the RFU Wellness Google Drive.