Each day as humans we spend approximately 30 minutes making sure that we look after our physical appearance and hygiene. We brush our hair, ensure we are appropriately dressed for the day ahead, look after our dental hygiene to name just some of the activities carried out. Stop for a moment and think about this and do your own sums on these routines and habits. As you have just worked out you are near 30 minutes each day and these are all things you wouldn’t skip on. They are deemed an essential component of our daily routine.

Now think about the total time you spend on actively committing and attending to with regards to your own personal wellbeing each day. Let’s be honest, it is the first thing that we all tend to put aside because we are too busy with everything else that is going on in our lives each day. Yet for each of us, being in a good place emotionally and mentally needs active attention, practice and the same rigour and habitual routine that we put into our daily appearance and hygiene routine.

Good personal wellbeing equals better academic effort and performance. At Hume Anglican Grammar, every day we teach and assist our students to develop skills to build their emotional and mental wellbeing. Last week as part of this we celebrated our Wellbeing Week. Despite the postponement of a wellbeing incursion, students had the opportunity to take part in daily Wellbeing Choice Boards. Through these activities, students had the opportunity to participate in mindfulness, practise meditation, create lists of music that helped them to relax or focus, think about how we treat other and ourselves through stories and physically get active through some yoga and everyone’s favourite dance, ’The Cha Cha Slide’. Most of these activities were no more than 5 – 10 minutes long and after participating in them the increase in focus and attention to the task at hand was evident in many of the students.

Setting a daily routine where you find six 5-minute breaks to focus on personal wellbeing is actually very achievable for all of us, even in our busy lives. The Primary Wellbeing Team would like to encourage and challenge each of our families to look for these times and to try it for 30 days. After that, you will find you have created a very positive habit in your life.  Below is an example of what one day could look like. We have also included our choice board that we created for our students for Wednesday - Friday of Wellbeing Week. Many of the activities are equally good to do as an adult individually and together as a family.

Remember, looking after your emotional and mental wellbeing is directly connected to your ability to bounce back through challenging times and ultimately leads to better long-term wellbeing outcomes.

Happy Wellbeing Week!

Sarah Shatford - Head of Student Wellbeing 3 - 6 (Mt Ridley)