8 DIMENSIONS OF WELLNESS
Online Quiz And Worksheet
The 8 Dimensions of Wellness
Table of Contents
- Emotional
- Spiritual
- Intellectual
- Physical
- Environmental
- Financial
- Occupational
- Social
What is Wellness?
Wellness refers to complete health, rather than just your physical health. Wellness is not only being free of disease, illness, or stress but also having a purpose in life, being emotionally healthy, taking an active involvement in your work and in your leisure time, having joyful relationships and being happy.1
Wellness involves all aspects of your life beyond your physical health. To enjoy fulfilled and happy lives, it is important to take care of your well-being and to invest time in your wellness.
Wellness Definitions
- Mirriam-Webster defines wellness as: the quality or state of being in good health especially as an actively sought goal
- The Cambridge Dictionary defines wellness as: the state of being healthy
- Dictionary.com defines wellness as: an approach to healthcare that emphasizes preventing illness and prolonging life, as opposed to emphasizing treating diseases
Wellness Synonyms
- Wellbeing
- Fitness
- Wholeness
- Healthiness
- Soundness
Integrating Wellness into Medical Practices
More and more primary-care-physicians offer wellness programs to provide holistic treatment. Focusing on the 8 dimensions of wellness can increase productivity, reduce healthcare costs, and increase earning potential. 87% of millennials and Generation Z’ers consider wellness programs as very important, so, medical practices need to integrate wellness programs to reach the majority of the current workforce.2 Many universities offer programs to increase college student wellness.
Why is Health and Wellness Important?
- Smoking
- Unhealthy weight
- Substance use side effects
- Lack of access to adequate health care
People with severe mental health disorders experience diabetes, hypertension, and obesity at 1.5 to 2 times the rate of the general population.1
Data shows that depression can increase the risk of stroke in women and trauma can negatively effect functioning and physical, social, emotional, and spiritual well-being.1
For example, trauma could:
- Change the physical structure of your brain
- Impact your ability to communicate
- Affect the way that you experience emotions
- Impact your ability to sleep
Focusing on all 8 dimensions of wellness will help you improve the quality of your life, your health, and potentially extend your lifespan.
What is the SAMHSA Wellness Initiative?
For people who struggle with substance abuse disorders or mental health issues, many aspects of their lives might be thrown into disarray because of their physical and mental health problems. The stress of their lives prevents them from developing healthy habits. For this reason, the wellness initiative focuses on helping promote the wellness of those recovering or working through substance abuse and mental health issues.1
To overcome substance use disorders or mental health issues, it is vital to focus on the 8 dimensions of wellness, as often, substance use can be the result of problems within other areas of a person life.
What are SAMHSA’s Definitions of the 8 Dimensions?
- 1. Emotional: Coping effectively with life and creating satisfying relationships
- 2. Spiritual: Expanding our sense of purpose and meaning in life
- 3. Intellectual: Recognizing creating abilities and finding ways to expand knowledge and skills
- 4. Physical: Recognizing the need for physical activity, diet, sleep, nutrition
- 5. Occupational: Personal satisfaction and enrichment derived from one's work
- 6. Financial: Satisfaction with current and future financial situations
- 7. Environmental: Good health by occupying pleasant, stimulating environments that support well-being
- 8. Social: Developing a sense of connection, belonging, and a well-developed support system
Emotional Wellness
- Having healthy relationships
- Being able to ask for help
- Being resilient
- Being aware of your feelings
- Expressing your feelings to people you trust
- Seeking support with upsetting emotions
- Learning your strengths
- Working on things you want to improve
- The ability to express a wide range of emotions such as happiness, sadness, anger, joy, fear, frustration, gratitude, etc.
- Developing assertiveness
- Having a positive self-image
Spiritual Wellness
Spiritual wellness is about having a sense of purpose and meaning in life that revolves around your personal beliefs and values. Spiritual health can involve a connection with nature, self-reflection, meditation, prayer, and more. Being spiritually healthy means you have strong values, a feeling of inner peace, and meaning in life. Spiritual wellness includes:4
- Making time for activities that enhance your sense of connection to yourself, to nature, and to others
- Having a healthy relationship with nature
- Discovering your values, principles and beliefs
- Being part of a like-minded community
- Helping others who are in need
- Accepting others for who they are
- Having a greater purpose
- Exploring your personal values
- Searching for a meaning for your life
- Being aware of how your values may differ from others
- Religious or otherwise spiritual activities and practices
- Taking time for yourself and embracing silence and solitude
Intellectual Wellness
- Using your creative abilities
- Exercising critical thinking skills
- Being a lifetime learner
- Engaging in books, articles, or other content that interests you
- Exploring public/community events
- Focusing on your skills and learning new ones
- Being able to develop, analyze, problem solve, and more
- Challenging yourself mentally (e.g. challenging puzzles, learning a new language, learning a new instrument)
- Having a positive self-image
Physical Wellness
- Getting regular exercise
- Feeling comfortable with your body
- Seeing your doctor regularly
- Keeping your blood pressure at the optimal level
- Eating healthy food
- Being aware of how sleep and stress can affect you
- Making your own choices about your physical health
- Stress reduction
- Developing healthy habits
- Seeking medical care when appropriate
- Seeking medical care when appropriate
- Being responsible with alcohol, cigarettes, and other substances
- Sleeping enough
- Taking any medications prescribed by your doctor
- Understanding how your body works
Environmental Wellness
- Making sure your home is de-cluttered
- Spending time outside
- Using eco friendly products
- Recycling
- Having a peaceful home environment
- Involvement in the community
- Being aware of how you might contribute to pollution
- Environmental awareness
- Being aware of climate change and how human beings impact the environment
Financial Wellness
- Maintaining a budget and monitor your spending
- Seeking out professional financial help if needed
- Exploring ways to save money
- Being financially responsible
- Paying bills on time
- Reviewing credit reports and bank statements
- Being financially literate
Occupational Wellness
- Taking personal satisfaction in your occupation
- Having a good balance of work and leisure
- Learning to communicate effectively with other people
- Developing good work habits and job-related skills
- Exploring career opportunities or volunteer opportunities that you are passionate about
- Setting career goals
- Learning mistakes and moving foward
- Challenging societal expectations and fighting against barriers (e.g. barriers for women in the workplace)
Social Wellness
- Take part in a club, social group, or volunteer group
- Focus on maintaining social connections by keeping in touch and staying connected with others
- Being able to interact with a diverse group of people
- Being aware of your impact in your community
- Understanding sex and gender roles and stereotypes surrounding them
- Being able to draw boundaries with yourself and others
- Having a strong support network of family, friends, co-workers, and peers
- Developing positive relationships
- Having good communication skills
- Being able to reach out to others for support and ask for help when needed
The Wellness Wheel
What is a Wellness Wheel?
A wellness wheel is a wellness model that represents eight dimensions of wellness: spiritual, emotional, intellectual, physical, social, environmental, financial, and occupational.11 All of the 8 dimensions of a wellness wheel are necessary to have a balanced and happy life.11
To experience optimal health, all eight areas of your well-being must be healthy and tended to. All areas are inter-connected and being fulfilled in one area will affect other areas as well. While the eight aspects mentioned are core areas of wellness that need to be focused on, wellness wheels can differ from one person to another depending on your personal needs. While a wellness wheel serves the same purpose for everyone: making sure that your health values and needs are met, every person’s wellness wheel may differ slightly.
What Can a Wellness Wheel Tell You?
A wellness wheel can help you to identify what your core health values and needs are, and the things that you need to live a fulfilled and healthy life. A wellness wheel can help you to identify the things that you need to do to be fulfilled emotionally, intellectually, physically, socially, environmentally, financially, occupationally, or whatever other needs you have.
For example, to be fulfilled socially, you need to have a strong support network, make time for family and friends, and nurture your relationships. Identifying exactly what practices, habits, and activities help you to feel fulfilled in all aspects will help you to have a healthy overall lifestyle. Focusing on the aspects of your wellness wheel can help you to prioritize your wellness and be aware of your needs, and how they are to be met.
How Does the Wellness Wheel Help?
It helps you to identify what areas of your life are fulfilled and healthy and what areas need improvement and attention.12 For example, you might be financially fulfilled and fulfilled within your work life, but you may be lacking social relationships and socialization. You might need to work better at communicating your feelings. Identifying this can allow you to prioritize your social needs and work towards balancing your lifestyle.
Find Your Balance
Example - Improving Your Social Life
Key Takeaways
The important takeaways about wellness are that it is important to nourish and focus on all 8 dimensions of health: emotional, spiritual, intellectual, physical, environmental, financial, occupational, and social. All of the aspects of your wellness are connected and impact each other. When one dimension suffers, others suffer too. When you thrive in one area, other areas will thrive too. To be healthy, happy, and fulfilled, it is important to identify your wellness needs and work towards making sure that they are fulfilled.
- https://store.samhsa.gov/product/SAMHSA-s-Wellness-Initiative-Wellness-Community-Power-Point-Presentation/sma16-4955
- https://www.benefitnews.com/opinion/job-satisfaction-and-wellness-programs-cause-and-effect
- https://www.nih.gov/health-information/emotional-wellness-toolkit
- https://www.lhsfna.org/index.cfm/lifelines/september-2016/spiritual-wellness-what-is-your-meaning-and-purpose/
- https://news.illinoisstate.edu/2014/03/seven-simple-steps-increase-intellectual-wellness/
- https://www.rtor.org/2015/07/09/physical-wellness/
- https://iwellness.uwo.ca/environmental/index.html
- https://www.consumerfinance.gov/about-us/blog/get-money-smart-25-tips-improve-your-financial-well-being/
- https://www.studentwellness.iastate.edu/ocupational-wellness/
- https://www.washburn.edu/student-life/recreation-wellness/employee-wellness/documents/EW-SO-Social-Wellness.pdf
- https://www.clarion.edu/student-life/health-fitness-and-wellness/office-of-health-promotions/wellness-wheel.html
- https://thriveglobal.com/stories/finding-balance-going-through-it/
Wellness Wheel Worksheet
Physical
- Do I eat a balanced nutritional diet?
- Do I exercise at least three times a week?
- Do you use alcohol or other substances safely?
- Am I generally free from illness?
- Am I a healthy weight for my height?
Financial
- Do I have a budget and am I able to save money?
- Does my behavior reflect my beliefs and values about money?
- Am I using my money wisely?
- Do I have financial goals and plans for the future?
Intellectual
- Do I strive to learn new things and exercise my brain?
- Do I engage in mentally stimulating activities?
- Do I learn new skills?
- Do I have positive thoughts?
- Do I spend time on personal and professional development?
Emotional
- Am I able to express and communicate my feelings?
- Do I have control over my emotions?
- Am I able to adapt to change?
- Am I independent?
- Am I emotionally stable?
Social
- Can I resolve conflicts in all areas of my life?
- Am I perceptive of other peoples’ feelings?
- Do I communicate well with others?
- Do I have people in my life that I can trust?
- Am I able to set boundaries?
- Do I have a sense of belonging?
Spiritual
- Do I have a sense of meaning and purpose in life?
- Do I trust other people?
- Am I able to forgive myself and other people?
- Do I have values and beliefs that I base my life around?
- Do I have a feeling of inner peace?
Occupational
- What tasks at work or school do you enjoy?
- What tasks do you dislike at work or school?
- Do you communicate well with co-workers or other students?
- Have you set realistic career goals?
- Are you making progress toward your career goals?