Wellness self-coaching is a practice that allows you to guide yourself through the dimensions of wellness and to set goals to improve aspects that are important to you.
Wellness self-coaching is a practice that allows you to guide yourself through the dimensions of wellness and to set goals to improve aspects that are important to you. By first assessing where you stand, your motivation and your vision for your personal health and well-being, you allow yourself to identify a starting point to make realistic, achievable lifestyle changes that will improve your overall health and well-being.
The Staff and Faculty Health and Well-being Program has developed a 4-step framework that includes the “Wellness Assessment Worksheet," “Creating a Wellness Vision,” “Setting and Achieving Goals” and “Planning your Progress" the latter three adapted from Wellcoaches®. By completing these worksheets, you can gain a better understanding of the aspects of your life where change is most warranted based on your personal priorities and goals. Please note that these worksheets are suggested guides and resources and you should feel free to skip anything that you feel is unnecessary for your journey to your personal well-being.
Step 1: Wellness Assessment
The “Wellness Assessment Worksheet” can be used to assess which dimension of wellness you may want to target for possible improvements. The worksheet will guide you in assessing your wellness in 8 different dimensions: physical, spiritual, emotional, occupational, intellectual, environmental, financial, and social. After completing the worksheet consider some areas that you may want to improve upon or enhance. When you are satisfied, move along to our framework’s next step, which is “Create a Wellness Vision.”
Download Wellness Assessment Worksheet (PDF)
Step 2: Creating a Wellness Vision
In the business world, companies create mission statements to help plan and identify their purpose and core values. In this step, you will create a Wellness Vision that will help you stay on course with your goals. Creating a Wellness Vision will help you develop a persuasive vision of your best self. It is the foundation for your goals and will help you set your intentions. Use our Wellness Vision worksheet to draft a vision statement that defines what you truly want and how you live when you are at your best. Your vision encompasses the behaviors, feelings, values, and relationships that are most important to you. It will guide you in making decisions and setting goals and can help you focus on your priorities, giving you the confidence and motivation to move you forward in your health and wellness journey. After developing your Wellness Vision, continue on to Step 3, “Setting and Achieving Goals.”
Download Wellness Vision Worksheet (PDF)
Step 3: Setting and Achieving Goals
Setting and achieving goals can be difficult when our goals are too broad or when we do not take the time to consider specific steps of how we can achieve these goals. S.M.A.R.T. (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound) goals can be used to overcome those difficulties. Whether you have created S.M.A.R.T. goals before or if you are new to the idea, you can use our S.M.A.R.T. Goal Worksheet to create your own 3-month goal(s) based on the results of your Wellness Assessment Worksheet and Wellness Vision. After developing your 3-Month S.M.A.R.T. goal(s), continue on to Step 4, “Planning your Progress.”
Download Creating a S.M.A.R.T. Goal Worksheet (PDF)
Step 4: Planning Your Progress
Often it helps to break down your 3-month goal(s) into smaller, bite-size pieces to make progress each week. This worksheet will help you break down your 3-month S.M.A.R.T. goal(s) into a month-by-month plan. Each month, you will fill out each consecutive week with smaller short-term goals to plan your progress in a clear and manageable way. At the end of each month, you can decide to increase the intensity or scale back depending on what life throws at you. You will also be given the opportunity to reflect on the progress you have made and revisit your Wellness Vision and 3-month goal(s) to make any helpful adjustments. With this approach, you can begin integrating realistic and manageable changes, which will help you be more successful at achieving your greater goal.
Download Planning Your Progress Worksheet (PDF)
Change is difficult. Attempting to make lifestyle changes on your own can also be daunting. If you are able, we strongly encourage you to reach out to your health plan to see if you can be provided a health or wellness coach. If that isn’t available, there are other private companies that provide this service or simply ask a friend or colleague for help!
We wish you well on your journey.