As we approach our second week of online school, our second time to suddenly move from face to face to a last-minute closure of the school, I reflect on my wellness.
“Health is a state of body. Wellness is a state of being.”
J. Standford
Yes, we know, this is a pandemic year or pandemic times I should say. Honestly, the way we lived this Covid-19 situation in Cambodia was quite different than in other countries. We never understood while life seemed to be as “normal” as you can think outside of school, people going out, to markets, to pools, on holidays… and only a few wearing face masks.
In school, we adopted safety protocols and we have been following the government, the ministry of education protocols that had evolved to “more” physical activity, more equipment, the opening of the pool, after school activities, and sports practice (even a virtual competition, a virtual Swim Meet) as well as cafeteria and bus services… We were so happy to be back in school, and even if we had to wear masks, keep the distance and maintain hygiene protocols such as washing hands often, using sanitizer and disinfecting equipment after being used, it did not seem like such a big deal anymore. And then, suddenly, an outbreak happened and they closed the schools in Phnom Penh.
First in November, two weeks of online school, then back to school for a week, then, again, a community outbreak happened which meant a new closure of schools three weeks before the winter break.
And, yes, it does affect us, it affects us all, in different ways. It affects learners who need to spend several hours sitting in front of a device, who are missing the daily interactions with friends, running around with them, playing, sharing their stories. It affects us, teachers, So we need to be aware of it and take care of ourselves, but how?
The Wellness Committee met and discussed how to best support staff during these uncertain times. This year most of us will not be able to travel to meet our families, and this situation affects us. Many people are already stressed, tired, juggling things, and trying to figure out how to balance their lives.
An idea that came from that meeting, among many others, was to offer the “Wellness Challenge” to staff for the last weeks of school.
As with all the new things, we are aware that many people will not see it as a benefit but as an additional task which might result in not taking part in it.
Not long ago, I learned a new term to describe this “beginner’s mind” and I have to say that I quite like it.
A wellness challenge cultivates healthy competition among employees while encouraging positive lifestyle behaviors, such as working out or eating right. Wellness challenges, when properly designed and executed, have a variety of benefits for both the individuals and the community. Promotion of healthy, lasting habits, better mind and body health, and improved interpersonal relationships are some of the advantages of this type of challenge.
During this second sudden closure of the school, I spotted many staff members going for a walk after their lunch or during morning breaks, a few running on the field, some playing badminton, and also a few going to the pool to swim their laps. All these are related to physical wellness and physical health. I wonder how many were able to do something within the other categories.
Well, this is our “Choose your Wellness Challenge” in case you want to take a look, tweak it and use it.
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