Hello Members,
Wellness through Leisure. This is a term you will hear about quite a bit over the next six months, as this will be the focus of DT Week, Conference theme, and forms the basis of a 12 month media campaign. This year, the Board and Office are aligning to present a united and consistent message.
Wellness and leisure have long been associated, and there is considerable literature to support the connection between these two concepts.
But what does it mean to you? What is your role in supporting wellness within your working environment? How do you ensure the programs you develop and fine-tune, have a focus on wellness? Wellness itself is such a broad concept; in considering quality of life, you might divide the overall concept of wellness into social, physical, emotional, spiritual or environmental categories. Very often, the client base we work with, present with significant health concerns in one of these areas; how do you, in your assessment and development of programs, encourage an holistic approach to the health of the client?
As this extensive campaign steps into action, it is timely for each of you to take a few moments and consider your personal philosophy of wellness through leisure. Sort through the ideas, approaches and trains of thought and develop your own personal philosophy. What DOES wellness through leisure mean to you? Do you have a specific focus in one wellness area, perhaps mental health, or spiritual health, or physical health? Every one of these is valid. Identify your field or fields of interest; be aware of your strength and weakness areas. What is the relationship between leisure and that sense of wellness for that field. In this way, you can seek out areas to support your specific interest areas, or you might decide to explore new fields in expanding your appreciation of the concept wellness through leisure.
This conversation is brief, but is intended to encourage you to consider your own point of view, your own philosophy. You may be influenced by a train of thought you have been exposed to in your study, or through your working environment. This is positive, as it demonstrates that you can adapt ideas and concepts from others in developing your own way of thinking.
Of course, there is far more to the influence of leisure on wellness, and I would inspire you to jump on board this year, use the approaches you will be exposed to throughout the year to guide and develop your own approach to wellness through leisure.
Regards,
Louise Absalom
President