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Intellectual Wellness is allowing your brain both stimulation and rest for critical thinking, curiosity, and creativity. 

Signs of Intellectual Wellness 

• You feel a comfortable balance of mental stimulation and restoration in your days and weeks.
• You understand what relaxation means for you and what conditions need to be present to attain it. 
• You're a lifelong learner, committing to passions and interests that bring mental stimulation and engagement.
• You continuously expand and challenge your own thinking about topics by listening to podcasts, reading trusted news sources, reading books, consuming substantial media and art, and engaging in stimulating conversations. 
• You are curious about the world around you.
• You think critically and don’t assume everything you hear or read online is true, instead you consider and research multiple perspectives to form your own informed ideas, viewpoints, and opinions.
• You have a growth mindset, understanding that you can improve by learning from your mistakes, gaining new skills and knowledge, and learning from others.

• You give yourself permission to change your mind. 

   

5 choices you can make to enhance your intellectual wellness

1. Explore your interests outside of school and work. 
   Occupational wellness is just one way we can enhance our intellectual wellness. Discover and pursue your passions outside of work. 
2. Use your strengths
   No one is perfect but we all have strengths. Using your strengths will help you boost your confidence and support you as you pursue your goals. If you're unsure of your strengths, think of a goal you recently accomplished and what you did to get there. Some examples of strengths are curiosity, persistence, creativity, kindness, humor, honesty, humility, hope. 
3. Know your limits  
   Yes, a lot of growth can come from getting out of your comfort zone but all learning stops when feelings of overwhelm take over. You understand the difference between your learning zone and overwhelm zone, challenging yourself to grow while recognizing when you need to step back and return to your comfort zone to reset. 
4. Know when you need to push or pause
   There are times when we need to push and times when we need to rest. Intellectual wellness is finding that balance. Start paying attention to your energy levels so that you can recognize when to push toward your goals and when to step back and allow yourself to rest and recover. This process of checking in and listening to what your body is telling you will help you boost your physical wellness, enhance your emotional wellness, help you effectively cope with stress. 
5. Build your growth mindset 
   When you make a mistake, say the wrong thing, bomb the presentation, etc. you remember that you are human and all humans make mistakes -- that is what we all have in common. You allow yourself the opportunity to learn from your mistakes and try again.  

Check-in with with your intellectual wellness

• How am I doing giving my mind time to rest and restore? 
• Am I going to class and meeting my academic expectations?
• Do I need to make any changes in other areas of my wellness to support my intellectual wellness? Example, instead of going out you stay in to get a good night's sleep for your exam the next day. 
• Do I participate in class, ask questions, and utilize TA and professor's office hours?
• What am I doing to learn about my passions and interests outside the classroom?
• Is there something I am interested in learning how to do? What is the first step I can take? 
• The last time I made mistake, did I use a growth mindset to get up, learn, and try again? 
   

Explore Intellectual Wellness

Study Skills

• Review study materials within 24 hours of class to keep it fresh in your memory
• Take notes while you read, while in class, and focus on more than what is written on the board
• Form a study group session with other people in your class
• Study in an environment that help you focus 
• Color coding helps trigger memory - keep one topic per color
• Find innovative ways to study that work for you
• Get an academic mentor from CFAR

Learn more about study skills at UNH. 

Learn more about exam preparation at UNH.

Time Management

• Make a "To-Do" list that allows you to cross off completed tasks as you go
• Prioritize tasks in order of importance and tackle the most important first
• Schedule in time to take care of yourself and do things you enjoy 
• Know when you need to work or socialize less so that you can focus on studying 
• Know when your to-do list is no longer helpful and causes more stress

Learn more about time management at UNH.

Become Curious 

• Learn there is more than one way to do something
• There isn't always a "right" answer, but sometimes multiple
• Stay open-minded to new ideas, insights, thoughts, expressions, and values
• Expose yourself to difference

Critical Thinking

• Be actively engaged in conversation, readings, and classrooms - think about what is happening
• Don't believe everything you see, read, or hear, do your research 
• Ask questions to yourself or others as you reflect
• Challenge the norm, don't take an answer for what it is without agreeing upon it yourself
• Find patterns and connections to examples that relate to your life
• Keep your brain active, thinking, and questioning

• University Advising and Career Center
• Student Organizations