Wellness Corner: Number and Types of Wellness Activities Participated  (June 2018)

In 2016, a study was conducted in the University to assess the Employees’ Wellness and Well-being. Included in the study were the regular and full-time faculty, formators and staff of the undergrad colleges/schools and professional schools. Out of 135 participants (who were both measured and surveyed), 74 were staff, 48 were faculty, while 13 were formators.

In the study, the participants were asked about the number and the types of physical and spiritual wellness activities they participated in.

As shown in the result, 75 out of 135 participants admitted to participating in at least one physical wellness activity. Among the physical wellness activities that they joined, walking or jogging ranked number one with 34%, followed by aerobic exercise or dancing with 21%, and then badminton or basketball with 13%.

No. of Types of Physical Wellness	Frequency	Percentage
One Type	75	55.55
Two Types	45	33.33
Types of Physical Wellness Participated In	Frequency	Percentage
Walking/Jogging	46	34.00
Aerobics/Dancing	28	21.00
Badminton/Basketball	18	13.00

The result showed that although everyone participated in physical wellness activities, more than half of the University employees participated only in ONE activity. Considering the availability of space and impact of the activity, many preferred to do walking or jogging.

According to Downey (1996), walking can improve individual health, encourage relaxation, reduce stress and improves concentration and self-confidence. According to an article released by the Harvard Medical School (2016), walking is simple yet powerful and can help trim and improve cholesterol levels, strengthen bones, and keep blood pressure in check. 

Although walking is considered a low-impact exercise, it is important that those who either walk or jog, consult first with their physician for any restrictions. To ensure comfort and safety, consideration should be given to using a soft, light, and comfortable walking shoes.

To ensure that more people will do walking or jogging, giving a discount to family members who will walk or jog in the new Xavier Ateneo Sports Centre will hopefully encourage employees to exercise. As shown in the result of the opinion survey conducted by the University, through the Human Resource Office, employees prefer to involve their family in the University life.

In terms of the number and the type of spiritual wellness activities the participants joined in, the result has shown that 60 out of 135 participants expressed participation in three to four types of spiritual wellness activities. Retreat and recollection ranked number one with 32%, followed by listening to music with 19%, and lastly, attending to Church services with 16%.

No. of Types of Spiritual Wellness	Frequency	Percentage
Three – 4 Types	60	44.44
Five – 6 Types	52	38.52
Types of Spiritual Wellness Participated In	Frequency	Percentage
Retreat/Recollection	43	32.00
Listening to Music	26	19.00
Attending Church Service	22	16.00

Considering that participation in retreat or recollection is required, more people participated in spiritual wellness activities than in physical wellness activities. Requiring employees to participate also in the University Physical Wellness activities will hopefully increase participation. 

Although many of the University employees recognized the importance of physical wellness to their health and performance, only a few are actively engaged in the program. This confirms the study by Hoeger and Hoeger (2014) which found that although people recognize the benefits of a healthy lifestyle, they are unable or unwilling to trade convenience for health or other benefits. The authors (Hoeger & Hoeger, 2014) added that people prefer instant gratification over long-term benefits.

That is why more people like to eat because of the immediate gratification and satisfaction that they gained rather than the long-term benefit of self-restraint and engagement in physical wellness activities.∎