BUSPH Wellness Newsletter
February 2020 | Issue 6
Mindfulness Exercise of the Month:
Check In Before You Scroll
We all need our phones for so many reasons- work, connecting with loved ones, navigating to new places, etc... our technology has become an easy distraction when we acknowledge an uncomfortable feeling. Get a weird email from a colleague? Check social media to numb out your confusion. Waiting for an important call? Get on your phone to distract from your anxiety. This can be adaptive at times, and it also can take away from our ability to know and understand ourselves and our emotional world. In the long-term, scrolling may also make us feel physically and emotionally worse. See this month's journaling prompts for questions surrounding this topic.
Upcoming Events

The Boston Parks Winter Series has free exercise classes daily until May, click to find a class near you!
Sustainability Tips
This month we had a community lunch surrounding Sustainability at BUSPH and Beyond. Here are a few of our favorite takeaways!

Take single bananas at the grocery store- they are likely to be thrown out because they are “less marketable”.
Say no to fliers and excess swag that will just get tossed out or never used.
Unplug cords from outlets when not using or charging your technology.
Understand the waste pyramid , and recognize recycling isn’t an end all, be all. On that, know what you actually can recycle.
Bring your own plates/ cutlery/ mug to all events. You’ll be a role model for your peers!
Donate clean, leftover containers/ jars to Cleenland , a zero waste store in Cambridge.
Use your voice - see a company being wasteful and feel powerless? Reach out! Let them know you notice, and give suggestions for ways they can do better.
February Journaling Prompts
Every month, you will be provided with journaling prompts to get you started, in order to reflect on the theme of the month, understand yourself better, and slow down mentally and emotionally.

The next time you are about to mindlessly scroll, first ask yourself:
Am I trying to avoid an uncomfortable emotion? What if I allow myself to sit with it instead of hide from it?

Am I following accounts and sources that leave me feeling triggered and not good enough, or empowered and content?

How would I like to spend any extra free time, instead of being on my phone?
Let's Form Community!
Mindfulness Resources

Headspace- now free for students meditation app

Yoga With Adriene - free online Youtube videos

Track Your Happiness - app that asks you questions throughout the day so you can understand your mood, thoughts and behaviors better

Forest - app for staying focused and present by not touching your smartphone and planting a tree for you staying accountable
Boston University School of Public Health | sphwell@bu.edu