This workshop is aimed at graduate international students in the Management and HR Program at Michigan State University who are navigating the challenges and opportunities of studying abroad. It empowers individuals by promoting a holistic view of wellness and providing practical skills for academic and personal success.
As an international HRLR student at MSU, I’m passionate about helping others. HR and management professionals from varied genders, ages, and ethnicities who studied at MSU will participate in the session, coming from a variety of economic backgrounds and bringing different perspectives. We aim to develop a compassionate, all-encompassing educational environment that matches this group’s diverse cultural experiences by catering to their individual needs and challenges.
D.M. Levy’s “How to Balance Digital Lives” (2016) and the readings on workplace wellness and individual temporality will be used to study well-being. We’ll explore the interconnected dimensions of well-being and use Silberman and Biech’s “Active Training: A Handbook of Techniques, Designs, Case Examples, and Tips” (2015)to facilitate deep learning and personal growth through interactive discussions, self-reflection, and group activities.
The session will include 10–15 participants, creating an intimate and stimulating environment for free-flowing conversations and networking. We will have plenty of time to investigate and practice holistic wellness ideas with three weeks of two-hour weekly meetings. The program will be held online using real-time collaborative systems. This flexible approach lets students from different time zones engage.
We’ll use several mediums to create an interactive workshop. Facebook Groups like Mindful Living and Revolutionary Self Care, Instagram accounts like @calm, @selfcareisforeveryone, and Twitter handles of wellness gurus like @Deepak Chopra and @Nancy Schlossberg, known for her work on college student transitions and life events, will allow participants to explore different perspectives and participate in discussions. YouTube videos about wellness and stress management TED Talks will inspire and educate. Mindul.org, The Self Care Institute, and blogs on self-care, mental health, mindfulness, and work-life balance will also be available to participants.
Workshop Details:
Establishing a Wellness Foundation for Holistic Self-Care
In the first session, participants will learn that holistic self-care is crucial to wellness. We will use Harrison and Stephens’ (2019)paper on wellness “in” work to discuss the shift away from traditional wellness approaches and the need to consider the multiple dimensions of well-being. The next interactive exercises will allow participants to assess their well-being, identify areas for improvement, and define workshop goals.
- Wellness Wheel Reflection: Participants will receive a wellness wheel with eight dimensions: physical, emotional, social, occupational, financial, intellectual, environmental, and spiritual. This reflection helps individuals assess their physical, emotional, social, occupational, financial, intellectual, environmental, and spiritual well-being. They will be asked to mark their satisfaction level in each dimension on the wheel. This practice encourages self-reflection and helps participants discover areas for improvement. Participants will review their Wellness Wheel to design a wellness improvement plan.
2. Mood Board: Participants will have to create a mood board using magazines, scissors, and glue, and the goal of the activity is for them to produce a visual representation of their objectives about their health. They will look for pictures, words, and phrases that have a strong resonance with the outcomes for their well-being that they desire. During the session, participants will have the opportunity to express their goals and produce a physical reminder to serve as an affirmation of their objectives by selecting and arranging various components on a collage.
Fostering Wellness through Efficient Time Management and Digital Detoxification
In the second week, we will use digital health from D.M. Levy’s book “How to Balance Digital Lives” (2016) and Blount and Leroy’s (2007) workplace temporality research to analyze well-being and subjective time. Time perception impacts behavior. Some see time as finite, making them feel rushed, while others see it as flexible, allowing them to take their time. These viewpoints increase employee collaboration, productivity, and job happiness. Knowing how and why we use our devices may improve our connection with technology. Journaling, digital habit assessments, time perception exercises, and conversations on time and technology management to support personal and professional objectives are part of this curriculum. The following tasks will show participants how their subjective experience of technology and time influences their well-being.
1. Time Perception Exercise: Participants will reflect on their time experiences in their personal, professional, and academic lives. According to David Eagleman's Theory of Time Perception, memories and data have a significant influence on time perception. As international students, we will have more memories and data, making time more engaging and experience-filled. Self-reflection and peer discussions will help students identify problems and growth possibilities and understand how time affects their well-being.
2. Time Audit and Digital Detox: Participants will be encouraged to keep a notebook or digital diary for a few days to track their daily activities and time. They will then analyze their data to find patterns, time-wasters, and ways to save time. They will be encouraged to create digital boundaries, set aside time to practice good digital hygiene, and engage in activities that promote mindfulness, relaxation, and human relationships. Guided reflection questions will help participants improve their time management, set priorities, and match their time management with their personal and professional goals.
Unmasking Power: Navigating Intersectionality for Holistic Well-being
Our workshop encourages free speech to challenge power dynamics and promote inclusivity. In a judgment-free setting, participants are encouraged to discuss their thoughts, worries, and issues with thorough self-care. We examine corporate power and cultural norms that affect well-being using Murtola and Vallelly’s (2022) research. Intersectionality exercises will examine how social, cultural, and economic issues affect holistic self-care. Intersectionality influences self-care. For example, LGBTQ+ and immigrant self-care may differ. Self-care intersects with identity. It helps people assess their needs and create a holistic self-care strategy. This may include finding resources and tactics for their unique blend of identities and advocating for their needs in wellness environments that don’t always respect them.
Through the following exercises, participants will be able to create techniques that will help them navigate and challenge power dynamics along their paths to better health.
1: Power Mapping Circle: “Power Mapping Circle” will explore how power affects well-being as part of holistic self-care. They’ll use moderated talks and visual mapping. Participants will consider how personal choices, social standards, and culture affect their well-being. They’ll analyze power sources’ hierarchies and intersections. Critically examine power relations and self-care. It allows for many perspectives on power dynamics in a safe space. Participants learn how power dynamics impact their happiness and well-being. Critical thinking, reflection, and expression help individuals grasp power dynamics and comprehensive self-care.
2. Privilege Walk: The class will undertake a Murtola and Vallelly-inspired exercise on corporate wellness and social reproduction. This exercise is based on privilege statements. Participants will read privilege claims about race, gender, financial class, and education. They’ll then move forward or backward, depending on how they feel about each statement’s privilege. The movement symbolizes how people’s identities and backgrounds affect their social standing. Moving forward acknowledges privilege, while moving backward acknowledges disadvantage.
This activity stimulates self-reflection on social power. It encourages privilege, awareness, and empathy. It encourages conversations about privilege and well-being. It fosters acceptance and understanding.
Conclusion:
In conclusion, Michigan State University’s entire self-care seminar for HR and management international graduate students transforms personal and academic growth. Participants explore wellness and create holistic self-care strategies through engaging activities, discussions, and reflections over three weeks.
In the first week, participants create goals and explore the change from traditional wellness to holistic self-care. The second week focuses on effective time management and digital detoxing in D.M. Levy’s “How to Balance Digital Lives” to study how subjective time affects well-being. Time perception exercises and digital habits assessments help participants improve their time usage and set healthy tech boundaries. The third week discusses power dynamics and intersectionality in holistic self-care. Using corporate wellness and social reproduction research, participants critically explore power dynamics and societal norms that affect well-being. Power relations are explored in events like the Power Mapping Circle and Privilege Walk.
The session includes mindfulness, guided meditation, journaling, and creative expression. These activities build resilience, improve well-being, and help individuals adopt self-care routines that fit their personal and academic lives.
Concerns and Limitations:
Power dynamics and intersectionality discussions might be uncomfortable, but the workshop aims to provide a safe and inclusive environment. Students must feel listened to, appreciated, and supported. Virtual seminars may make meaningful connections and involvement harder due to participants’ time zones and technology limitations.
Holistic self-care is also personal. Needs, histories, and experiences shape individuals’ self-care. The design allows attendees to reflect on their problems and apply the concepts and practices.
Questions and Unknows:
Holistic self-care and its implementation in different circumstances can lead to queries and unknowns during the session. Participants may ask how to balance cultural differences and societal well-being standards with self-care in their busy academic lives. Participants need places to talk, get advice, and learn.
This workshop on complete self-care for HR and management international graduate students at Michigan State University would prove to be a comprehensive exploration of well-being and self-care practices to embark on their wellness journey.
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