In a world that’s always on the move, where there never seems to be enough hours in the day, our focus is constantly pulled in every direction. Tight deadlines, extended and stressful projects, personal challenges—the list goes on! Add to that the constant stream of notifications from our digital devices, and it becomes almost impossible to find a few moments to reflect and regenerate before jumping into the next task, challenge or interruption.
Technology has created many new ways for us to collaborate but it’s also made life incredibly fast-paced. While some have found ways to effectively balance their time, most people today have become more accustomed to multitasking—making it much easier to get overwhelmed by the demands of both school and the workplace. So, how can you maintain a stellar performance track at work while taking adequate care of yourself? At IE University, our philosophy is that higher education must provide students with the training and skills required to not only survive, but thrive in the digital age. Our solution to this challenging question lies in the IE Center for Health, Well-being & Happiness.
What is The Center?
The IE Center for Health, Well-being & Happiness uses science to empower human development and performance. Its goal is to help students, faculty and alumni to live and work well through principles and methodologies drawn from medical and health sciences, as well as positive psychology.
The center aims to make our people stress-proof, giving them the simple but practical life skills they need to power through every obstacle. Not only will this go a long way in combating stress, anxiety, and depression; but it will also create well-rounded professionals equipped to perform optimally and excel.
A new approach toward balance
The center takes a science-based and holistic approach to develop practical, sustainable educational programs. First launched in 2019, these performance-enhancing programs highlight three core principles: body, mind and soul.
“Body” focuses on physical health. As the age-old saying goes, our bodies are temples and we have to treat them as such. The center promotes techniques and tools to optimize the use of the body, such as physical exercise and healthy eating. After all, taking care of your body is an essential part of improving performance, mental clarity and resilience.
“Mind” emphasizes well-being and mental health. Its focus is on the interpersonal skills that help us work positively and productively with others, as well as the skill set to be effective in a high-pressure workplace.
Lastly, “Soul” deals with happiness. At some point, everyone has to deal with the question: what is my purpose? By creating a deeper connection with nature, others and ourselves, we can begin to understand the meaning of life and our existence. The center provides the practical toolkit needed to understand the purpose and create positive impact.
The Center’s initiatives
The IE Center for Health, Well-being & Happiness oversees several initiatives geared to helping it achieve its objectives:
The Undergraduate and Master Advanced Seminars Program
Pursuing higher education is an exciting experience, but one that challenges local and international students in a variety of ways. The Advanced Seminars Program gives both undergraduate and master’s-level students a head start, providing them with a practical understanding and the tools they need to boost their overall performance. Every semester, training takes the form of six-week modules with group sessions every week.
High-Performance Attention
This program is designed for all master’s degree students in the IE School of Human Sciences & Technology. This workshop dives into the fundamentals of the science of attention, providing students with the knowledge to track, assess and improve their attention both inside and outside the classroom. It involves self-assessments, interactive presentations and discussions, as well as an experiential attention-tracking project and post-project debriefing.
Resetting Homo Sapiens (RHS) podcast
Resetting Homo Sapiens is a student-led podcast that interviews experts in health, well-being and happiness in an effort to find a more purposeful, sustainable and joyful way of living and doing business. Resetting Homo Sapiens After Hours—which builds on topics from the RHS podcast—is a monthly meeting open to the entire IE University community and aims to promote critical thinking and key life skills.
Towards a new paradigm
Through these initiatives, the IE Center for Health, Well-being & Happiness hopes to achieve one purpose: to strengthen your body, mind and soul. When these three areas are in balance, we are able to lead happier and more fulfilling lives. Taking care of our physical and mental well-being allows us to have a deeper understanding of ourselves and the world around us.
That is why the center is a vital resource for our students, staff and alumni, and an important part of the IE University community. We want to not only give you the high-level technical skills to succeed in your career, but also the blueprint to leading a happy, balanced and purpose-driven life.