Well-being for academic success

The World Health Organization defines positive mental health as “a state of well-being in which the individual realizes his or her own abilities, can cope with the normal stresses of life, can work productively and fruitfully, and is able to make a contribution to his or her community”. The academic environment presents specific challenges for the well-being of university students. 

As a teacher and coach at Radboud University (the Netherlands), I work with students struggling with intense workload, strong competition and uncertain career perspectives. The difficulties in handling these aspects cause high levels of stress and even discourage some students from continuing their career in academia. 

I would like to share with the Clesio students some of the common challenges that I observe among university students and the tools that they can directly implement in their life to face those challenges. My take-home message is that students have agency over their own well-being, and it is possible to follow their passion while taking care of their own mental health.