Wellness programs can be enhanced by incorporating wellness challenges, which provide a fun, single event to focus on a particular aspect of health.
Wellness programs are usually ongoing, however, there are also wellness challenges that happen during a short amount of time, such as a week or a month.
Wellness challenges can be a fun way to mix up your routine and bond with others who are doing the same. Initiatives that promote a more active lifestyle, better mental health and improved overall wellbeing are beneficial to everyone.
Start one today! The following are things that will happen in the next 30 days.
30-day mental wellness challenge for better mental well-being
Day 1: Open up about something on your mind
It can be helpful to chat with a trusted friend or family member about any stress you’re experiencing, or if you’ve received a mental health diagnosis. They may be able to offer support and understanding. Opening up a discussion around mental health is the first step to normalizing the topic. This can help us to work through our problems as a society.
Day 2: Imagine your happy place
If you picture a place that you love, it can help you feel more relaxed and comfortable. If you find a place that makes you happy, you can always return to it when you need a mental break.
Day 3: Unplug for one hour
Set aside an hour where you’re uninterrupted by technology to focus on being present. You won’t miss much once you disconnect yourself.
Day 4: Schedule an IRL friend date
Some research has found that people who use social media a lot tend to be more depressed and lonely. There’s nothing like being with your favorite person in person. Being in the same space and time creates a connection that can’t be replicated by a smartphone.
Day 5: Do five minutes of physical exercise
In order to enjoy the benefits of working out, it has to feel like it requires effort. Try five minutes of vigorous exercise.
Day 6: Go to bed an hour earlier
If you’re not getting enough sleep, you’re at a higher risk for stress, anxiety, and depression. Make seven to nine hours of sleep a priority today.
Day 7: Pay it forward
Buy coffee for the person behind you in line. Give up your seat on the subway. Open the door for someone. Gestures that are simple to do but can have a large positive effect on someone else’s day, as well as your own.
Day 8: Pledge to stop using stigmatizing language
Keep track of how many times you use words like “crazy,” “psycho,” and “schizo” in conversations today. This kind of language is harmful to anyone who is suffering from a mental health disorder because it is discriminatory and can make them feel isolated and alone. Use respectful and inclusive language instead.
Day 9: Do a “brain dump”
Keeping a journal can help you to externalize your worries, and stop them from dominating your thoughts. However, journaling should not be used to dwell on the past but rather to move on.
Day 10: Set a reminder for a daily walk
Spending time outdoors can help reduce stress levels by increasing circulation and releasing endorphins. Even 20 minutes spent in nature has been shown to have a stress-relieving effect.
Day 11: Do a friend a favor
Doing good deeds is not only selfless, it also improves your mental health. Psychologists say that gift-givers reap more psychological benefits than recipients.
Day 12: Create a mood-boosting playlist
Choose songs that will help you get excited or relax, depending on what you’re feeling today and what you connect with.
Day 13: Review your to-do list
Make a to-do list at the beginning of the week to figure out what really needs to be done and what can wait. Putting unfinished tasks on paper can help to get them out of your head.
Day 14: Plan your next getaway
Setting goals helps you focus on the future while paying attention to the present, which can make you feel better. -Start by making a list of places you’d like to visit -Look through your calendar and pick out some potential dates -Then, book your flight!
Day 15: Say no at least once
Having too many responsibilities can be very overwhelming and can trigger negative emotions. Saying no at least once honors yourself.
Day 16: Watch something that will make you laugh
Whether you’re watching a standup special, your favorite romantic comedy, or a sit-com, laughing can help reduce stress.
Day 17: Listen to a friend
Listening is the best way to connect with others. If someone you know is going through a tough time, offer to listen to them and be there for them. They may just need someone to talk to, and it may help them to feel better.
Day 18: Try a breathing exercise
Focus on breathing in and out slowly, evenly, and with purpose.
Day 19: Cook dinner tonight
You have probably heard that eating at home is good for your body and your wallet, but it is also good for your mental health. Choose a nourishing meal that you’ll enjoy preparing tonight.
Day 20: Break out the crayons and color
The reason children (and Kate Middleton) enjoy coloring is not simply because it is a fun creative outlet, but because it actually has some benefits. Saatchi Art surveyed 700 people and 62% said that making art helped them manage stress.
Day 21: Find your go-to mantra
When you have unrealistic expectations, it can make you feel worse about yourself if you don’t meet them. This increases stress, anxiety, and depression. Choose a mantra that makes you feel motivated and supportive, write it on a Post-it, and hang it in a place where you’ll see it often. Some examples of possible mantras are “I can do this,” “I am worthy,” “It’ll be okay,” “It will all work out,” “I am strong,” or “I got this.”
Day 22: Marie Kondo your wardrobe
If something isn’t making you happy, it’s taking up space and taking away from things that do make you happy. Choose three items of clothing from your closet that you no longer wear and donate them so someone else can make use of them.
Day 23: Eat a square of dark chocolate
If you want to be happy, Dr. Datillo says you should eat chocolate. ” Eating slowly and savoring each bite has been shown to reduce stress levels. It’s another form of meditation.”
Day 24: Dabble in a hobby
Make some time for yourself today and do something that makes you happy. Doing something with purpose has been shown to greatly benefit mental health. While having a job you love is one way to feel purposeful, having hobbies that you are passionate about is another way to feel fulfilled.
Day 25: Do something totally out-there
Spend some time doing something that you enjoy that is not productive. This could include reading a trashy novel, binge-watching a cartoon that you’re way too old for, or spending the whole afternoon in bed with your partner. You sometimes need to give yourself time and space to relax and have fun.
Day 26: Break out the Nintendo
Some people are creating video games that are meant to help with mental disorders such as depression and anxiety. games like Sea of Solitude, Night in the Woods, and Pry are a few examples. Games that require a lot of concentration and focus may help take your mind off of a bad day and help you relax.
Day 27: Count in your head
If you’re finding it difficult to meditate, try counting to focus your mind on the present. When you are feeling stressed, take a moment to look around you and identify five things you see and five things you hear. This is a form of meditation that can help you to relax and feel better.
Day 28: Fix something that’s been bugging you
There are a few things that have been on my mind for a while now, but I haven’t had a chance to really focus on them. I’d like to spend some time addressing them. You are decluttering both physically and mentally so that you can focus more on what is important to you.
Day 29: Hug your pet, partner, parent, or friend
Cuddling has the dual benefits of increasing oxytocin (the bonding hormone) and decreasing cortisol (the stress hormone). This makes people feel more relaxed and happier.
Day 30: Note one thing you’re grateful for
While venting may seem cathartic and help you move on with your day, it can also have a negative effect by spiraling out of control. To stop feeling down, take a minute to write down something that you are thankful for.
Other Wellness Challenges for Better Mental Well-Being
1. Wellness coaching
Suggested length or frequency: 9 weeks
What you’ll need: A computer and F4S (it’s free!)
Wellness coaching is a great way to get professional guidance on setting health goals and staying accountable. Get a group of friends or co-workers together and enroll in a program today.
F4S provides free online coaching, so your team can complete it from anywhere and at their own pace.
This program is powered by AI and led by Coach Marlee who is trained in using effective methods to help you reach your goals. The app also lets you keep track of your progress.
The Vital Wellbeing program is a 9-week program designed to help improve emotional resilience, satisfaction, and boundary-setting skills in just two 5-15 minute sessions per week.
The best part? Most users see a difference in their wellbeing within 4-9 weeks.
2. Sleep scores
Suggested length or frequency: 30 days
If you want to use the SleepScore app, you will need to download it onto your Android or iOS device. The app is free to download and use.
One third of Americans are not getting enough sleep according to the CDC. This is a problem because sleep is crucial for performing our best at work. If you want to encourage healthy sleep habits in your children, challenge yourself to improve their sleep scores, which you can measure through a free smartphone app called SleepScore. whoever has the highest average sleep score at the end of 30 days wins the competition
3. Steps Challenge
Suggested length or frequency: One week
(free apps are available for both iPhone and Android phones) In order to participate in this challenge, you will need either a pedometer or a smartphone with an app that tracks steps. There are free apps available for both iPhone and Android phones.
In this classic wellness challenge, the goal is to see who can walk the most steps by the end of a set period, with the person accumulating the most steps being crowned the winner.
This can also be turned into a monthly challenge where everyone tries to hit a daily goal, such as 10,000 steps. Encouraging people to walk more often can help them be more active overall, and it doesn’t require much to get started.
4. Phone fasting
Suggested length or frequency: 24 hours
What you’ll need: No extra equipment needed
In this wellness initiative, participants are asked to not use their phones for 24 hours. This means that they avoid using their phones while they are working or sleeping, and try to use them for no more than one hour per day. Observe their increased productivity and focus during the 24 hour period.
5. No-spend week
Suggested length or frequency: One week
What you’ll need: No equipment needed
This is a challenge about financial wellness, which affects mental health! For a no-spend week, you’ll need to set the ground rules, which usually look something like this:
- For seven days, you spend no money except on essential items.
- Essential items include food and medication.
- If you want, participants can plan ahead and pre-purchase the essential items (like food) that they’ll need during the no-spend week.
What is the purpose of not spending money for a week? Overspending can stem from a lack of self-control. If you don’t buy anything for a week, you will be able to exercise more self-control and make better future buying decisions.
6. Gratitude journaling
Suggested length or frequency: Two weeks
You will need a pen and paper or a smartphone or laptop with a free F4S account to do this activity.
Repeating an attitude of gratitude has many benefits for physical and psychological health, including reducing stress and increasing contentment. A way that researchers have said can help increase gratitude is by keeping a journal.
Here are two practices that you can try for two weeks:
- Three Good Things: This one’s simple: At the end of each day, the participant writes down three positive things that happened that they’re thankful for.
- Gratitude Journaling: This practice takes it one step further: After each good thing, the participant writes down why it happened. This gives the writer a greater sense of agency, helping them realize that their actions helped lead to that good thing happening.
The Fingerprint for Success app offers a free, fun-to-use journal feature with multimedia capabilities.
Wellness challenge do’s and don’ts
DO make participation optional
If you make wellness challenges mandatory at your workplace, you could get into legal trouble. This is not fair to employees who don’t want to participate or who are unable to participate for any reason.
To make your wellness challenge appear more fun and motivating, emphasize that participation is optional.
DON’T focus on weight loss or appearances
Different people have different health goals, and it’s not possible to know someone’s full health simply by looking at them.
Instead of fixating on your appearance, center your wellness journey on becoming healthier and feeling better. It’s more important to focus on becoming healthier and feeling better, rather than on losing weight or changing your appearance.
If you don’t want to demotivate members of your team, avoid hosting events that reward weight loss or a decrease in waist or clothing size.
DO focus on meaningful outcomes
It is better to focus on things that have a positive impact on health rather than on physical appearance. This can include being more active, feeling more grateful, doing more to help others, and eating more fresh fruit and vegetables.
DON’T reward with cash
Cash incentives, while certainly motivating, can create unhealthy competition.
DO get creative with rewards
instead of cash, think of other rewards that might help you reach a health goal.
For instance, you may give someone a healthy meal as a reward, which would include plenty of fresh vegetables. Other gift ideas include giving a gift card to a sporting goods store or a Fitbit.
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