August is National Wellness Month, and a time to focus on creating a life worth living. It’s about nurturing the health of your mind, body and soul.
While wellness can be focused on just one area of self-care, such as nutrition or fitness, it’s important to recognize that these things connect and affect each other. Small changes in your routines across the various dimensions of wellness can have a big impact on your overall well-being.
Professional Wellness Month
Every June, employees across the globe are encouraged to establish a work-life balance and improve their health. During this month, employers provide resources that help them achieve those goals.
When it comes to promoting wellness, the first step is to educate employees about their bodies. This can be done through biometric screenings and health check-ups, which provide reliable ways to learn about risk factors that may affect their health.
In addition, lunch and learns are a great way to promote employee well-being. These events normally involve co-workers sharing a meal while listening to a presentation from an industry expert.
Mental health issues have risen in popularity over the past few years, and promoting discussion about mental wellness in the workplace is a good idea. Schedule weekly lunch and learns that feature a mental health professional who discusses an issue that impacts your team’s health.
National Employee Wellness Month
National employee wellness month is a great time to highlight the importance of promoting health and fitness at work. Whether you’re a business owner or an HR professional, implementing a healthy workplace can improve your productivity and employee satisfaction.
For example, replacing stationary meetings around a conference table with walking meetings can help promote physical activity. This helps combat the effects of sitting down for extended periods of time, which can be harmful to physical and mental health.
Another way to support employee wellness is by scheduling shared meals. Taking the time to eat together is a good opportunity for employees to get to know each other on a personal level.
National Addiction Recovery Month
National addiction recovery month is a special time of year when people in treatment, families, and communities can celebrate their success. This is also a time to share their stories with those who are unsure of how to get help or may not understand the struggles associated with substance abuse.
Addiction is a serious problem in the United States, with millions of individuals suffering from substance use disorders. The opioid crisis, increased overdose rates, and the need for mental health resources have put a spotlight on this issue that affects so many.
Recovery is an important aspect of overall wellness and a healthy lifestyle. It is critical to make it a priority in your life, even if you are not sure how to do this. It will benefit you, your loved ones, and your community in the long run.
Shared Meals
Whether it’s a family dinner or a bowl of cereal in the office, shared meals can be fun, social and surprisingly healthy for you and your co-workers. In fact, it’s a good idea for workplaces to promote shared meals at least once a week to boost team morale and productivity.
The Nutrition Council of Oregon is kicking off a year-long effort to encourage friends, families, neighbors, schools and senior meal organizers to celebrate shared meals by organizing shared meal events and regular gatherings and working with community members to help them find ways to regularly share their favorite foods. The benefits of shared meals include improved nutrition, a better night’s sleep and a boosted mood. Among other things, the health and scientific community has found that shared meals are the most likely to reduce obesity, improve mental health and decrease teen substance abuse.
Mental Health Month
Mental Health Month is a national awareness program celebrated in May. It is organized by the nonprofit organization Mental Health America (MHA).
Since 1949, MHA has sponsored an annual event that aims to increase public awareness and understanding of mental health issues. During the month of May, MHA and its affiliates conduct outreach activities, promote mental health screenings and offer resources to help people cope with the challenges they face.
Millions of Americans are impacted by mental health conditions every day. It is important that everyone understands the importance of their own mental health and that they take steps to protect it.