National Wellness Month Is Upon Us!
August is National Wellness Month—a month to focus on managing stress, improving self-care, and practicing healthy routines. We know that it can be difficult to prioritize caring for yourself. Balancing work, families, and other commitments takes a lot of effort. That’s why months like August are so vital. They remind us that caring for ourselves is essential. We are no good to anyone else if we are burned out, exhausted, or just plain cranky.
We want you to have an awesome month of wellness, so we have created a guide to help you. We know that it can be difficult to come up with creative ways to manage stress or to take care of yourself, so we did the hard work.
Below are 31 suggestions (one for each day of the month!) for ways you can revitalize your body or your mind so that you can be a happier and less stressed you. We challenge you to pick something from this list every day (even if you pick the same thing on a few days). We believe that, if you do something every day, by the end of August, you will feel healthier in both mind and body.
- Read a book for at least 30 minutes.
Did you know that reading lowers your heart rate and reduces stress? So grab a book—any book!—find a comfy place to relax, and dive into an unknown world.
- Go for a walk around your neighborhood.
Aside from the benefits of exercise, a leisurely walk around the neighborhood will help you clear your mind and give you some fresh air. You may even meet a friendly neighbor!
- Stretch.
No matter what kind of job you have, set an alarm every hour or two and force yourself to get up, do some squats, stretch those legs and arms, and get the blood flowing.
- Take a power nap.
Exhaustion plagues nearly every adult. Sometimes we all need to close our eyes for just a little while. Where you work will determine how long you can nap, and all bodies are different. Researchers recommend as little as 10 minutes or as many as 90. Only you can determine what works for you. But on those days when you feel extra tired, a nap may just be the thing to perk you up!
- Listen to five of your favorite songs.
The right music can lighten your mood, make you happy, and bring a smile to your face. Create a play list of songs that put you in a good mood. Play them in the car, on a walk, or while dancing in your kitchen.
- Spend some time alone without your phone.
When boredom hits, we often default to scrolling or playing on our phones. This can be fun, but our minds need time to contemplate life without the distraction of an electronic device. Taking 20 minutes to just sit and think about life without the use of or interruption by a phone will greatly help your mood.
- Organize something you have been meaning to organize.
If you’re like me, you look at a clean desk or an organized closet and feel a sense of accomplishment. Put some music on and tackle that project that you’ve been putting off for so long.
- Drink some green tea or eat some dark chocolate.
One of the many benefits of green tea is that it can relax you. And dark chocolate reduces stress and improves memory. So whether you brew some tea and listen to some music or indulge in some dark chocolate and watch a movie, you will know that you are doing something good for yourself.
- Meet a friend for dinner.
I have a friend I don’t see very often, even though she lives in the same town. When we do get together, we lament that we don’t get together often enough. I always feel rejuvenated after a night out with her. That’s because taking time to laugh and talk with a friend helps relax you, reduces stress, and lightens your mood.
- Listen to an educational podcast.
When we were little and in school, it was normal to learn something new every day. That should still be our goal. So choose a podcast that teaches something you have wanted to learn about, and then press play.
- Go for a bike ride.
There’s such a feeling of freedom when you ride a bike. Lots of towns have greenways or bike paths that are easily accessible. Enjoy the good weather and get outside for a good 30–45-minute bike ride.
- Call a friend you haven’t talked to in a while.
In our world today, we text. Rarely do we hear a friend’s voice on the phone. Take the time to pick up the phone and call someone you care about.
- Make a smoothie.
Smoothies do your body good, and they’re much healthier than soda or lemonade. So grab some low-sugar fruit juice and some fresh fruit, blend, and enjoy!
- Journal.
Journaling is a great way to be in touch with your feelings and thoughts. It helps you understand yourself better, and it guides you as you work through difficult times or when trying to make a decision.
- Start that new hobby.
Working with our hands can bring a sense of accomplishment and great satisfaction. To look at something and say, “I created that!” brings great joy. So whether you’ve wanted to start painting, build models, work with wood, sew, or do something totally different, go ahead and give it a try!
- Plant some flowers.
Not only do they look great and smell wonderful, but the actual act of planting flowers will help you relax and will give you a feeling of peace.
- Take a day trip to someplace new.
We often get stuck in ruts as we do the same thing over and over. Find something fun near you that you have never done, and go on an adventure!
- Go swimming.
Swimming, or even just floating in a pool, helps alleviate stress.
- Practice some yoga poses.
Yoga is good for both the body and mind. If you don’t know any poses, check out some beginner videos on YouTube.
- Watch a funny movie.
Laughter is crucial. When we laugh, we release endorphins, which makes us feel better. Laughter also reduces stress and improves your immune system.
- Take a bath.
Guys, baths aren’t just for women. Anyone can relax in a tub of warm water—with or without bubbles and a rubber duckie! Grab a book or listen to some music while you soak.
- Do something kind for an elderly neighbor or friend.
Performing acts of kindness just for the sake of doing them should be the norm, but it is a proven fact that doing a kind act for someone else helps boost your oxytocin, serotonin, and dopamine, so you feel good too!
- Create a list of things you are thankful for.
Too often we focus on the negatives in life, but we all have more blessings than we can ever count, even if they are small things. So go ahead, start writing them down.
- Play an outdoor sport with friends.
Not only do you benefit from the exercise, but you will benefit from the camaraderie. For some friendly competition, choose sports like golf, tennis, pickleball, or basketball.
- Play a board game with your family or friends.
Board games bring out the silliness in people, and the more you laugh, the more fun you will have.
- Build a fire outside and make s’mores with your loved ones.
Sitting outside on a nice evening with people you care about while sharing a delicious treat. It doesn’t get much better than that!
- Go for a hike.
Take a friend and explore nearby hiking trails. Make sure you take enough water!
- Replace something junky in your diet with something healthy.
Breaking bad habits can be difficult, but it’s not impossible. PI has tasty protein bars and protein cookies that are much better for you than candy bars and regular cookies. Check them out!
- Watch an educational documentary.
Streaming services have fascinating documentaries of all subjects and lengths. It’s easy to choose something that will teach you something new.
- Eat more greens!
We know that green leafy vegetables are good for us, but not many of us get the necessary amount each day. PI has a new green powder that you just add to water. Called Greens for Life, this formula will help improve digestion, boost immunity, increase your energy, and so much more!
- Bake some healthy whole-grain bread.
Baking relaxes you. The aroma of baking bread, the feeling of accomplishment of something done well, and the the delicious taste of something healthy will put you in a great mood.
In our fast-paced lives, we just want to go, go, go, then get up and do it all over again. But living a healthy life requires us to care for ourselves. Psychologists say that it takes 59-70 days to form a habit. Imagine how much better you would feel if you spent every day in August doing one thing to better yourself in some way. By the end of the month, you would be about halfway there.
So, this August, prioritize becoming a better and healthier you. Do something each day to improve your overall wellness. You will be thrilled at the new you on September 1st!
