Most Inclusive Annual Wellness Plan
Wondering which challenges to include in your annual wellness plan so that it is both engaging and inclusive? Read on. The Most Inclusive Annual Wellness Plan is designed so that every person has an easy way to take part, whatever their age or fitness level.
The plan runs for a full year and consists of 12 month-long challenges covering different areas of wellbeing. Communication and rewards matter too, of course, but a clear plan is the essential starting point for any good result. You can find all four ready-made plans on the wellness challenge templates page.
Table of Contents
1. January: Mindful Month
Activity: Mindfulness
Type: Consistency / Individual
Target: 10 minutes a day × 16 days out of 31
The year starts with a focus on mental health – as the saying goes, everything starts in the head, and that is true for workplace health too. The target is 10 minutes of mindfulness a day on at least half of the days in January. Supporting materials, such as guided sessions, make the goal easier to reach.
2. February: Energize the Exercise
Activity: Exercise time
Type: Consistency / Teams (5 members)
Target: 2 hours a day (team total) × 20 days out of 28
February's challenge is all about exercise time. Everyone chooses the activities they prefer, gentle or high-intensity, and all count equally – what matters is getting people to move. It runs as a team challenge: the five team members together aim for 2 hours of exercise a day on at least 20 of February's 28 days.
3. March: Keep Your Sleep
Activity: Sleep
Type: Consistency / Individual
Target: 7 hours a night × 26 days out of 31
March is a great month to focus on sleep. The goal is to sleep at least 7 hours on at least 26 of 31 nights. Anyone who reaches it will notice how much better their mood and productivity are. A useful extra tip for this challenge: no screens for at least an hour before bed. Read more on why sleep matters.
4. April: Walk the Talk
Activity: Walking / running
Type: Consistency / Individual
Target: 20 minutes × 20 days out of 30
April is a good month to switch to walking meetings, because this challenge asks participants to move for at least 20 minutes on at least 20 of April's 30 days. Walking or running – it does not matter, as long as people get moving and build a consistent habit. Don't forget to share photos in the chat.
5. May: Hustle the Core Muscle
Activity: Planking
Type: Total amount / Teams (5 members)
Target: 1,000 minutes
Planking needs nothing but the right body position and a little floor space. This core exercise is very inclusive, because it can be made easier by putting your knees down. The hard part is not doing it but remembering to. The goal is for each team to collect 1,000 minutes together during the month.
6. June: Make Your Steps Count
Activity: Steps
Type: Consistency / Individual
Target: 10,000 steps × 15 days out of 30
June brings the most recognizable challenge of all: steps. This time, the goal is to reach 10,000 steps a day on at least half of the days in June. A consistency challenge motivates people to move without pushing them to extremes – it is all about building behavior that lasts. Here is how to create a step challenge.
7. July: No Watering Down
Activity: Water drinking
Type: Consistency / Individual
Target: 8 glasses a day × 21 days out of 31
In the middle of summer, with temperatures rising, hydration becomes especially important. A water drinking challenge also often helps people switch from less healthy drinks to water. The goal is to drink 8 glasses of water a day on at least 21 of July's 31 days.
8. August: Move That Milestone
Activity: Distance
Type: Collective
Target: Number of participants × 241 km (150 miles)
In August, everyone works toward a collective distance goal: 241 km (150 miles) per participant over the month, added up for the whole group. Running, walking, cycling and other ways of moving all contribute – what matters is that there is some physical effort involved.
9. September: Calories You Actually Need
Activity: Calories
Type: Collective
Target: Number of participants × 69,000 kcal
In September we go after the calories that are actually useful – the burned ones. This is a collective challenge with one shared target, where everyone contributes as much as is healthy and realistic for them. Keep in mind that calorie burn depends on each person's body, so more calories do not necessarily mean more effort.
10. October: October Outdoors
Activity: Outdoor time
Type: Total amount / Individual
Target: 1,000 minutes
October is a great month to spend time in nature. The goal of this outdoor challenge is 1,000 minutes per person over the month – ideally in daylight, while there is still some. Enjoy nature, and share your best photos in the challenge chat.
11. November: Better Yoga Than Soda
Activity: Yoga
Type: Total amount / Individual
Target: 300 minutes
A yoga challenge is perfect for November. Some may think yoga is too static, but there are many styles – if you want to challenge your muscles, try power or acro yoga. Either way, a 300-minute goal is a welcome spark in the cold, dark autumn.
12. December: Gotta Love to Cook!
Activity: Cooking (custom activity)
Type: Collective
Target: Number of participants × 3 meals
We end the year with a healthy cooking challenge. The holiday season is known for its meals, so it is a great time for people to share healthy recipes and try cooking them. Because it is a collective challenge, some people may contribute one dish and others several – every meal counts.
13. Conclusion
Now you have an overview of the Most Inclusive Annual Wellness Plan. To put it into practice, book a demo and we will help you set it up. If you would like to compare other options, here are three more plans: the activity-focused annual wellness plan, the highest variety annual wellness plan and the YuMuuv team's own annual wellness plan. Want to talk it through? Let us know, and together we will make sure your team gets the best possible plan.
