Accurately Validating Wellness Points in YuMuuv: Best Practices and Tips
Wellness point-based challenges are becoming increasingly popular as companies seek to combine diverse activities into a single, comprehensive engagement system. From tracking physical activities like running and cycling to rewarding mindful habits like journaling and gratitude, the flexibility of YuMuuv’s point system empowers businesses to create personalized wellness programs that cater to varying employee needs.
We’ve previously explored the foundations of YuMuuv’s point system in our articles:
• Everything You Need to Know About YuMuuv’s Point System
• Crafting Your Challenge: 4 Dynamic Point System Templates for Enhanced Engagement
This article builds upon those foundations by discussing best practices for assigning point values, combining activities, and determining what’s right for your organization.
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Understanding the Flexibility: No One-Size-Fits-All Approach
When designing a wellness challenge, one of the biggest questions organizers face is: How should I assign point values to activities?
Should 1 km of running be worth 1 point or 20 points? Should 15 minutes of yoga earn the same points as 15 minutes of intense cycling? The answer depends on the goals of your challenge, the nature of your participants, and how you want to balance activities.
There’s no universal formula, but there are proven practices that can guide you.
Best Practices for Assigning Points
1. Align Points with Challenge Goals
Start by defining what you want to achieve. Is the focus on promoting physical activity, building healthier habits, or supporting holistic well-being?
• If your goal is physical activity: You may want higher points for intense activities like running or cycling.
• If the focus is on holistic wellness: Equalize points across physical, mental, and lifestyle activities.
2. Balance Time vs. Distance-Based Activities
When assigning points, consider the shape, age, and fitness levels of participants.
• Distance-based metrics like kilometers may favor runners and cyclists, but not everyone has access to those activities.
• Time-based metrics (e.g., minutes of activity) are often more inclusive, allowing participants to choose activities at their own pace.
• Recommendation: Prioritize time over distance when targeting diverse participants since it levels the playing field.
3. Encourage a Variety of Activities
Challenges are most effective when they incorporate a combination of movement, mindfulness, and lifestyle habits. This holistic approach ensures inclusivity and prevents burnout. For example, you can combine physically demanding activities with habit-based ones like journaling, cold plunges, or creative arts.
4. Use Benchmark Values for Common Activities
To get started, here’s a list of recommended point values for popular wellness activities. These can be customized based on your organization’s needs:
Most Popular Wellness Points System Activities (Suggested Values)
| Activity | Point Value |
| Physical Activities | |
| Steps | 200 steps = 1 point |
| Distance (any) | 1 km = 2 points |
| Exercise minutes | 1 min = 1 point |
| Cycling | 1 min = 1 point |
| Calories | 100 kcal = 1 point (40 points max) |
| Running | 1 min = 2 points |
| Walking | 1 min = 1 point |
| Swimming | 1 min = 3 points |
| Yoga | 1 min = 1 point |
| Intensive minutes | 1 min = 2 points |
| Wellness & Habit Activities (Mark as Done) | |
| Alcohol abstinence | 1 day = 20 points |
| Book reading | 15 min = 20 points |
| Car-free days | 1 day = 20 points |
| Cold plunge | 30-60 sec = 20 points |
| Contrast shower | 60-120 sec = 20 points |
| Creative arts | 15 min = 20 points |
| Daily flossing | 3 min = 20 points |
| Daily journaling | 10 min = 20 points |
| Deep breathing | 15 min = 20 points |
| Encouraging someone | 1 person = 20 points |
| Finance tracking | 1 day = 20 points |
| Gratitude journaling | 1 day = 20 points |
| Healthy cooking | 1 meal = 20 points |
| Hobby development | 15 min = 20 points |
| Intermittent fasting | 1 day = 20 points |
| Language learning | 15 min = 20 points |
| Mindfulness | 10 min = 20 points |
| Natural light exposure | 15 min = 20 points |
| Outdoor time | 30 min = 20 points |
| Phone-free time | 60 min = 20 points |
| Planking | 5 min = 20 points |
| Pull-ups | 4 reps = 1 point (120 points max) |
| Push-ups | 2 reps = 1 point (120 points max) |
| Screen-free meals | 1 meal = 20 points |
| Sleep | 7 hours = 20 points |
| Smoking cessation | 1 day = 20 points |
| Socializing with friends | 30 min = 20 points |
| Squatting | 6 reps = 1 point (120 points max) |
| Water Drinking | 8 glasses = 20 points |
1. Combining Physical and Non-Physical Activities
One way to ensure broad participation is by integrating non-physical activities into the challenge. For example:
• Offer daily or weekly bonuses for completing habits like journaling, gratitude tracking, or creative arts.
• Assign high-point values to activities that require commitment but aren’t strenuous, such as abstaining from alcohol, healthy cooking, or phone-free time.
2. Customizing Your Wellness Point System
YuMuuv allows full customization, so you can create a point system tailored to your unique organizational goals. Consider setting point caps for certain activities (e.g., 120 points max for strength exercises) to prevent over-exertion or imbalance in tracking.
Additionally, custom manual entries can be enabled for unique activities not listed by default, such as corporate volunteer work or personal development tasks.
3. Final Thoughts: Finding What Works for Your Organization
While there’s no perfect formula, the key is to maintain flexibility and fairness. By regularly reviewing data from your challenge (using tools like the YuMuuv ROI Calculator), you can tweak point allocations and optimize engagement as the challenge progresses.
Would you like personalized recommendations or further assistance setting up your wellness point system? Contact us or explore our detailed guides on YuMuuv’s blog.
Let the journey to healthier, more engaged employees begin! 🌱
