May is Mental Health Awareness Month.

Given that each year, millions of Americans face the reality of living with a mental illness, it’s an ideal time to bring the topic up in the workplace.

That’s why we’ve compiled this list of mental health awareness month activities your team will no doubt get a lot out of if they participate.

This post offers 21 simple — yet effective — ways to bring mental health awareness into the workplace to destigmatize the issue and encourage workers to get the help they may need.

Mother’s Day weekend kicks off National Women’s Health Week.

But it’s not only mothers who need to keep an eye on their health. Given that the average American woman lives to age 81, staying healthy should be a priority for all females who want a high quality of life.

National Women’s Health Week — which runs from May 9 to 15, 2021 — is the ideal time to encourage women’s wellness in both the workplace and at home.

By 2050, it’s expected 92 million women will be a part of the traditional workforce, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Right now, nearly 50% of the workforce is made up of women, making this a wellness topic that needs coverage in the workplace.

Help the women in your company take the step to better health this week.

Give the women in your workplace a reminder that their health matters.

Below, you’ll find tips and reminders specific to women’s health to share in honor of the health week dedicated to women everywhere.

With May being Healthy Vision Month, it’s a perfect time to talk to your employees about eye protection safety and eye wellness.

Each day, thousands of workers injure their eyes severely enough to need medical intervention. While eye protection safety is a must in the workplace, reminding your employees to keep up with eye exams and limiting tech time can also keep their eyes healthy, too. 

This post covers how workers can protect their eyes, including eye protection, foods that promote eye health, eye exams, and more.

For some people, the thought of figuring out how to reduce their anxiety only brings on more anxiety.

But, there are simple tools to make it feel less daunting. Some of the best meditation apps for anxiety are designed to quell anxious thoughts that so often spiral out of control.  

In fact, meditation is scientifically proven to benefit the anxious. 

According to Mayo Clinic, there are plenty of benefits to meditation, including anxiety reduction and increasing self-awareness. Anxiety not only robs you of the present moment, but chronic anxiety puts you at a higher risk for heart disease and high blood pressure

If you’re tired of dealing with the negative effects of anxiety, meditation may be the answer. And, no, you don’t have to do it for hours daily to see the benefits.

Need some guidance?

We rounded up both free and paid versions of the best meditation apps for anxiety below. Check them out to bring a little more zen to your life.

Ready to host your next work wellness challenge?

Before you dive headfirst into planning, an organized approach can ensure the wellness budget and time are used effectively.

Wellness challenges are an excellent way to bring teammates together for a fun, common goal. It’s an opportunity to bond over well-being instead of work projects. This post defines a wellness challenge, the benefits of hosting one, and the step-by-step approach to take to make sure it’s done well.

Read on and you’re off to the wellness challenge races!

Looking for ways to celebrate Earth Day at work?

In the workplace, discussing food waste reduction is one of the best ways to honor the earth while also celebrating Earth Day. As a team, come together to learn about ways to save money and eat consciously this Earth Day, which falls on April 22.

Not surprisingly, daily, at least one pound of food is wasted per person in America.

This article will help you and your employees look at ways to minimize the food waste problem at both home and at work. Celebrate the beautiful world in which we live and help your employees learn a bit more about being eco-conscious (and healthier!) this Earth Day.

Here’s a look at how your employees can celebrate Earth Day at home and work and reduce food waste.

It’s no surprise that in 2020, workers were more stressed-out than ever.

In the workforce, adapting to a “new normal” must include workplace health initiatives focused on improving workplace well-being. A special focus on mental health and stress management is an absolute must, according to the Mental Health America’s new Mind the Workplace 2021 Report.

The major takeaways of that report included:

• Employees don’t have stress management support
• Most employees are dealing with burnout symptoms
• Employees are worried about their current financial situations
• Workplace stress is severely impacting employees' mental health

The data compiled is from the Work Health Survey, which gathered insight from 5,030 U.S. employees across 17 industries. The survey ran from February to September 2020 and included details on burnout, supervisor support, workplace stress,  financial insecurity, and mental illness.

Chances are good your employees are dealing with these very same issues with or without your knowledge. As lockdowns ease and workers return to the office, productivity will thrive in companies where employee well-being is a daily consideration.

If you’re seeing these same concerns in your own workplace, there is hope to fix it.

Below, you’ll find strategies to tackle issues like burnout, stress management, and other employee concerns with ease.

Work doesn’t have to be a drag.

In fact, striving for a happy workplace is a near guarantee of productivity and loyal employees. Research confirms workers are indeed 13% more productive when they have a reason to smile at work.

As a leader, looking for ways for employees to enjoy — not just endure — work is a priority that can easily get overlooked for daily business operations, especially in survival mode. Making time to ensure employees are feeling happy and fulfilled goes a long way. Plus, the perks are good for companies, too.

Happy workers are:

• Loyal
• Motivated
• More productive
• More successful

The happiest of workplaces are ones where employees feel appreciated, productive, and have a sense of control over their own work goals. A workplace where they feel well taken care of is one where most employees will happily thrive.

 This article covers 17 different ideas to make that happen.

National Walking Day is right around the corner.  

On April 7, walkers everywhere will hit their local sidewalks in stride.   

That makes this time of year the ideal time to start discussing the benefits of walking for health. The quarantine weight eventually has to come off — no excuses even if gyms are still closed — and walking is the perfect way to do it. It may also be the very easiest way to get fit.

Given that over 40% of Americans are obese, talking about physical activity needs to be a priority sooner rather than later. For some workplaces, this may include extending walking programs beyond National Walking Day.

Ready to share with employees the benefits of walking?

Read on to learn more and discover how to host your own walking event for National Walking Day in five simple steps!

Looking for some self-care books for your team?

This list contains the perfect list of self-care books every workplace library needs. If you haven’t started a workplace library, it may be time to consider one. After all, research shows reading is a healthy activity that benefits both the mind and body.

A few reasons to encourage your team to read:

• It helps reduce stress
• It can improve memory
• It may help writing skills
• It can create more empathetic feelings
• It expands one’s knowledge of various topics
• It increases vocabulary and comprehension

Plus, reading itself can be considered a self-care activity that’s a healthy, relaxing way to unwind. It’s important to build-in self-care activities daily to keep stress levels low and create a life balance. Self-care books are one way to help your employees learn how to do just that.

Read on to see our reading list full of book choices to keep your employees reading all year long.