Many of us dedicate our New Year’s resolution to living a healthier lifestyle and getting in better shape. And while it might be easy to start the year off strong, after a month or two, many of us tend to lose our steam when it comes to hitting the gym on a daily basis. That’s why it’s so important to make regular exercise a habit – not just a New Year’s resolution. 

Our bodies were made to move, not sit in a chair all day! With 80% of American adults not meeting the national physical activity recommendations (150 minutes of exercise per week), it’s important to focus on moving more and sitting less on a daily basis. And while the thought of daily exercise might sound impractical for full-time employees with a busy schedule, with a bit of creativity you can add physical activity into any part of your daily routine.

That’s why we believe that exercise can be more than just an intense, hour-long sweat session at the gym. Exercise can be any form of physical activity that gets your heart pumping. For example, raking the leaves, taking your dog for a walk, and gardening are considered forms of exercise. Moving more doesn’t have to be one more dreaded task to add to your to-do list. Start thinking of exercise as play!

We all know that New Year’s resolutions don’t always lead to success. In fact, most of them fail – with only eight percent of people following through with their resolutions. And while we believe that developing a New Year’s resolution dedicated to improving your health is a fantastic idea, it might not be the best approach. 

Rather than having one specific New Year’s resolution this year, try adopting some healthy habits that are more likely to stick with you over a long period of time. Focusing on forming healthy habits is a bit more realistic and easier than having a resolution of losing 20 pounds, for example. You’ll be more likely to see results and improve your wellbeing by developing habits that will keep you healthy and happy year after year.

So, if you want 2018 to be your healthiest and happiest year yet, consider adopting some of these seven healthy habits for a happier “new you”:

This year, we made an effort to provide our readers with relevant and helpful content for workplace health and wellness. With a few weeks to go, we've published 96 articles this year, so there is good chance you may have missed a few. To help you out, we compiled a list of our 10 most popular blog posts of 2017 and provided a summary below. Feel free to comment your favorites in the comment section below! 

#1: 7 Tips for Promoting Positivity in Your Workplace

A positive work environment boosts employee wellness. Which is why it’s no surprise that our most popular blog post of the year is all about workplace positivity. Practicing positivity and optimism has been linked to numerous health benefits, increased productivity, and less stress. We included seven tips to help you promote positivity at your company. Some examples include:

• Using positive messaging
• Expressing gratitude
• Knowing your mission

Check out the full blog post here!

A morning workout is a fantastic way to start your day – for multiple reasons. Getting your recommended 30 minutes of exercise each day can be difficult for many full-time employees. Between juggling family priorities and working your nine to five, you can always find an excuse to skip the gym. However, making it a habit to exercise right after you get up in the morning might just be the ultimate solution to keep yourself motivated.

We know that it’s tempting to snooze for as long as possible instead of getting up to hit the gym before work. But if you can make it a habit to get your daily exercise in before you get to the office, you’ll feel more accomplished, confident, and enjoy many health benefits.

Check out six amazing benefits of morning exercise below:

Each year, more and more employers have realized that the strict nine-to-five workday schedule is outdated. Too many hours spent in the office can lead to chronic stress, poor health habits, and low job satisfaction.

In contrast, employees with flexible work schedules have been shown to have higher levels of job satisfaction and less absenteeism, along with reduced rates of turnover. By simply offering employees the ability to choose their own hours and work from home when needed, employers can improve the overall health and wellbeing of their employees.

If your company doesn’t currently offer some type of flexibility for your employees, we urge you to consider these five employee wellness perks of a flexible schedule:

A healthy morning sets you up for a healthy day. Of course, we know that not everyone is a morning person. For those that struggle to get up when the alarm goes off, a morning routine might seem like a bit of a nuisance.

However, keeping up with a healthy morning routine can make your mornings a bit easier because it gives you something to look forward to. Adopting a morning routine will help you feel more productive, less stressed, more energized, and ready to tackle the busy workday ahead of you.

Use the following seven steps to start a healthy morning routine:

If you find yourself feeling more stressed out than usual over the holiday season, you’re not alone. In fact, most adults may feel more effects of holiday stress than they do holiday cheer. In a 2015 Healthline survey, 62% of adults reported the holiday season to be either somewhat stressful or very stressful – with only 10% reporting no stress at all. 

Between spending too much cash and nibbling on too many festive cookies, the holidays can negatively impact our mental health with feelings of stress, guilt, or anxiety. However, we believe you can feel more joyful and less stressed by learning to prioritize your mental wellbeing over the holiday season.

Use the following seven tips below to better prioritize your mental wellbeing and keep yourself feeling jolly over the holidays:

The gut is commonly referred to as your body’s “second brain.” This is because, besides the brain, the gut is the only other organ with its own nervous system. A healthy gut is extremely important to your overall wellbeing – as it affects your entire body. Unfortunately, gut health is often overlooked and not given the amount of care and attention it deserves.

According to an article by Douglas Lord, M.D., the gut is largely responsible for the critical factors of the body’s digestive and immune systems. The good bacteria in your digestive system can boost your body’s vitamin and mineral absorbency, hormone regulation, digestion, vitamin production, and immune response, along with the eliminating toxins. A healthy gut can even help improve mental health! 

So, to summarize, gut health is about way more than just digestion. While your gut does regulate the digestion of food, it also regulates your immune system and central nervous system – along with other bodily processes. If you’ve been neglecting your gut health, no need to fret. You can adopt some healthy habits to help your body restore and maintain a healthy gut.

Keep on reading to discover the many benefits of a healthy gut and some habits to help support gut health.

Many of us have a digital addiction.

Nearly half of American smartphone users say they can’t live without their phones. In a technology-driven world, it’s normal to spend some time online and take advantage of the benefits smartphones and other devices have to offer. However, it’s important to realize when your use of technology has started to impact your mental, emotional, and social health. 

A 2015 study found that people check their smartphones an average of 85 times a day. Feeling the need to check your phone constantly can be a sign that it’s time to take a break from the digital world. Your phone obsession can lead to some bad social habits like ignoring your partner during dinner or paying more attention to your notifications instead of your friends. 

If you’ve noticed a sense of stress associated with your dependency on your smartphone, a digit detox might be just what you need to reduce some stress and improve your overall wellbeing. Check out some of the benefits of a digital detox and some tips to make a digital detox work for you:

It’s officially the start of the holiday season! Thanksgiving is a great holiday to bring together family, friends, and great food. However, if you have specific fitness goals that you are trying to achieve, the holidays can be a stressful time. Since Thanksgiving is all about food, it can be hard to fight temptation – and you might leave your family gathering feeling guilty. 

We believe that it’s completely possible to have a satisfying and healthy Thanksgiving when you’re trying to maintain a healthy diet. Whether you’re the host or the attendee, check out some of the tips below to have a healthier Thanksgiving this year.