A break from reality in a wellness retreat doesn’t have to be expensive. In fact, it can be completely free! We love the idea of a DIY wellness retreat – and it’s easier to create than you might think. With a few crafty tricks and some simple supplies, you can transform your home into a peaceful oasis.

Here’s how to create your very own wellness retreat:

For many of us, the weekends are our favorite time of the week. Along with not having to wake up to that dreaded alarm clock, Saturday and Sunday provide time to relax and participate in some of your favorite hobbies. We believe that the weekends are the perfect opportunity to clear your mind and recover from any built-up stress.

However, sometimes, the weekends can be stressful if you over-commit or try to do too many unpleasant chores. You need to prioritize your weekend around your wellness and happiness. A stressful weekend will leave you feeling groggy, irritable, and anxious – starting off your workweek on a wrong foot.

So, if you want to feel fresh and re-charged while walking into work on Monday morning, try out some of these weekend wellness activities to help conquer stress from the workweek:

You’re busy. You work full-time, pick up the kiddos from school, run to the grocery store, and fold laundry once you get home. Rushing to accomplish task after task often becomes a mindless job, and it’s easy to become disconnected from your thoughts, feelings, and the environment around you. Mindfulness works to combat your senseless actions by bringing awareness to your thoughts and activities – and accept them without judgment.

Practicing mindfulness will not only bring your life balance and happiness, but it will improve your emotional and physical wellbeing as well. According to an article by HelpGuide.org, the physical benefits of mindfulness include stress relief, lower blood pressure, reduced chronic pain, improved sleep, and can even help fight heart disease. It is also noted that mindfulness has been used as an important element in the treatment of mental health issues such as depression, substance abuse, eating disorders, anxiety, and obsessive-compulsive disorder.

Practicing mindfulness during your daily activities can become a simple habit. Help yourself become more present by using the following tips to turn mindfulness into part of your daily routine:     

We talk a lot about what employees can do to get healthier, but what about leaders? Managers have the opportunity to lead their team by setting a healthy example at work. When a leader puts in the effort to get healthier, happier, and more productive, employees will be more likely to extend that effort for themselves! Employees will take wellness advice more seriously from an employer who proves that they care about the health of their staff.

So, if you’re a leader and want your employees to live a healthy lifestyle, it’s time to practice what you preach! Be sure to demonstrate these eight habits to encourage a healthy lifestyle: 

The summer months bring more than just sunny weather and BBQs – they bring a great opportunity for re-vamping your workplace wellness program! While your wellness initiatives should be year-round, we think summer is a great time to encourage healthy eats, outdoor activity, and take wellness up a notch.

If you feel like your wellness program loses some steam during the summer months, or if employees aren’t as motivated to keep up with your wellness initiatives, try out some of these summer wellness ideas to keep things fun and exciting:

If you truly want your employees to be healthy, taking a holistic approach to employee wellness is key. Health goes beyond what your employees eat and how often they move. Numerous lifestyle factors play a role in your employees’ overall health and wellness. For example, elements such as stress, financial wellness, and social relationships all contribute to your employees’ mental, social, and emotional health – which is just as important as physical health!

It’s important for employers to understand that the environment in which employees work plays a huge role in their overall wellness. If your company doesn’t support and promote a holistic lifestyle, many employees will neglect important aspects of their health. Employees need encouragement to go beyond healthy eating and exercising to achieve a life of holistic wellness.

Read on to learn how holistic wellness will positively affect your employees’ health and their work performance:

Let’s be honest here, would the Fourth of July be complete without a grill out, sweets, and adult beverages? This summer holiday is all about food, family, and having a good time. However, we believe that the 4^th doesn’t have to include sacrificing your healthy habits and push back your fitness progress! 

A healthy and happy Fourth of July is achievable with some healthy substitutions and preparations. Here’s how to enjoy your holiday festivities without the sugar crash and junk food hangover the next day:

When it comes to getting in shape, many of us are only concerned about the number on the scale – when instead, we should be focused on our health. While you might think that a smaller number on the scale goes hand-in-hand with healthy weight loss, it’s not always that black and white. 

Too many factors contribute to the number you see on the scale. This insightful article demonstrates that weight is merely a measure of the force of gravity on our bodies – not a measurement of health. Your weight will fluctuate regularly do to many different causes such as your hydration level, sodium intake, exercise, muscle development, digestion, or even certain medications.

It’s self-sabotage to only measure your fitness progress by weighing yourself on a daily basis. The number you see on the scale is too unreliable to base your health and fitness on. You could be making some major improvements, but if the scale doesn’t reflect that (which it usually doesn’t), you’ll be discouraged and tempted to give up.

Stuck seeing the glass half empty? Truth be told, a lot of us are. Being a pessimist is far too easy because focusing on the negatives seems less difficult than finding the positives. However, being a Negative Nancy can have some serious consequences. Research has found that pessimists are more stressed, less happy, and less healthy than their optimistic counterparts.

A 2015 study found that optimists were more likely to eat healthily, maintain a healthy BMI, exercise regularly, and not smoke. They also had healthier blood pressure, blood sugar, and cholesterol levels. Another study stated that optimists also tend to have more satisfying relationships and are less likely to come down with the flu or catch the common cold.

While some might think optimism is a personality trait that you’re either born with or not, in reality, anyone can learn to become an optimist. If you would like to start looking on the bright side and reap the health benefits of positivity, try adapting these seven daily habits that will help you become an optimist in no time: