Looking for some simple summer wellness tips?
We’ve got you covered.
Yes, your workforce may be ready to hit the road for multiple vacations and long weekends, but that doesn't mean it needs to disrupt your regular programming for wellness at work.
Keep employees excited about wellness by making it engaging and fun for them to focus on their health. Make summer's wellness campaigns all about connection, enjoyment and liveliness.
Read on for tips to share with your team and ideas to implement in your workplace this summer!
Summer Wellness Tips for Your Team to Keep in Mind
Ready for summer already? While it’s a glorious time of year, there are some health hazards to keep in mind, too. Don’t let the carefree, dog-days of summer get the best of you. Play it smart and you can have fun while also staying healthy, too.
Here’s a little checklist to keep your health in check this summer:
Eat Summer Foods
Not only does eating seasonally mean you’re enjoying the best nutrients produce has to offer, but it also can be purchased directly from a local farm — an economic and environmental perk. Enjoy foods like garlic, radishes, arugula, carrots, bell peppers, and beets in the summer
Travel Smart
If you’re traveling this summer, keep an eye on the news. Watch if the area you plan to go to is experiencing issues that would impact your health and ruin your trip. COVID-19 outbreaks could increase your risk of getting it, for example. Or, if an area is dry and is experiencing excessive wildfires, the air quality is often impacted. Watch for local advisories from the health department and other entities before traveling.
Stay Out of Intense Heat
Summer heat waves are common throughout the country during the hottest months of the year. If you’re planning to spend time outdoors, ensure you’re staying hydrated and in the shade, if possible. Heat-related illnesses, known as hyperthermia, can cause issues like muscle cramps, nausea, confusion, slurred speech, rashes, dizziness, and worse. Heat illnesses can range from mild to deadly. Knowing the signs and staying inside in the heat of the midday can help you avoid serious heat-related issues.
Related: Summer Sun Essential Guide
Have a Backup Workout Plan
With temperatures rising and the beautiful outdoors beckoning, workouts outdoors can look a lot more appealing after too many dreadful runs on an indoor treadmill. If the weather gets above 90 degrees on the heat index, switch your workout to one indoors to reduce the risk of heat illness.
Spend Time Relaxing
While it’s good to chill on a regular basis, be sure to do it this summer especially. After a few summers of lockdowns and travel restrictions, make some fun plans to let loose and relax. You’ll do your health a favor: Research shows those who relax have lower heart rates, less stress, and reduced symptoms of issues like anxiety and depression.
Related: 52 Easy Wellness Wednesday Ideas to Try in Your Workplace
Wear Sunglasses
Sunglasses aren’t just a fashion statement; they actually are useful in preventing serious eye conditions. Wear UV sunglasses to protect your eyes from excessive UV radiation, which can cause issues like cataracts and macular degeneration, according to eye experts.
Skip Dehydrating Drinks
Dehydration can happen to the body any time, but it’s much more common in summer when you’re more likely to be outdoors enjoying different activities. It happens when we sweat and lose fluids and those fluids aren’t replaced. Drink plenty of water; for optimal hydration, skip caffeinated or alcoholic beverages.
Keep Sunscreen and Bug Spray on Hand
Both sunscreen and bug spray are essential summer must-haves when enjoying the great outdoors. Sunscreen will keep your skin from getting burned (and reduce wrinkle risk!) and bug spray keeps away pesky insects like ticks, fleas, and mosquitos, which can carry dangerous diseases. When using both, apply repellent after sunscreen is applied. Once you’re back inside for the day, it’s a good idea to rinse off to get rid of the residue on your skin.
Related: 12 Mini Wellness Challenge Ideas Your Team Will Love
Keep Your Team Engaged in Wellness This Summer
Even if your team members are in and out of the workplace all summer, it’s still important to offer wellness reminders. Pass out the above summer wellness tips and have discussions surrounding smart summertime health choices.
Additionally, summer is a perfect time for team-building activities and to incorporate more fun in the workplace that also has a wellness vibe to it.
Below are some ideas to keep your team engaged in wellness all summer long:
- Have team BBQs - Barbecues are always a big hit. Make it even more fun by holding a contest to see who can incorporate the most healthy ingredients into a potluck dish. Invite family members, too, to add a healthy dose of camaraderie and connection.
- Explore healthy fruit-based desserts - Summertime is a great time to enjoy local produce and all that summer’s bounty has to offer. Have a dessert day that incorporates seasonal fruits as the base. Think cherries, blackberries, nectarines, plums, and any other fruit grown locally.
- Enjoy outdoor fitness challenges - Summertime = sweaty time. Summer is an ideal time to get outdoors and workout together as a team. Whether you opt for a steps challenge or a couch to 5k or something in-between, add even more excitement with giveaways of wellness-themed items.
- Explore a local farmers market - Have a farmer’s market nearby work? Head out for a little field trip. Learn together what foods are local to your area and the best ways to enjoy the foods with advice straight from the grower.
- Cook a meal with local food together - If you take a farmer’s market field trip together, come back and create a healthy food spread. From charcuterie boards to fruit salads and green salads to green-based juices, your team can get creative with a healthy lunch made by them.
- Start a water bar - Hydration is essential during the summer when skyrocketing heat indexes make it easier to get dehydrated. Set up a water bar in the workplace with fruit-infused water for your team to enjoy. Add fruits like sliced up strawberries and lime, blackberries, or even cucumbers for a refreshing change.
As you can see from the list above, you can keep summer wellness simple yet exciting without much planning at all. That’s what summer is about after all: relaxing and enjoying life as much as possible. Use these summer wellness tips to help your team enjoy this season safely and healthily!
