Picture a workplace where you and your team are able to be your best selves each and every day. It’s possible, and it doesn’t require a massive human resources initiative or expensive company retreat to achieve. In fact, you can create this culture of optimism yourself, simply by refining your day-to-day thoughts, beliefs and actions to celebrate the bright side of your work, your peers, and your life.

At a recent session of the Aspen Ideas Festival, PepsiCo CEO Indra Nooyi shared her perspective, stating, “I don't think women can have it all.”

This thought-provoking remark is not meant to spark a feud with Sheryl Sandberg and the Lean In movement but rather to contribute to the ongoing dialogue surrounding work-life balance.

Take a break from the romance novels this summer and opt for a reading list that's packed with positivity, nutrition, health and wellness. Here are ten of our favorite books to change your perspective, inspire your life and motivate your health: 

With the weather heating up and the Fourth of July just around the corner, we can officially say that the season of company picnics has arrived. While it can be tempting to make things simple and suggest an all-out potluck, we don't think your wellness program would be best-served by a spread of mayonnaise-laden salads, fried chicken and high-calorie desserts. Host a healthy company picnic (without sacrificing flavor or tradition!) by following these tips: 

The Barbecue

Coworkers and social networks can play a significant role in the culture of your workplace and the success of your wellness program. Because the majority of us spend the bulk of our waking hours at work, our peers inevitably influence our health. Our coworkers' attitudes towards health screenings, smoking, fitness, nutrition, and flu shots can all affect our own decision-making.

A positive worksite wellness culture can be important for your staff's physical, emotional, and mental well-being.

When your employees’ health is a priority, your workplace becomes more efficient and productive.

The office becomes a place that respects the time, talents, and lives of the individuals who work there, with clearly established roles and responsibilities.

While many wellness programs will brag about ROI and throw seemingly impressive statistics, just creating a culture that values wellness is enough to reduce sick days and health care costs.

Traditional team-building activities tend to send employees heading to the hills.

But we're confident that there are plenty of ways to establish relationships with your coworkers without an awkward icebreaker activity or out-of-place craft project.

Creating those bonds among staff members is about more than just having a cool company culture; employees report that when they have friends at work, their job is more fun, enjoyable, worthwhile, and satisfying. In fact, a recent Gallup survey found that close work friendships boost employee satisfaction by 50%, and people with a best friend at work are seven times more likely to engage fully in their tasks. 

Now that the weather is warmer, we think there are even more ways you can get employees to participate in creative, engaging activites. Here are eight of our favorite suggestions: 

Any employee's ears would perk up at the idea of unlimited vacation days. This doesn't come as much of a surprise when you contrast the dream of endless time off with the idea that Americans are working more than ever, averaging more than 48 hours a week according to the Organization of Economic Cooperation and Development. 

Morning commutes always seem to be a struggle. Dealing with rush hour traffic, insufficient parking, faulty alarm clocks and last-minute emergencies tends to start the day off poorly and contribute to unnecessary stress. Besides these basic struggles, getting up extra early to sneak in a pre-sunrise yoga class or a quick morning jog can sometimes seem like an impossible feat. There is an exception, however. All of the employees that bike to work all seem arrive bright-eyed, alert and ready to face the day. Before they even get to their desks, they've gotten in some exercise, soaked up a little sunlight and avoided a dreaded highway commute. Today, on National Bike to Work Day, we salute those employees with a list of our 10 favorite reasons to consider commuting by bike. 

You may be aware that your staff is rarely hitting the magical 8-hour mark for their sleep schedules. While your employees' out-of-office time is their own business, a lack of adequate sleep could be affecting your company in the long run. Those cubicle cat naps and overall on-the-job sleepiness cost employers about $100 billion in lost productivity, health care costs and employee absences, according to the National Sleep Foundation.