Think of curating an effective wellness program as treating a patient successfully. Treating a patient for say, a chest infection, involves several steps from diagnostic procedures, including a simple physical exam to laboratory investigations and chest X-rays, to identifying the right antibiotic regimen for the patient. Similarly, providing the most effective wellness programs for your employees requires first investigating to understand what their real health and wellness challenges are and then providing solutions that work for them.

Many HR professionals whom we have spoken to shared that they had offered many well-being initiatives for their employees but they were not having the impact they had hoped for on the workforce.

Well-being takes a holistic approach. For many organisations, offering leadership training for managers, training and re-training of employees, recruiting more employees, improving communication channels in the workplace, and putting in measures to check burnout are the most urgent and most common solutions that employees need.

In tackling these problems, leaders of the ogranisations need to ask tough questions and have difficult conversations.

What is our organizational culture?

What changes do your employees really want to see?

What are their deepest concerns about work?

What are their mental and physical wellbeing challenges?

How is work impacting their quality of life?

What can be done differently?

A mismatch between actual problems and solutions offered inevitably leads to poor outcomes. Organisations might need to re-prioritize resources invested in routine biometric assessments and incentives into providing coaching services for employees, a key to improving their personal and professional well-being.

It is important to understand that well-being programs are not one-size-fits-all; what works for one organization may not work for the other. A mental health lunch & learn week may fit just right for an organization that has a strong culture of wellness and is supportive of its employees’ health through strategic solutions but may be ineffective for an organization that is yet to resolve these primary issues. Wellbeing programs need to be customised depending on the needs of the workforce and what stage they are in in the well-being journey.

Part of creating a customized wellness program for your organisation is also personalising these offerings. Even among a group of employees with similar well-being issues, solutions that work best for each employee can vary. Providing a customised wellness plan for employees involves understanding their individual situation, identifying their social, economic, and health factors and integrating these nuances into their wellbeing solutions.

Curating the right wellness program for your ogranisation requires paying attention to the granular issues of wellness and health in your organization. Well-being and health are not independent issues and they are dependent on a large number of factors, including organizational culture, workplace issues, and personal health circumstances. Understanding these contexts help leaders to identify their employees’ actual wellness challenges and implement the most effective solutions.

Need help planning your corporate wellness program?

We can survey your employees, create customisable wellness programs that fit your employees and deliver wellness content to empower your employees to live a better and healthier live collectively and seamlessly. Learn more about the PUML Corporate Wellness Program.

The post <strong>Corporate Wellness Programs</strong> appeared first on PUML Better Health.

Extend remote work options fairly

For many employees, the pandemic has proven they don’t necessarily have to be in the office to be productive. For others, it highlighted that they enjoy the opportunity to socialise face to face. Whilst some are certainly eager to return to the physical workplace, others have no intention of going back — at least, not permanently.

Some companies have already assured employees that they won’t have to come back to the office if they prefer not to do so. For example, Square announced that employees would have the option to work from home indefinitely since May 2020. Since then, many others have followed suit, going 100% remote or moving to a hybrid workforce model.

It is important to give employees assurances as often as possible even if leaders of the organisations are still finalising their post-pandemic workforce plans. Aim to make your work policy as extensive and equitable as possible, and provide clear guidelines around eligibility so that no one feels unfairly left out.

Listen — really listen — to your employees.

Engagement starts with understanding your employees. This can include conducting an Employee Engagement Survey with specific well-being questions or a specialised well-being assessment. At the peak of the pandemic, a lot of emphasis was placed on employee well-being, with experts fearing that the stress and anxiety created by the health crisis — compounded by isolation — would hasten burnout.

The assessment should include different dimensions of well-being such as one’s physical, emotional, mental, spiritual, financial, and social needs. By collecting and analysing feedback from those who have left the organisation, you can better understand why people are leaving and take action on the highlighted areas (e.g., remote work options) that will drive the biggest impact. Keep in mind seeking feedback from employees should be an ongoing process, not a one-off activity.

Focus on customisable solutions to support employees’ health and wellness needs.

The pandemic has been challenging for many employees and it is important to note that experiences during the pandemic have differed widely for employees depending on personal circumstances. Stress has been a constant, as well as the uncertainty of what the future will bring and how the pandemic experience will impact a person’s health. Focusing on customisable solutions that are sustainable to support employees are important. There is no one size fits all strategy, so it is also important to consider how organisations can best help every employee with customisable solutions that are sustainable.

Ensure you’re addressing employee development needs.

Employees in today’s day and age are more than ever valuing opportunities to learn and grow. If they can’t do that within your organisation, they’re likely to seek those opportunities elsewhere. Even if you don’t have many opportunities for employees to move into higher position roles, you can still provide them with ways to learn new skills or take on more challenging projects.

Ensure pay equity and transparency

A powerful place to start is with pay equity because if organisations are not transparent and have not made any significant progress in this area, employees are more inclined to look for other better opportunities elsewhere. The first step toward pay equity is understanding if there are any gaps in your organisation. Transparency is paramount – If your organisation is not comfortable disclosing exact numbers, consider sharing salary ranges. This not only gives employees a way to confirm they’re being paid fairly, but can also give them more confidence that you’re committed to equity.

Need help planning your corporate wellness program?
We can survey your employees, create customisable wellness programs that fit your employees and deliver wellness content to empower your employees to live a better and healthier live collectively and seamlessly. Learn more about the PUML Corporate Wellness Program here.

PUML powers better health for a more fulfilling life. We aim to create future-proof solutions. Our technology is user-friendly, highly engaging, and easy to use. We help organisations save time and cost.

The post Preventing and overcoming “The Great Resignation” appeared first on PUML Better Health.

The challenge is that user data has been overused and abused for years now. When customers download an app or sign onto a wellness platform, they expect that their data will help inform the solution to improve their health and fitness goals — not be sold off to the highest bidder. Especially not mismanaged, leaked or held onto once a user decides to go elsewhere.

This is the Web2 model. Data is the asset. It helps the health and fitness companies to build their product, and it becomes the commodity that (in some cases) those same companies sell to advertisers.

If you don’t want ads, you pay for the service. But even those who pay for the service have their data captured and traditionally have a hard time getting it back or having it deleted if they stop using it.

Data Management in Web3

When we talk about Web3, the biggest benefit that is touted is decentralisation. Distributing the data across a network makes it much harder for a single entity to monopolise, misuse or lose track of it. If one node goes down, the others can keep the network running.

A decentralised network means the data is stored on the user’s device. When a user decides to leave one platform for another, their data goes with them. They don’t need to start from scratch or worry about what happened to all those years of data that was captured on the old platform.

In a Web3 world, data is portable. It’s also private — by default. The user has complete control over who they share their data with and how it’s used. If they don’t want their data shared with a third party, they can choose not to share it. Essentially, Web3 protocols let users control their own data and identity.

Web3 Data Management Applied to Health and Fitness

Back to the wellness industry. That sector relies heavily on user data to create its services. In a Web3 data management approach, the data still exists and is used to create products. But it’s the user who decides how their data is used, not the platform.

The user could share their data with a specific platform to get personalised coaching or product recommendations. They could also choose to sell their data — and only their data — for example, to a research company that’s working on a new fitness app or performing a study for a certain demographic. The company gets the insights, but the user remains in control of their data and is rewarded for sharing it.

Essentially, in Web3 data management, the intermediary — the platforms — will no longer be in control of the data they use. They have to request access from the owner (the user), they can be denied, and they have no hold on it long-term or after a user decides to part ways.

It may sound like a raw deal to companies used to controlling data, but there are actually huge benefits to this new way of working. In a world where data is portable and private, platforms will have to focus on creating the best possible product — not just the one that’s able to collect and sell the most useful data.

This is a big win for users and for the health and fitness industry as a whole.

PUML Better Health powers better health for a more fulfilling life. We aim to create future-proof solutions that reward users for taking care of themselves. Our technology is user-friendly, highly engaging, and easy to use. We help organisations save time and cost. Get in touch today and learn about our wellbeing programs.

Check out our website here to learn more about how PUML is pioneering the Web3 wellness space.

The post Data Management in the Web3-Powered Health and Fitness Industry appeared first on PUML Better Health.

Poor well-being has serious implications. It can manifest in physical symptoms like headaches and fatigue or mental ones like anxiety and depression. As well-being is something that improves or declines gradually, it can be difficult to spot the early signs that it’s headed in the wrong direction. This is where employers can step in.

Of course, not everyone in the organisation is going to have the skills to spot anxiety before it rears its head. However, you can have balances in place to try and recognise when staff are at risk.

Indicators of Good Wellbeing at Work

When people are well, they will generally display it through the following:

1. Resilience

E.g. the ability to cope with stress and setbacks.

If someone is struggling to bounce back from a difficult situation, their resilience is low.

2. Engagement

E.g. how motivated and invested an individual is in their work.

If someone is feeling disengaged, they may start to feel like their work isn’t worthwhile.

3. Satisfaction

E.g. how content an individual is with their job.

If someone is unhappy with their workload or working conditions, their satisfaction will be low.

4. Energy

E.g. How much physical and mental energy an individual has.

If someone is feeling constantly tired or run down, their energy levels are likely to be low.

Warning Signs of Poor Wellbeing

It’s normal for resilience, engagement, satisfaction and energy to fluctuate. No one is static at all times. But, when it becomes problematic, it may be displayed like this:

• Increased absenteeism
• Decreased productivity
• Increased mistakes
• Withdrawal from social activities
• Changes in appearance
• Changes in behaviour

Of course, it’s important to remember that these are just potential signs and not definitive proof. Different people will show different signs of poor well-being.

What Can Employers Do?

Employers need to both watch for these signs and introduce wellness management into the corporate culture to minimise the risk of well-being decline. Here’s how:

Encourage a healthy work-life balance

Ensure that staff have enough time for both their work and personal lives and remember that everyone’s idea of a healthy work-life balance will be different. One thing is for sure, though, hybrid work will be part of this conversation. Seventy percent of workers want to keep their hybrid remote work options. Well-being plans must factor in ways to engage employees both in and out of the office.

Promote open communication and offer support

Create an environment where staff feel comfortable talking about their well-being, whether that’s with their line manager or HR. Normalising these conversations means that employees will come to you sooner, and it makes them feel less alone. Removing that feeling of isolation is itself a powerful tool to combat poor well-being.

Outside of open communication, offer support, such as an Employee Assistance Programme or access to counselling services.

Be proactive

Try to identify the early signs of poor well-being and take action to address them before they become a bigger problem. Do this by holding regular reviews to check in with staff and consciously address some of the indicators above to gauge how they’re feeling inside and outside of work.

Encourage healthy lifestyle choices

Healthy food options in the workplace, encouraging regular breaks and introducing wellness programs all help to keep staff happy and healthy. PUML Better Health is one solution that rewards staff for participation and encourages engagement with challenges that can be set up company or team-wide. No matter whether they’re at home, abroad or in the office.

Need help planning your corporate wellness program?

We can survey your employees, create customisable wellness programs that fit your employees and deliver wellness content to empower your employees to live a better and healthier live collectively and seamlessly. Learn more about the PUML Corporate Wellness Program.

The post How to Recognise Poor Wellbeing and Avoid Employee Burnout appeared first on PUML Better Health.

We may be online more than ever before, but technology has allowed us to life-hack our way to better wellness. This trend is moving with us into the web3 world. Health and wellness are being further enhanced, not lost.

What is web3?

Web 3 is a cultural movement, an entirely different way of thinking. It goes beyond just coding and crypto. Unlike our web2 present, where intermediaries like Google and Facebook own the content we create (the very contributions we individually and collectively make to the web2 world), web3 allows creators and users to capture the value they create. And we are all creators.

The internet is built by people. Not just those who built the infrastructure where we post but the content that goes there is the heart and soul of the online world. The users’ contributions make it a place we want to visit, not the platforms themselves.

Web3 principles put the power in the peoples’ hands. It removes the present dilemma of private data in exchange for services and gives users more control over how they engage with platforms and with others online.

Wellness in Today’s World

The wellness industry is rapidly transforming. As technology evolves, better solutions are designed to improve user experience. It was once revolutionary that you could watch an exercise video online. Today, you can custom-build workouts on apps, friend people on your preferred wellness platform, track your performance from your smartwatch and have gamification designed to get you up, moving and feeling proud of your progress.

Smart devices are everywhere, acting as personal trainers and life coaches to keep us on track, and focused on the goals that matter. The goals that make us happy and keep us healthy.

Now, enter web3, and you can have all of the above, plus:

• users own their data, and
• move-to-earn and MoveFi enter the equation.
• more privacy than ever before
• unique gamification and earning opportunities

The Rise of Play to Earn and MoveFi

Play to earn (also called move to earn or M2E) is a blockchain-based concept where users are rewarded with real digital currency for their achievements. Exactly as the name suggests, they play (or move) to earn rewards. These activities can be tracked and verified on the blockchain, meaning that there is no need for a centralized platform to issue or manage rewards. There is no sneaky business.

This creates a number of advantages:

• It’s completely trustless (no single entity in control)
• It’s more secure (because it’s decentralised)
• It’s more engaging (because users are directly rewarded for their efforts)
• It’s more motivating (because there is a real incentive to participate).

This concept takes the existing practice of gamification, which is present in all fitness apps today and adds a financial portion (GamFi) to really boost the incentive.

MoveFi is then using web3 technology to create a decentralised fitness ecosystem. It does this by connecting people, apps, devices, and data on the blockchain. It’s the blending of movement technology with the financial aspects of the on-chain ecosystem.

What does that mean for wellness?

A decentralised fitness ecosystem rewards people for their physical activity with digital currency. This currency can be used to buy fitness-related products and services, it can be donated to charities, or it can be cashed in for other currencies. Users that engage with web3 fitness platforms are rewarded not only with health, but financially as well.

There is no greater motivator than that.

Learn more about PUML’s move-to-earn platforms here.

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Physical Wellness:

Move more, eat well

This dimension of well-being focuses on practicing healthy daily habits. It encompasses a variety of healthy behaviours including regular exercise, proper nutrition and other physical activities that support bodily health. It also means learning about and identifying symptoms of disease, getting regular medical check-ups, and protecting yourself from injuries. Developing such healthy habits today will not only add years to your life but will enhance the enjoyment and quality of those years.

When it comes to exercise, everyone is different, and PUML supports all fitness goals and levels. Use PUML to build healthy habits wherever you are — designed to incentivise healthy habits in the most ‘fun; way possible. This means that we actively congratulate and reward participants with discount codes, merchandise, NFTs and $PUMLx Coins.

Emotional wellness:

Practice Gratitude

Emotional wellness focuses on the ability to acknowledge and express human emotions well including validating and managing emotions constructively. It also means having the ability to love and feel loved and achieving a sense of fulfillment in life. Mental health is one of the most talked about topics today.

PUML hosts virtual wellness challenges including Meditation challenges and Gratitude challenges which are aimed at improving mental health.

Social Wellness:

Connection

Social well-being focuses on cultivating healthy relationships with friends and family. This means learning good communication skills, developing intimacy with others and creating a support network of friends and family members.

PUML understands that it’s hard to keep company participation levels up and that is why we have company leaderboards to gamify the experience and add a level of social motivation.

Spiritual Wellness:

Nourish your soul

Spiritual wellness involves seeking purpose and meaning in one’s life. This can encompass activities like praying and meditating.

To enhance spiritual well-being, PUML offers various wellness challenges such as meditation challenges, gratitude challenges and Live Corporate classes like Yoga.

Intellectual Wellness:

Boost your brain

The intellectual dimension encourages creative, stimulating mental activities. Our minds need to be continually inspired and exercised just as our bodies do. Continuous learning and participating in activities that arouse our minds are important.

PUML programs are customisable for YOUR workplace. You can choose which activities to include in your bespoke corporate wellness program and even allow your employees to participate collectively in their preferred activity.

Occupational Wellness:

Live with purpose

Occupational Wellness encourages fulfillment in the workplace while also balancing other life responsibilities. It means successfully integrating a commitment to your occupation into a total lifestyle that is satisfying and rewarding.

PUML offers Employee Wellness Analytics where your employees will be surveyed before and after your wellness program. You will receive a dashboard with analytics on participation levels, how your employees have improved their wellness and other key insights which help you to understand and support your employees in the area of occupational wellness.

Environmental Wellness:

Love the earth.

Environmental wellness is an awareness of the unstable state of the earth and the effects of your daily habits on the physical environment. It includes being involved in socially responsible activities to protect the environment.

Did you know… PUML offers charity integration where you can choose a charity your company would like to sponsor and we will integrate a donation option as part of your wellness initiative.

As your employees earn PUML Coins, they can choose to donate them to the charity right in the app.

Improve corporate wellness with PUML in just a few steps.

Creating a health challenge is a fantastic opportunity for businesses to join the health revolution in a positive and engaging manner that motivates and rewards people for making healthy choices.

For more information visit PUML at https://puml.io/puml-for-corporates/

The post The Seven Dimensions of Wellbeing appeared first on PUML Better Health.

By 2017, at the age of 15, Chelsea was representing Australia at the FINA World Junior Championships in Indiana. In 2018, she took out Gold in the 50m and 100m breaststroke for the 16 years age group, becoming a National Champion for her age group. Within the same year, she won silver in both the 50m breaststroke and the 4x100m medley relay at the Youth Olympic Games.

Fast forward to Tokyo 2020 Olympics — which ended up taking place in 2021 — and 19 year old Chelsea Hodges won first place in the 100m breaststroke final and cemented her place in history, taking home gold with her team as part of the Women’s 4x100m Medley Relay. Her individual time was just 1:05.57.

Unlike many rising athletic stars, Chelsea’s path was not straightforward. In 2016 she tore cartilage in her hip and developed bone issues as a result. At 15, she had to go through rehab and learn both how to walk and swim again. Day after day, year after year, she pushed forward to reach her Olympic dream.

Little goals, she says, have got her to where she is today.

Passionate about health and conscious of her platform, Chelsea feels the responsibility to be a positive role model to those who follow her journey. She understands how young people look up to athletes in Australia and wants to use her platform to share that you don’t have to be an athlete to be healthy. Everyone can and should take care of their personal health.

This is how she discovered PUML.

Outside of swimming, Chelsea is studying to become a nurse. Physical health, inner health and mental health are all elements of overall health that she wishes to share with others. On the PUML app, it’s the unique community feature that attracted her to set her own ‘Train With Me’ challenge.

What is the PUML Train With Me Campaign

PUML Better Health engages users to get active by offering a community environment where they can participate in challenges with one another and win real-world rewards for doing so. The Train With Me program features some of Australia’s leading women in sport, giving them a platform from which they can have a truly personal interaction with their fans while at the same time encouraging positive habits and healthy goals.

PUML’s Train With Me campaigns connect inspiring athletes to their community so that they can get active together. What makes this unique is the access athletes have to an engaged group ready to take healthy steps. The platform allows them to run challenges, interact with the group, share rewards and build influence that truly helps their followers. For Chelsea, this is an opportunity to challenge her community to set small goals that build into better health and wellness.

Chelsea’s advice is: “Stop caring what people think and believe in what you do. I spent a lot of time worrying about what other people were doing. Especially in sport, you’ve got to stay in your own lane and just worry about what you do.”

Supported by the Queensland Government’s ActiveKIT program, PUML is recognised as a truly impactful way to engage users, not just to sign up but to get involved and build better lifestyles.

The post Chelsea Hodges X PUML appeared first on PUML Better Health.

As people are working remotely, it is becoming increasingly difficult for leaders to identify early warning signs that someone might be struggling and aren’t able to take action in time to help them. Mental health issues have become an increasingly prevalent problem, and companies that take steps to address them can gain a competitive edge.

Organizations must take into account their employees’ experiences no matter where they’re located. Here’re 3 key actions that can help organisations enhance employee wellness post-pandemic:

Take time to understand your employee’s level of well-being

Creating an Employee Wellbeing Strategy begins with understanding your employee’s level of well-being and thereby determining the gaps that may exist. This can include conducting an Employee Engagement Survey with specific well-being questions or a specialised well-being Assessment. The assessment should include different dimensions of well-being such as one’s physical, emotional, mental, spiritual, financial, and social needs.

Focus on customizable solutions that are sustainable

During the pandemic, many of us learned that everyone has vulnerabilities and a life outside of work, and that is normal. One of the most important things an organisation can do for its people is to trust them and give them the freedom to find a working routine that suits them best. Employees frequently go to their leaders for guidance when they’re looking for a sense of purpose and that does not mean a focus on the business’s financial goals only. It is not possible to offer a single solution for everyone; therefore, it is also important to think about how an organisation can best support each individual employee with customized solutions that are sustainable.

Create a workplace where employees feel safe to speak about their wellbeing

It’s important to create multiple channels for your team members to share their thoughts. While some employees may be comfortable sharing their thoughts in a meeting, others may prefer to have more personal space to share their thoughts. Besides having regular one-on-one meetings, ask your team members to provide feedback by sending emails or using online collaboration tools, like Slack or Microsoft Teams. Furthermore, encouraging personal reflections like writing down thoughts and practicing self-affirma­tions can also help people feel supported.

Need help planning your corporate wellness program?

We can survey your employees, create customisable wellness programs that fit your employees and deliver wellness content to empower your employees to live a better and healthier life collectively and seamlessly.

Learn more about the PUML Corporate Wellness Program.

The post Wellness in a Post-Pandemic World appeared first on PUML Better Health.

Get More Sun!

Your body has a naturally occurring internal clock called your circadian rhythm. It helps your brain, body, hormones, and metabolism by keeping you alert and letting your body know when it’s time for bed. Natural sunlight or bright lights during the day help maintain your circadian rhythm. It helps improve daytime energy levels and nighttime restfulness and duration. People who have insomnia may benefit from exposing themselves to daylight during the day. It also reduces the length of time it takes for you to fall asleep. Another study showed that people exposed to bright light for two hours during the day increased their total sleep time by two hours and improved sleep efficiency.

Avoid Blue Light at Night

Exposure to light during the day is beneficial, but nighttime light exposure has the opposite effect. It tricks your brain into thinking it’s still daytime and therefore impacts your circadian rhythm. Blue light exposure reduces hormones like melatonin, which help you relax and get deep sleep. Electronics like smartphones and computers emit blue light at high levels, which makes them the worst offenders when it comes to this. Several popular methods you can use to reduce nighttime blue light exposure include:

• Utilising the night shift function to change the colour of the light on your devices
• Wearing blue light-blocking glasses
• Use dimmers on your lights to decrease the amount of light
• Stop using all electronics 2hrs before bed

Skip that Afternoon Coffee

Caffeine has multiple health benefits and is widely consumed by the general public. A single dose of caffeine can improve focus, energy, and athletic performance. However, drinking coffee after midday might stimulate your nervous system and prevent your body from naturally relaxing during the evening hours. In one study, consuming caffeine up to 6 hours before bed worsened sleep quality with subjects’ level of sleep disturbances being significantly higher than the placebo group. Caffeine stays elevated in your bloodstream for up to 8 hours after drinking coffee. Therefore, drinking large quantities of coffee after 3–4 p.m. is probably not advisable for most people, especially if you’re caffeine-sensitive or have trouble falling asleep at night.

Keep to a sleep schedule.

Your body’s circadian rhythm cycles through a set pattern, aligning with the sun’s rise and fall. Consistency in sleeping and waking times can help improve your overall sleep quality. A study found that people who slept irregularly and went to bed late at night experienced poorer sleep than others. Other studies have shown that irregular sleeping patterns can affect your body’s natural cycle of producing melatonin, which signals your brain to fall asleep. If you struggle with sleeping, try to get into the habit of waking up at roughly the same time every day. After several weeks, maybe you won’t even need an alarm clock!

Everyone needs enough sleep, and the correct kind of sleep, to be both happy and healthy. Many sleeping problems stem from poor sleep habits that have been ingrained for years or even decades. Over time, not sleeping enough can affect both your mental and physical health. It may take some time before you see an improvement in your sleep quality after making any changes. However, if good sleep habits are kept up, then sleep will improve in the long run.

The post Top 4 Tips to Get a Better Nights Sleep appeared first on PUML Better Health.

It’s that time of year again, the holiday decorations are going up! Holiday time can be stressful with all the planning, parties, buying gifts and personal commitments, but don’t let the stress of the holidays beat your ability to stay happy and healthy. As we look forward to a better year ahead, hopefully our 7 helpful habits will support you in nailing your 2022 goals!

1. Stay as close to your regular routine as possible.

We understand the challenges that are posed with the holidays. Amazing people, work Christmas parties and massive feasts. However, we all must try to keep on track with our personal routines. Not only will this help you stay healthy, but it will continue your personal journey and make the new year so much easier.

2. Mindful Consumption of food.

With so much food around on the holidays, it’s no wonder that we see an increase in serving sizes. The power of mindful eating is incredible, it will allow you to not only know when your body is full, but everything tastes better. If you want more, save some leftovers!

3. Don’t feel guilty – believe in yourself.

The amount of food in front of us during the holidays is excessive. I don’t know about you, but I might be indulging in more ice-cream and cold drinks to beat the Aussie heat.

It’s normal to get a little carried away during those holiday meals, but the most important thing is not to beat yourself up when you feel like you failed at your health goals. It’s the holistic idea of healthy living that’s going to lead to longer lasting success and perhaps a more fulfilling life. Holistic living and mental well-being aren’t about cutting out everything you might enjoy. It’s about implementing better habits, learning from the shortfalls, and applying yourself to enjoy what you like in moderation. Food nourishes the body and mind, but just like anything else, too much might be pushing your limits in a negative way. Just be mindful of your limits and don’t let the guilt of enjoying yourself this holiday season feel like the be-all-end-all of your health-based goals.

4. Instead of rewarding yourself with heavy meals, reward yourself with activities and other meaningful experiences.

Instead of hopping on the endless holiday food train, reward  yourself with activities instead of a chocolate treat. Use the reframing tool (Reframing: A Tool To Think Differently : The Innovation Framework) to gift yourself a trip to the beach or a day out with friends as a special moment that you earned.

5. Keep up that exercise routine.

Try your best to find opportunities to exercise, especially if you can follow your current workout regime. If you’re struggling, try one of PUML’s public challenges such as “Your steps, Our Steps 2021”, “60 Day Summer Beach Body”, or “Dust Off Your Boots”.

https://puml.io/challenges/

6. Gratitude for more than just presents.

We have a great opportunity to reflect on the things we’re grateful for, especially during the holiday season. Take a moment to be thankful for the people, weather and food is vital. We recommend keeping a gratitude or smile journal over the next few months (or even a few weeks), you’re likely to see a positive change when you look back to when you started to where you’re at. Consider it a present for yourself that keeps on giving by helping you shift from a negative state to a more positive mindset. Your heightened sense of self-awareness and positivity is only likely to keep you from taking too many steps back in your personal and professional goals.

7. CELEBRATE!

Our most important recommendation is to celebrate the year and be kind to yourself. 2021 was challenging; we’ve survived an international pandemic and are kicking goals while doing it. Take some time to celebrate your resilience, courage and opportunities you’ve had and the tough times you’ve endured.

We hope you find some of these habits helpful! If you have any other secret strategies for staying happy and healthy over the holidays leave a comment below!

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