My Genius Plan for World Wellness or How You Can Create Your Own Wellness Revolution
I was home for my holiday break during my junior year of college when my mom commented on how I was always sick.
Nahh. I was hardly ever sick. But my mom pointed out that every time I returned home for a break I had a cold or the flu.
Wow.
The Early Years
Prior to college I’d gone years without missing a day of school. Even though my head was fuzzy from a cold her comment made me pay attention. I’m sure during college I wasn’t sleeping as many hours. Or eating as well. And there was some drinking involved. But how odd that I only got sick when on breaks.
Hmmm…
So in my 20’s I learned that my reaction to pushing and not ever taking a break was forced down time when I did slow down.
Enter Wellness Days
Even though my awareness arrived during college I apparently needed the lesson a few more times before I made changes. But somewhere in my 20’s I instituted wellness days.
Strangely enough after adding wellness days I stayed well. Sometimes on designated days I’d play well, staying in bed with tea and toast and a good book. It doesn’t take very much sitting or laying (or is it lying??? Grammar police where are you?) around before I’m ready to get moving.
More Wellness
One of my clients instituted wellness days last year. She scheduled one day a month. She got someone to cover any work obligations. She made sure her family knew it was her wellness day. When the day arrived she would get a massage, go to the chiropractor, see a movie with a friend…. What she wouldn’t do was work.
And, drum roll please…
She had the least number of sick days that she ever remembers having in a year! Yeah for wellness days.
My Genius Plan
I’ve long thought that, instead of sick days employers should give wellness days. With sick days you get “rewarded” for being unwell. With wellness days the reward comes from being healthy. Here’s my genius idea. Everyone gets, say 5 wellness days a year. You can use those however you want.
If you don’t miss days other than a planned wellness or vacation day you start accumulating additional days. Say for every 60 days without a sick day you get an additional wellness day.
As a self-employed person you can implement your own wellness plan. How can you reward yourself for staying well?
Bonus alert: Your clients also benefit. You won’t have to cancel appointments with them. You’ll be more present and productive. Everyone wins.