In a survey of New Year’s resolutions, 69% of Canadians committed to a resolution, and establishing healthy habits topped the charts with more than half vowing to get healthier. The good news is: Although New Year’s Day is a popular time to make different choices, it isn’t the only day you can start creating healthy habits. Encourage your employees to create and maintain good habits with the help of healthy giveaways.
The next time you want to offer support, incorporate healthy promotional items to kick off your wellness program or as a way to encourage employees to create goals around establishing healthy habits.
Habit #1: Go for a walk
When it comes to healthy habits, even 10 minutes of light exercise per week is enough to reduce the risk of death. That’s a big payout for something so simple.
A pedometer can be a great way to get your team to take the first step toward better health. They could also use a timer to track other exercise options, like a 10-minute workout or simple yoga session.
Habit #2: Eat more plants
When hunger strikes, it’s easy to reach for something that will satisfy a craving, whether it’s candy, fast food or a sugary drink. In fact, according to a report from Dalhousie University’s Agri-Food Analytics Lab, only 29.3% of Canadians consume the recommended servings of fruits and vegetables every day.
To encourage staff to get more fruits and veggies in their diets, try healthy promotional items, like a:
- Flower seed packet to promote spending time outdoors.
- Portion-control container to help them grab the right amount of fruit or leafy greens.
- Veggie spiralizer that offers a new way to get vegetables into their favourite recipes.
Habit #3: Create a nightly routine
Encourage staff to build a nightly routine that eliminates electronics and other distractions before bed. Help support them in creating this new nighttime habit by providing a healthy giveaway they can use to wind down in lieu of screen time. They can:
- Get creative with an adult colouring book.
- Journal about something good that happened that day.
- Use a massage ball to give sore muscles some care.
Habit #4: Give up smoking
Quitting smoking reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease and can even add 10 years onto a person’s life. Healthy giveaways can help them put the habit out for good:
- Assorted gum is a great alternative to picking up a cigarette.
- A hand grip exerciser adds physical activity to their day and helps keep their hands busy.
- A candle infused with essential oils helps them relax.
Habit #5: Avoid the sun
About 8,700 Canadians are diagnosed with melanoma skin cancer every year. While fresh air and sunshine are good for the mind and body, it’s equally as important to practice sun safety, including:
- Staying in the shade.
- Covering arms and legs.
- Protecting eyes and skin. Healthy promotional items, like sunglasses and a wide-brimmed bucket hat, can help.
Here’s to good health
When you support your staff with healthy giveaways, they’re better able to build the habits that help them feel good, care for their families better, and perform better at work. And that’s good for everyone.