Being healthy means more than just getting to the gym and eating well. Physical health should be balanced with emotional wellness, a healthy social life, and more. And keeping track of that balancing act might require a little help — like a handy checklist! So, as you head into the new year, let’s take a look at what it means to be living your healthiest life, and start checking those boxes!
What should I include on my wellness checklist?
Wellness is a broad concept that can mean different things to different people. There is no one-size-fits-all wellness checklist because each of us has different needs and goals.
To start, we’ll break wellness down into three categories: mind, body, and hustle.
And because we’re here to support you along your health and wellness journey — both in and out of the gym — we’ve put together some ideas for getting started. Let’s dig in!
Mind: Emotional, mental, and social
These goals should focus on things that will boost your enthusiasm for life while helping you understand your values, feelings, and the importance of relationships. Start by asking yourself:
- Do I take care of my mind the same way I do my physical health?
- Do I allow myself to feel or think without judgment?
- Do I have people I can talk openly with?
- Am I letting stress take a physical toll on my body?
- Do I allow myself to make mistakes — and then learn from them?
- Do I have any kind of self-care routine?
- Have I explored other spiritual beliefs?
Body: Physical and environmental
Picks goals that will nourish your body and help you stay healthy now and into the future. This could include setting goals that focus on taking care of the planet so that we can thrive in our environment. Ask yourself:
- Do I get enough physical activity every week?
- When was the last time I had an annual checkup with my doctor?
- Am I prioritizing my physical hygiene?
- How many hours of sleep am I getting each night?
- Could I drink less alcohol?
- Am I eating healthy more often than not?
- Am I getting enough fresh air each day?
- Do I recycle regularly?
- Should I carpool to work a couple of days a week?
- Does my living space bring me joy?
Hustle: Work, money, and daily life
It’s important to evaluate our work life and decide if what we’re doing is enriching our lives. This doesn’t have to mean that we love what we do every day, but overall — are we happy?
Along the same lines, it’s good to set some realistic and informed financial goals to help us live within our means and have money for emergencies or to help others. Financial wellness also means understanding that everyone’s needs and circumstances are different. Ask yourself:
- Is my work/life balance where it should be?
- Do my coworkers improve my workday? Do I improve theirs?
- Do I have a plan to pay off my debt?
- Do I even know how much I’m spending every month?
- Have I considered any type of retirement plan?
- Is there a charity or nonprofit I would like to donate to on a monthly or yearly basis?
- Do I spend too much time comparing my financial status to that of others, without appreciating what I have?
Sticking to your goals
Adopting healthy habits and activities that are good for our mind and body is a great intention. But it can be easier said than done. Sticking to goals can be tricky, so it’s good to have a plan in place.
One approach to creating and maintaining healthy behaviors is to break your goals into four stages:
- Contemplation: This step is covered in the above.
- Preparation: Once you decide on the new habits you want to form, you can start planning how to make the changes.
- Action: This is when you enact changes and start your routine.
- Maintenance: Once you’ve kept up new habits for six months, you are in the maintenance stage.
In each stage, you can track your progress and write down any roadblocks you’re experiencing. This can help you overcome challenges and stick to a new routine.
For example, in the contemplation and preparation stages, you may want to make lists of your priorities and the pros and cons of making each desired change.
Once you get to the action and maintenance stages, you can track your progress, give yourself rewards, and find ways to add variety to your routine. In doing so, you’ll be able to define current and future success and help yourself stick to your new, healthy routine!
Take charge of your health and wellness: Check!
Now that you’ve had a chance to pull together your thoughts, it’s time to get them on paper! And because we love you, dear wellness-seeker, we’ve started a checklist for you to print off and keep on your fridge, mirror, or wherever will help keep it front of mind.
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