A wellness plan is about the individual – it is customized by that person, for that person. Specific health needs are factored into the plan, such as more stress-reducing activities for the individual with a high-stress job.
One really great aspect of mapping out a wellness plan is that the individual is taking charge of his or her own health. This type of plan focuses on prevention – of the daily stressors, cold and flu season, premature aging, and so forth. It is a complement to existing medical care and can be worked right into a plan to get well after an injury, surgery, medical treatments and even chemotherapy.
Quentin Regestein is quoted as saying “The…patient should be made to understand that he or she must take charge of his own life. Don’t take your body to the doctor as if he were a repair shop.” This aptly describes the attitude taken to inspire a wellness plan.
Daily Wellness Plan
For some people looking to stay healthy, a daily plan might include items such as:
- Dietary needs – reminders to avoid certain foods that trigger unwanted reactions, goals for fluid intake, dietary supplements, and calorie goals.
- 5-30 minutes of calm – this can be in the form of a warm bath, deep breathing exercises, yoga practiced at home or meditation.
- 20-30 minutes of movement – for those medically fit for exercise, this can range from a walk around the neighborhood to playing with the children or grandchildren.
- Get a full night’s sleep – everyone has different requirements for their body to feel refreshed after sleeping. If sleeping issues arise, have a chat with a primary care doctor or get a referral to a sleep clinic. Insomnia and poor sleep quality are one of the quickest ways to age prematurely – inside and out.
This daily plan can sketch out, in detail, what the planner is hoping to accomplish towards her wellness goals.
Weekly Wellness Plan
In this section, the wellness planner looks at what weekly goals should look like. For example:
- Weight bearing activities – the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons recommends “lifelong weight-bearing exercise to build and maintain health bones.” They recommend 30 minutes a day for four or more days in a week. Activities such as bowling, hiking, heavy gardening and weight training meet the AAOS recommendations.
- Chat with a friend – having a cup of tea or a phone conversation with a supportive friend can go a long way for one’s emotional wellness. Make a goal of talking to one new friend each week – and make it a genuine chat, not just an email or text based conversation.
- Indulge in a hobby – take up a weekly craft or hobby to keep the mind sharp and have something to look forward to each week.
Monthly Wellness Plan
Most of these items are geared towards the individual looking to reduce mild stress levels and be proactive towards health.
- Get a wellness treatment – plan to go for an acupuncture or reflexology session or get a therapeutic massage every month. Some people will alternate between two or more complementary modalities: seeing the acupuncturist one month, the massage therapist the next and the reflexologist the third month. The key is finding a routine that helps the individual cope with stress, combat fatigue, get relief from aches and pains and in general feel good all over.
- Volunteer – another great activity for emotional wellness, volunteering can be a very feel-good action. Look for a cause that speaks to that person: an animal shelter, a soup kitchen, an environmental task force.
Seasonal Wellness Plan
Live seasonally by enjoying life on a local basis. Pay attention to how the body responds to each season and support it more for seasons that are harder on the body:
- Fall – enjoy the bounty of local harvests by shopping at the farm stand or market. Support the body’s immune system in preparation of cold and flu season.
- Winter – find more creative ways to stay active indoors when the weather is too cold outside. Avoid seasonal affective disorder (SAD) by incorporating full spectrum lights into a daily routine and revving up meetings with friends and loved ones.
- Spring – get outdoors as the weather warms up. Change up the diet with fresh salad greens instead of heavy soups leftover from winter habits.
- Summer – avoid heat exhaustion by balancing time indoors and out based on the rising mercury.
Annual Wellness Plan
Ask a primary care physician for guidelines on how frequent medical screenings and exams should be. The average patient is encouraged to see a primary care provider once a year, women should also plan to see their gynecologist or midwife for an annual exam.
Creating Some Flexibility in a Wellness Plan
For some the daily, weekly, monthly and seasonal wellness projects will float back and forth from one grouping to the other. As an example – during recovery hobby time may not be more than a monthly or bi-weekly ritual, while having a conversation with friends may even move to a daily routine.
Use the plan to track progress but allow some flexibility in special cases to move items between the sections. A wellness plan can be kept alongside a health journal as well.
Sources:
- Your Guide to Health Sleep, NIH Publication No. 06-5271, November 2005.
- Your Orthopaedic Connection: Weightbearing Exercise for Women and Girls, American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, accessed online October 2009.
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