workwell nc turnkey program manage stress challenge · 2 the manage stress challenge is a worksite...

An activity to help employees manage and reduce stress

WorkWell NC Turnkey Program

Manage Stress Challenge

2

The Manage Stress Challenge is a worksite wellness activity that provides employees

the opportunity to practice and adopt a variety of strategies to reduce and manage stress. The following overview provides available tools and resources to help your wellness committee organize and implement this activity at your worksite.

The activity is designed to be conducted over a four-week period, but can be modified to suit the needs of your committee and number of participating employees. Each week of the challenge focuses on a different strategy for reducing and managing stress. Participants will earn points for practicing these strategies. Distribute newsletters focusing on each weekly strategy to keep participants interested and motivated to continue managing stress once the challenge is complete. Award participants with a certificate at the end of the challenge.

DownloaD aDDitional turnkey Programs anD other resources for worksite wellness at www.eatsmartmovemorenc.com/Worksites.html

Manage Stress Challenge Overview

Download sample materials for the challenge at www.eatsmartmovemorenc.com/worksites.html.

These materials include:• announcement poster• sign-up sheet• participant instructions• challenge log• personal log• weekly newsletters• Certificate of Completion• evaluation survey

Coming Soon!

The manage Stress Challenge is a worksite wellness

activity that involves practicing and adopting a

variety of strategies to reduce and manage stress.

This activity will begin on _________________________________ and end on _________________________________.

For more information about the Stress-Less Challenge contact

__________________________________________________________ at __________________________________________________________.

The manage Stress Challenge is brought to you by your worksite wellness committee.

Manage Stress

Challenge

Don’t loSe it Just yet—Join the

Why Physical Activity?

Walk, dance, play or work in your yard. Physical activity can help you

stay in shape and feel good—a great strategy for keeping stress at bay.

Take a walk with a friend, take the stairs instead of the elevator or park

further away. Dancing is also a fun way to get some

physical activity! Experts recommend 30

minutes or more of movement for adults and

60 minutes for children on most days. Can’t

find a 30-minute chunk of time? Break it up

into 10-minute blocks throughout the day.

Tips for Keeping It Going

Hopefully, you managed to add a little physical activity to your week.

But there is a difference between doing it for a week and making time

on a regular basis. Engaging friends and family can be a helpful way

to stay motivated. Make it a goal this week to talk to friends or family

about joining you for your 30 minutes of activity. If they like the idea,

see if you can meet with different people multiple times in the week.

Don’t forget to keep track of your progress in the challenge log and

personal journal.

Who’s joining you? ___________________________________________________

What do you have planned? ____________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

Date/Time/Place for activities: __________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

Week One:

Move More

NEWslETTEr VoluME 1

Check out these resources:

www.Health.gov/PAGuidelines

www.MyEatsmartMoveMore.com

www.ActionForHealthyKids.org

During week one and

beyond, remember to give

yourself points for every

30 minutes of physical

activity you engage in.

Manage Stress ChallengeWorkWell NC Turnkey Program

Signature Date

Signature Date

Certificate of Participation

This certificate is awarded to

________________________________________________________________________________________

for the successful completion of the Four-week


Why Laughter?research has shown that laughter has several important stress relieving benefits. Laughter can give us a more lighthearted perspective and help us view stressful difficulties as challenges. Plus, laughter connects us with others. By helping others around you learn to laugh more, you receive the benefits as well. By elevating the mood of those around you, you can reduce their stress levels and perhaps improve your interaction with them. Best of all, out of everything you can do for stress relief, laughter takes the least amount of effort and planning!

Tips for Keeping It GoingTo maintain momentum from this week’s laugh a little activities, take time to think of some of your funniest memories, the ones that years later still make you smile. In the spaces below, briefly write down two or three of these. Make a point of telling each story to someone during the week. Re-telling them out loud can be fun and seeing the reaction of friends and coworkers can really bring them back to life. Don’t forget to track your progress in the challenge log and personal journal.

Memory 1: __________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

Memory 2: __________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

Memory 3: __________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

Week Two:

Laugh a Little– Or a Lot!

NEWslETTEr VoluME 2

During week two and beyond, remember to give yourself points for laughter activities and continuing to move more.


Why Money Management?Financial stress can negatively affect health in several ways. People

experiencing financial stress are more likely to participate in unhealthy

coping behaviors such as drinking alcohol, smoking, overeating or other

unhealthy behaviors. They may also cut corners by forgoing visiting

their doctor for routine health care. If left unchecked, mounting debt can

lead to increased stress, anxiety and frustration.To reduce financial stress:• Keep daily receipts to monitor spending habits.• Develop a long-term plan to manage your money.• Consider consulting a professional or specialist to advise you.

Tips for Keeping It Goingonce you have a better idea of where your money is going, it is time to

decide where to make changes. From your list of expenses, you should

be able to see patterns in purchases that were necessary versus those

that were not. Are there certain types of things you buy that could be

replaced with cheaper options or cut out completely? In the spaces

below, describe spending patterns you would be better-off without.

Write out a pledge to avoid these. Don’t forget to track your progress

in the challenge log and personal journal.spending Pattern 1 and Pledge:__________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

spending Pattern 2 and Pledge:__________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________


___________________________________________________________________

Week Three:Money ManagementNEWslETTEr VoluME 3

During week three and beyond, remember to give yourself points for Money Management, Laugh a Little and Move More activities.



Why Make Yourself a Priority?often times, keeping up with the daily

demands of work, home and loved ones can contribute

to increased stress. like laughter, devoting time just to yourself is a

good way to relax and rejuvenate. Taking a few minutes each day to

make yourself a priority is a great strategy to manage stress. use this

time to do something you enjoy—read a book, go for a walk, spend

time with friends or family, daydream, listen to your favorite music or

some other activity that is special to you.Tips for Keeping It GoingAt the end of this week, you should have successfully made time to

have fun and do something you enjoy. The hard part now is to keep the

momentum going. With that in mind, take a moment to think of 10 or 12

fun activities that are enjoyable to you. Write your ideas below and make

it a priority to achieve them over the next few weeks. Don’t forget to keep

track of your progress in the challenge log and personal journal.

Idea 1: ____________________________ Idea 7: ____________________________

Idea 2: ____________________________ Idea 8: ____________________________

Idea 3: ____________________________ Idea 9: ____________________________

Idea 4: ____________________________ Idea 10: ___________________________

Idea 5: ____________________________ Idea 11: ___________________________

Idea 6: ____________________________ Idea 12: ___________________________

Week Four:Make Yourself a PriorityNEWslETTEr VoluME 4

During week four remember to give yourself points for Make Yourself a Priority, Money Management, Laugh a Little and Move More activities.



http://www.eatsmartmovemorenc.com/Worksites.html


3

1. talk with management about implementing the Manage Stress Challenge at your worksite. Share activity materials with them. Remind management that this activity will help employees manage and reduce stress.

2. Designate a challenge coordinator. The coordinator will be responsible for announcing the activity, posting and collecting the sign-up sheet(s), distributing the participant instructions, activity log, personal log, weekly newsletters and the evaluation survey.

3. announce the challenge with the start and the end date to all employees at your worksite. A sample announcement poster is available for download at www.eatsmartmovemorenc.com/worksites.html. Post the announcement in several locations such as break rooms, bulletin boards or stairwells. Depending upon the size and organization of your worksite, additional advertising may be needed via e-mail messages, staff meeting announcements or by word of mouth.

4. recruit participants for the challenge by posting the sample sign-up sheet at appropriate places.

5. Distribute the participant instructions, challenge log and personal log to all participants. Also, explain the activity components in this challenge. These include earning points for incorporating stress management strategies into their

daily routine. Remind the participants that they will receive weekly newsletters. The newsletters will keep them motivated during the challenge and provide tips on maintaining their efforts once the challenge is complete.

6. senD newsletters to all participants on a weekly basis. Four newsletter editions can be downloaded at www.eatsmartmovemorenc.com/worksites.html. Each newsletter edition focuses on a different stress management strategy: moving more, using humor, money management and prioritizing yourself.

7. wraP uP the challenge at the end of four weeks. You may invite all the challenge participants to meet and discuss what strategies they found most helpful. Participants should be encouraged to adopt the stress management strategies they practiced during the challenge as part of their daily routine.

8. evaluate the challenge. Distribute the sample evaluation form to all participants. Make a note of how many employees participated and if there were any drop outs.

9. Present a Certificate of Completion to all participants. Ask upper management to sign the certificates.

Step-by-Step Guide for Organizing the Challenge





www.eatsmartmovemorenc.com/worksites.html

newsletter 1 newsletter 2 newsletter 3 newsletter 4

Download these printable materials at www.eatsmartmovemorenc.com/worksites.html

Why Physical Activity?Walk, dance, play or work in your yard. Physical activity can help you stay in shape and feel good—a great strategy for keeping stress at bay. Take a walk with a friend, take the stairs instead of the elevator or park further away. Dancing is also a fun way to get some physical activity! Experts recommend 30 minutes or more of movement for adults and 60 minutes for children on most days. Can’t find a 30-minute chunk of time? Break it up into 10-minute blocks throughout the day.

Tips for Keeping It GoingHopefully, you managed to add a little physical activity to your week. But there is a difference between doing it for a week and making time on a regular basis. Engaging friends and family can be a helpful way to stay motivated. Make it a goal this week to talk to friends or family about joining you for your 30 minutes of activity. If they like the idea, see if you can meet with different people multiple times in the week. Don’t forget to keep track of your progress in the challenge log and personal journal.

Who’s joining you? ___________________________________________________

What do you have planned? ____________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

Date/Time/Place for activities: __________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

Week One:

Move MoreNEWslETTEr VoluME 1

Check out these resources:www.Health.gov/PAGuidelineswww.MyEatsmartMoveMore.comwww.ActionForHealthyKids.org

During week one and beyond, remember to give yourself points for every 30 minutes of physical activity you engage in.


Why Laughter?research has shown that laughter has several important stress relieving benefits. Laughter can give us a more lighthearted perspective and help us view stressful difficulties as challenges. Plus, laughter connects us with others. By helping others around you learn to laugh more, you receive the benefits as well. By elevating the mood of those around you, you can reduce their stress levels and perhaps improve your interaction with them. Best of all, out of everything you can do for stress relief, laughter takes the least amount of effort and planning!

Tips for Keeping It GoingTo maintain momentum from this week’s laugh a little activities, take time to think of some of your funniest memories, the ones that years later still make you smile. In the spaces below, briefly write down two or three of these. Make a point of telling each story to someone during the week. Re-telling them out loud can be fun and seeing the reaction of friends and coworkers can really bring them back to life. Don’t forget to track your progress in the challenge log and personal journal.

Memory 1: __________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

Memory 2: __________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

Memory 3: __________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

Week Two:

Laugh a Little– Or a Lot!

NEWslETTEr VoluME 2

During week two and beyond, remember to give yourself points for laughter activities and continuing to move more.


Why Money Management?Financial stress can negatively affect health in several ways. People experiencing financial stress are more likely to participate in unhealthy coping behaviors such as drinking alcohol, smoking, overeating or other unhealthy behaviors. They may also cut corners by forgoing visiting their doctor for routine health care. If left unchecked, mounting debt can lead to increased stress, anxiety and frustration.To reduce financial stress:• Keep daily receipts to monitor spending habits.• Develop a long-term plan to manage your money.• Consider consulting a professional or specialist

to advise you.

Tips for Keeping It Goingonce you have a better idea of where your money is going, it is time to decide where to make changes. From your list of expenses, you should be able to see patterns in purchases that were necessary versus those that were not. Are there certain types of things you buy that could be replaced with cheaper options or cut out completely? In the spaces below, describe spending patterns you would be better-off without. Write out a pledge to avoid these. Don’t forget to track your progress in the challenge log and personal journal.spending Pattern 1 and Pledge:__________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________


___________________________________________________________________


___________________________________________________________________

Week Three:

Money Management

NEWslETTEr VoluME 3

During week three and beyond, remember to give yourself points for Money Management, Laugh a Little and Move More activities.


Why Make Yourself a Priority?often times, keeping up with the daily demands of work, home and loved ones can contribute to increased stress. like laughter, devoting time just to yourself is a good way to relax and rejuvenate. Taking a few minutes each day to make yourself a priority is a great strategy to manage stress. use this time to do something you enjoy—read a book, go for a walk, spend time with friends or family, daydream, listen to your favorite music or some other activity that is special to you.

Tips for Keeping It GoingAt the end of this week, you should have successfully made time to have fun and do something you enjoy. The hard part now is to keep the momentum going. With that in mind, take a moment to think of 10 or 12 fun activities that are enjoyable to you. Write your ideas below and make it a priority to achieve them over the next few weeks. Don’t forget to keep track of your progress in the challenge log and personal journal.

Idea 1: ____________________________ Idea 7: ____________________________

Idea 2: ____________________________ Idea 8: ____________________________

Idea 3: ____________________________ Idea 9: ____________________________

Idea 4: ____________________________ Idea 10: ___________________________

Idea 5: ____________________________ Idea 11: ___________________________

Idea 6: ____________________________ Idea 12: ___________________________

Week Four:

Make Yourself a Priority

NEWslETTEr VoluME 4

During week four remember to give yourself points for Make Yourself a Priority, Money Management, Laugh a Little and Move More activities.


ActivityLog Certificate Evaluation

LogThe Manage Stress Challenge is a worksite wellness activity that involves practicing and adopting a variety of strategies to reduce and manage stress. You earn points by practicing the weekly strategies. Refer to your participant instructions for an overview of the weekly strategies and how to earn points. Use the log below to record the points you earn.

PaRTiCiPanT naMe: _________________________________________________________________

Week 1

Week 2

Week 3

Week 4

Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Sunday Weekly Total

TOTAL CHALLENGE POINTS


Move More

Move More and Laugh a Little

Move More, Laugh a Little, and Manage Money

Move More, Laugh a Little, Manage Money, and Make Yourself a Priority

Signature Date

Signature Date

Certificate of Participation

This certificate is awarded to

________________________________________________________________________________________

for the successful completion of the Four-week


Employee EvaluationYou recently participated in the Manage Stress Challenge, a WorkWell NC Turnkey Program provided by your Wellness Committee.

Please complete this evaluation form in order to help the Wellness Committee create the best possible wellness programs/activities at your worksite. Thank You!

Please indicate your level of agreement on the following scale: 1= Strongly Disagree 2= Somewhat Disagree 3= Agree 4= Strongly Agree NS= Not Sure

1a. Participation in this activity provided me with new knowledge 1 2 3 4 NS about healthy lifestyle behaviors.

1b. Thisactivityhasinfluencedmetomakehealthierlifestylechoices. 1 2 3 4 NS

1c. I would like to participate in similar activities in the future. 1 2 3 4 NS

1d. I would recommend this activity to my co-workers. 1 2 3 4 NS

2. The best/most helpful part of this activity was _________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________

3. This activity could be improved by ____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________

4. I heard about this worksite wellness activity from: (check all that apply)

____Posters/flyers ____ Web site

____ Co-worker ____ Staff newsletter

____ E-mail Announcement ____ Other

5. For future worksite wellness programs I am interesting in the following: (Check all that apply)

____ Healthy Eating ____ Quitting Tobacco Use

____ Physical Activity ____ Stress Management

Please return this survey to your Worksite Wellness Committee Representative:

______________________________________________________________________ by ________________________________.


Coming Soon!

The manage Stress Challenge is a worksite wellness

activity that involves practicing and adopting a

variety of strategies to reduce and manage stress.

This activity will begin on _________________________________ and end on _________________________________.

For more information about the Stress-Less Challenge contact

__________________________________________________________ at __________________________________________________________.

The manage Stress Challenge is brought to you by your worksite wellness committee.

Manage Stress

Challenge

Don’t loSe it Just yet—Join the

Week One: Move MoreWhile physical activity is good for overall health, it is also a good strategy for relieving stress. Try adding some to your daily routine. (Be sure to consult with your doctor prior to beginning a new exercise routine.) For each week you will earn 1 point for each day that you engage in at least 30 minutes of physical activity. Remember to record your points on your Manage Stress Challenge Log.

Week Two: Laugh a LittleLaughter is a great stress reliever so take steps to add more humor to your daily routine. It is as easy as telling a joke or reading your favorite funny book or comic strip. Sharing laughter with family, friends or coworkers can double the fun! For weeks 2 through 4 you will earn 1 point each day that you use humor to reduce stress. You will also continue to earn points for move more activities. Remember to record your points on your Manage Stress Challenge Log.

Week Three: Money ManagementWe often lose touch with how much we really spend. To better understand your spending habits, place a receipt for each purchase you make into an envelope. At the end of the week, review your receipts. Do you see any patterns you could change? For week 3 and 4 you will earn 7 points each week that you save and review your daily receipts. You will also continue to earn points for Laugh a Little and Move More activities. Don’t forget to record your points on your Manage Stress Challenge Log.

Week Four: Make Yourself a PriorityWe spend a large part of our day accomplishing tasks for work, family, and friends—often at the expense of “me time.” For this final Challenge week, make a point of devoting time to yourself. Reconnect with activities you love to do— if even for a few minutes at a time. Be sure to let friends and family know that it is time to focus on you. For week 4 you will earn 1 point for each day that you devote time to yourself. You will also continue to earn points for Laugh a Little, Move More and Money Management activities. Remember to record your points on your Manage Stress Challenge Log.

Participant Instructions

Each week the Manage Stress Challenge focuses on a different strategy to reduce stress. The instructions at right outline the four weekly themes and related strategies to help you manage stress. The weekly strategies are small, easy things you can do anytime and anywhere. Each week you will receive a newsletter focusing on the weekly theme. The newsletter also provides tips to help you adopt these stress reducing strategies as healthy habits.

Remember that every time you engage in one of the weekly strategies, record a point on your Manage Stress Log. A personal log is also provided so you may write down your thoughts during the challenge.


Personal LogMany people find that writing down their thoughts is an excellent way to process a new experience. Journaling is also a great way to acknowledge your emotions without fear of judgment. As you participate in the Manage Stress Challenge, use the space below to record any thoughts, notes or feelings. After completing the challenge, you may choose to read your personal log to look back upon the experience or keep for your own personal reflection.

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Sign-Up SheetThe Manage Stress Challenge is a worksite wellness activity that allows you to practice and adopt a variety of strategies to reduce and manage stress.

The Manage Stress Challenge begins on _____________________________.Sign-up by _____________________________ to participate.

Name Phone E-mail

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Sign-UpSheet ParticipantInstructions PersonalLog

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