Wellness Challenges

1. Download and edit the Invite email template (text version is also included in the drop-down below). When customizing your challenge’s length, be sure that the start date is far enough away so that there is time to receive the Post-challenge prize items† from Well-U before the end of the challenge.
2. Send out invite email to all possible participants.
3. Determine how many will participate.
4. Next, organize a date for pick-up of the Well-U items (Starter kit* and three Post-challenge prize items† for winners) by completing and submitting the Well-U Department Request form. A Well-U team member will be in touch via email to coordinate further.
5. Once all participants respond to participate, disperse the 30 Days of Gratitude Record keeping card either by email or print.
6. Begin your 30 days of Gratitude! Check off each day’s activity as you complete it.
   • Organizer determines winners at the end of the challenge period based on returned Record keeping cards.
7. Celebrate with a salad social or healthy potluck at the end where you can announce winners and hand out Post-challenge prizes† along with the 30 Days of Gratitude Completion certificates

You can download and edit the Invite email template, or reference a text version of the email template below.

Good morning all,

Our office will be participating in the Well-U 30 Days of Gratitude Challenge from [start date to end date]!

Gratitude

In addition to the increase in work performance, gratitude also helps improve employee health and wellbeing. Feeling and expressing gratitude promotes a positive and happy mood. These brain boosts can have significant positive effects on employees’ physical and mental health.

Here is how it works:

• Reply to this email with “I’m ready!”
• On the start date, download or print this 30 Days of Gratitude Challenge checklist.
• Follow the checklist from days 1-30 and check off each action as you complete them.
• Once the challenge period is over, send your checklist to [organizer name and email address]. It’s that simple!
• Prizes will be awarded to the top three individuals on [date the awards will be given], and will include a variety of exciting and fun surprises! Note: In the event of a tie, a drawing made up of the top individuals will determine the winner.

Change Your Mood

Research has found that expressing and feeling gratitude will boost employee health and wellbeing in many different ways:

• Promoting better sleep
• Lowering blood pressure
• Improving one’s sense of mindfulness
• Increasing energy
• Improving one’s mood and feelings of happiness
• Decreasing stress

Uplift Your Attitude

Total Wellness Gratitude Guide

Join

To participate in our department’s Well-U 30 Days of Gratitude Challenge, respond to this email by [date you want responses by], then start tracking your everyday gratitude the morning of [start date of the challenge]! All University of Rochester employees can participate.

Don’t Miss It

You can still participate! Just be sure to check off each box in the checklist as you complete each action and submit your number to [event coordinator name] on the [date submissions are due by].

Reply to this email to let me know if you are interested in participating!

Find other support resources on the Well-U website.

• 30 Days of Gratitude Invite email template
• 30 Days of Gratitude Record keeping card
• 30 Days of Gratitude Completion certificate
• 30 Days of Gratitude Promotional Poster

*Starter kit- large 30 Days of Gratitude poster (similar to Record keeping card) to hang in prominent area for all participants to reference daily activity.

†Post-challenge – Well-U prize for first, second, and third place for most days of completed activity of gratitude on the gratitude record keeping card.

1. Download and edit the Invite email template (text version is also included in the drop-down below). When customizing your challenge’s length, be sure to have your start date far enough away so that there is time to receive the Starter kits* from Well-U before the start date.
2. Send out invite email to all possible participants.
3. Determine how many will participate.
4. Next, organize a date for pick-up of the Well-U items (Starter kit* and three Post-challenge prize items† for winners) by completing and submitting the Well-U Department Request form. A Well-U team member will be in touch via email to coordinate further.
5. Once Starter kits* have been picked up, disperse Good Food Record keeping card along with a Starter kit* to each participant. Tip: Once you decide on your challenge’s timeframe, be sure to give out as many Record keeping cards as appropriate for that time. One card is used for one week’s worth of recording.
6. Begin your Good Food Challenge, have fun, and support one another! Find more resources on the Well-U website.
7. Organizer determines winners at the end of the challenge period based on returned Record Keeping cards or winners may be best team name, most spirit, or anything else you can dream up. Tip (optional): In the event of a tie, all top leaders are entered into a drawing.
8. Celebrate with a salad social or healthy potluck at the end where you can announce winners and hand out Post-challenge prizes† and the Good Food Completion certificate.

You can download and edit the Invite email template, or reference a text version of the email template below.

Good Morning all,

Our office will be participating in Well-U’s Good Food Wellness Challenge from [beginning to end date]!

Good Food Basics

Incorporating a variety of fruits and vegetables into your day protects your body from illness and disease like no other food.  The high fiber and nutrition values of fruits and vegetables helps the body to function and feel its very best.

Anyone who signs up for this challenge will receive a free Well-U Starter kit to help in their healthy efforts and you may even win a prize! Here’s how it works:

• Reply to this email to participate and receive your Starter kit.
• On the start date, mark off each serving of fruit or vegetable that you eat each day on the Good Food Record keeping card. Your goal is five servings per day.
• Once the challenge period is over, you’ll send your card/cards to [organizer name]. It’s that simple!
• Prizes will be awarded to the top three individuals on [date] and will include a variety of exciting and fun surprises! Note: In the event of a tie, a drawing made up of the top individuals will determine the winner.

What is considered a serving of fruit and vegetable?

One cup of any fresh fruit or vegetable is a serving. This includes fresh, frozen, or canned items.

NOT Included: Fruit Roll-Ups, fruit-flavored sweets, any item with added sugars, or that is highly processed. For more information on servings, visit “The 1-2-3 approach to eating fruits and vegetables” by the Mayo Clinic.

How do I Participate?

To participate in our department’s Well-U Good Food Challenge, respond to this email by [date], then start tracking your fruit and vegetable servings the morning of [date]! All University of Rochester employees can participate.

What If I’m On Vacation?

You can still participate! Just be sure to track your fruit and vegetable servings and submit your number to [name] on the [date].

Reply to this email to let me know if you are interested in participating!

Find other support resources on the Well-U website.

• Good Food Invite email template
• Good Food Record keeping card
• Good Food Completion certificate
• Good Food Promotional Poster

*Starter kit may include: Well-U lunch tote, Well-U bota box container, or other supplies for each participant to support their efforts.

†Post-challenge – Well-U prize for first, second, and third places for most servings of fruits and vegetables eaten.

1. Download and edit the Invite email template (text version is also included in the drop-down below). When customizing your challenge’s length, be sure that the start date is far enough away so that there is time to receive the Starter kits* from Well-U before the start date.
2. Send out the invite email to all possible participants.
3. Determine how many will participate.
4. Next, organize a date for pick-up of the Well-U items (Starter kit* and three Post-challenge prize items† for winners) by completing and submitting the Well-U Department Request form. A Well-U team member will be in touch via email to coordinate further.
5. Once all items have been picked up, disperse the Move It Record keeping cards (either by email or print and cut out) along with the Well-U Starter kit* to each participant. Tip: Once you decide on your challenge’s timeframe, be sure to give out as many Record keeping cards as appropriate for that time. One card is used for one week’s worth of recording.
6. Begin your Move It Challenge, have fun, and support one another! Find more resources on the Well-U website.
7. Organizer determines winners at the end of the challenge period based on returned Record keeping cards.
   1. Tip (optional): or a large range of fitness levels within a group, you may want to change the goal to be total days of physical activity within a time period.
   2. Tip (optional): In the event of a tie, all top leaders are entered into a drawing.
8. Celebrate with a salad social or healthy potluck at the end where you can announce winners and hand out Post-challenge prizes† and the Move It Completion certificates

You can download and edit the Invite email template, or reference a text version of the email template below.

Good morning all,

Our office will be participating in the Move It Challenge from [start date to end date]!

Move It

Increase your physical activity level for a chance to win prizes! Sign up and receive a Starter kit which may include a Well-U baseball cap, light-up slap bracelet, or other supplies to support your efforts.

Here is how it works:

• Reply to this email and receive your Well-U Starter kit.
• On the start date, mark off every 15 minutes of physical activity that you complete per day on the Well-U Move It Record keeping card.
• Once the challenge period is over, you’ll send your card total minutes to [organizer name and email address]. It’s that simple!
• Prizes will be awarded to the top three individuals on [date the awards will be given] and will include a variety of exciting and fun surprises! Note: In the event of a tie, a raffle (change to ‘drawing’) made up of the top individuals will determine the winner.

Work It

A variety of physical activities can count towards your daily total such as gardening, walking, swimming, and biking – anything that increases your heart rate!

NOT Included: sitting on your couch, napping, and other events that do not increase your heart rate.

Learn It

Mayo Clinic guide: Weekly recommended physical activity minutes

Join It

To participate in our department’s Well-U Move It Challenge, respond to this email by [date you want responses by], then start tracking your physical activity minutes the morning of [start date of the challenge]! All University of Rochester employees can participate.

Don’t Miss It

You can still participate! Just be sure to track your physical activity minutes and submit your number to [event coordinator name] on the [date submissions are due by].

Reply to this email to let me know if you are interested in participating!

Find other support resources on the Well-U website.

• Move It Invite email template
• Move It Record keeping card
• Move It Completion certificate
• Move It Promotional Poster

*Starter kit may include: Well-U baseball cap, Well-U light-up slap bracelet for each participant, or other supplies for each participant to support their efforts.

†Post-challenge – Well-U prize for first, second, and third place for most total minutes of physical activity

1. Download and edit the Invite email template (text version is also included in the drop-down below). When customizing your challenge’s length, be sure to have your start date far enough away so that there is time to receive the Starter kits* from Well-U before the start date.
2. Send out invite email to all possible participants.
3. Determine how many will participate.
4. Next, organize a date for pick-up of the Well-U items (Starter kit* and three Post-challenge prize items† for winners) by completing and submitting the Well-U Department Request form. A Well-U team member will be in touch via email to coordinate further.
5. Once water bottles have been picked up, disperse Operation Hydration paper Record keeping card along with the Starter kit* to all participants. Tip: Once you decide on your challenge’s timeframe, be sure to give out as many Record keeping cards as appropriate for that time. One card is used for one week’s worth of recording.
6. Begin your Operation Hydration Challenge, have fun, and support one another! Find more resources on the Well-U website.
7. Organizer determines winners at the end of the challenge period based on returned Record keeping cards.
   1. Tip (optional): Because the daily recommended water intake is different for men and women, you can adjust the numbers to accurately reflect the difference if you like (so if John drinks 120 oz of water one day and Theresa drinks 118 oz, that doesn’t necessarily mean that John wins).
   2. Tip (optional): In the event of a tie, all top leaders are entered into a drawing.
8. Celebrate with a salad social or healthy potluck at the end where you can announce winners and hand out Post-challenge prizes† and the Operation Hydration completion certificates

You can download and edit the invite email template, or reference a text version of the email template below.

Good morning all,

Our office will be participating in Operation Hydration from [Start Date to End Date]!

Operation Hydration Orientation

Increase your water intake for a chance to win prizes! Anyone who signs up for this challenge will receive a free water bottle to track their water intake. Here’s how it works:

• Reply to this email to participate and receive your Starter kit.
• On the start date, mark off each total bottle of water (32 ounces) drank on the Well-U Operation Hydration Record keeping card.
• Once the challenge period is over, you’ll send your card total bottles to [event organizer name]. It’s that simple!
• Prizes will be awarded to the top 3 individuals on [date you choose to announce winners] and will include a variety of exciting and fun surprises!

What’s the Situation with Other Forms of Hydration?

The only liquids that you can count towards your daily total are water, flavored water, sparkling water, and seltzer water.

NOT Included: Coffee, tea, juice, vitamin water, soda, etc.

Some Hydration Education

Mayo Clinic guide to daily water intake.

The Hydration Calculation

At the end of the challenge you’ll add up your daily water intake (in ounces) and send your number over to [event organizer name].

Operation Hydration Participation

To participate in the challenge, respond to this email by [date you choose to send in participation request] then start tracking your water intake the morning of [start date of the challenge]! All University of Rochester employees can participate.

What If I’m On Vacation?

You can still participate! Just be sure to track your water intake and submit your number to [event organizer name] on the [end date of the challenge].

Reply to this email to let me know if you are interested in participating!

• Operation Hydration Invite email template
• Operation Hydration Record keeping card
• Operation Hydration Completion certificate
• Operation Hydration Promotional Poster

*Starter kit includes: Well-U water bottle for each participant to support their efforts.

†Post-challenge – Well-U prize for first, second, and third place most ounces drank

1. Download and edit the invite email (text version is also included in the drop-down below). When customizing your challenge’s length, be sure to have your start date far enough away so that there is time to receive the Starter kits* from Well-U before the start date.
2. Send out invite email to all possible participants.
3. Determine how many will participate.
4. Next, organize a date for pick-up of the Well-U items (Starter kit* and three Post-Challenge prize items† for winners) by completing and submitting the Well-U Department Request form. A Well-U team member will be in touch via email to coordinate further.
5. Once Starter kits* have been picked up, disperse Self-care challenge record keeping cards along with a Starter kit* to each participants.
6. Begin your Self-care challenge, have fun, and support one another! Find more resources on the Well-U website.
7. Organizer determines winners at the end of the challenge period based on returned record keeping cards or winners may be best team name, most spirit, or anything else you can dream up. Tip (optional): In the event of a tie, all top leaders are entered into a drawing.
8. Celebrate with a salad social or healthy potluck at the end where you can announce winners and hand out Post-Challenge prizes† and the Self-care certificate of completion.

You can download and edit the Invite email template, or reference a text version of the email template below.

Good Morning everyone,

Our department will be participating in Well-U’s Self-care wellness challenge from [start date to end date]!

Self-care Necessities

Make time for you to win prizes, decrease your stress, and build healthy habits! Anyone who signs up for this challenge will receive a Well-U interactive magnet to help focus on daily self-care activities and a journal.

Here’s how it works:

• Reply to this email to participate and receive your starter kit.
• On the start date, using the magnet, choose what Self-care activity you would like to complete and once done, write down what activity you completed on the Well-U Self-care record keeping card.
• Once the challenge period is over, you’ll send your record keeping card total number of days or the card itself to [name of organizer]. Its’ that simple!
• Prizes will be awarded to three individuals on [date] and will include a variety of exciting and fun surprises!

Sign on for Self-care

To participate in our department’s Well-U Self-care wellness challenge, respond to this email by [date], then start your self-care by recording your activity the morning of [date]!

All University of Rochester employees can participate.

What If I’ve got time off?

You can still join! Just be sure to track your self-care activities and submit your number to [name of organizer] on the [date].

Reply to this email to let me know if you are interested in participating! Find other support resources on the Well-U website.

• Self-care Invite email template
• Self-care Record keeping card
• Self-care Completion certificate
• Self-care Promotional poster

*Starter kit may include: Well-U self-care interactive magnet, Well-U journal, or other supplies for each participant to support their efforts.

†Post-challenge – Well-U prize for first, second, and third places for most days logged of self-care.

Each participant gets 14 pieces of treasure. Each day during the challenge, each person will place a piece of their treasure in the treasure chest to signify they have completed an act of kindness for the day. The goal is for all participants to get their treasure in the chest. Once the treasure is full, the challenge is complete!

1. Download and edit the invite email template (text version is also included in the drop down below). When customizing this 14 day challenge, be sure the start date is far enough out that there is enough time to get the supplies from Well-U.
2. Send out email to all possible participants.
3. Determine how many will participate.
4. Next, organize a date for pick-up of the Well-U supplies needed (treasure chest, treasure, guide) by completing and submitting the Well-U Department Request Form. A Well-U team member will be in touch to coordinate further after we receive the request form.
5. Once the materials have been picked up, disperse the bagged treasure and guides to each participant. Notify them where the treasure chest will be located so they know where to drop their treasure after they complete an act of kindness each day!
6. Begin the challenge, have fun, and let kindness be contagious!
7. After all the pieces of treasure have been deposited into the treasure chest, scan this QR code (or email photo of completion to well-u-info@rochester.org) to notify Well-U that the chest is full and it’s time to claim your treasure (prizes)!
8. Coordinate with Well-U the return of the full treasure chest and we will provide a prize for each participant.

You can download and edit the Invite email template, or reference a text version of the email template below.

Good Morning all,

Our office will be participating in Well-U’s Treasure of Kindness Challenge beginning on [date]!

The Treasure of Kindness essentials

There are always opportunities to help others, and it’s often the small things that have the greatest impact on others. In fact, when you help others or make them feel great, you are also helping yourself! Showing kindness can instantly boost your mood. It can turn your focus outward and make yourself aware of the things you do every day to spread love and kindness.

Anyone who signs up for this challenge will receive a Kindness guide and a bag of 14 pieces of treasure in which to use to add to the group’s treasure chest every time you complete and act of kindness.  Here’s how it works:

• Reply to this email to participate and receive your Starter Kit, which includes your treasure and Kindness guide.
• When the challenge begins, start completing acts of kindness at work or outside of work and add one piece of treasure to the group’s treasure chest in order to build your bounty. Use the suggestions on your Kindness guide for ideas or create your own! Your goal is one act of kindness per day.
• Once the challenge period is over in two weeks and everyone in your group has added all of their treasure, the group leader will email a photo to Well-U and upon return of all the treasure and the treasure chest, you will receive your own treasure/prize! Its’ that simple!

How do I participate?

To participate in our department’s Well-U Treasure of Kindness Challenge, respond to this email by [date], then start being kind the morning of [date]! All University of Rochester employees can participate.

What if I’m on vacation?

You can still participate! Just be sure to add your treasure once you return or tell a coworker to add it for you during your time away.

Reply to this email to let me know if you are interested in participating!

Find other support resources on the Well-U website.

• Treasure of Kindness Invite email template
• Treasure of Kindness guide
• Treasure of Kindness Certificate of Completion
• Treasure of Kindness Promotional poster

*Starter kit will include: One treasure bag with 14 treasure pieces for each participant to add to the treasure chest(s).

Ɨ Post-challenge: Well-U prize for each participant who completed the Treasure of Kindness challenge. NOTE: The treasure chests full of challenge treasure pieces MUST be returned in exchange for prizes. Participants may keep the treasure bags.