MAY

In May, we will focus on social wellness. Building meaningful connections and engaging in social activities can greatly enhance your overall well-being by increasing feelings of belonging and reducing stress. To support this, we’ll be hosting an outdoor walk followed by Happy Hour—a fun opportunity to take a break, connect with colleagues, and enjoy some yummy food and drinks together!  
 

During the month of May, there are 3 options to participate in Your Wellness Matters programs.

1. Wellness Event

2. Wellness Challenge

3. Physical Activity Tracking Challenge

********See all the details below********

Wellness Event: Walk & Happy Hour

Join us for our May Social Event. Groups will meet in Onalaska and La Crosse and enjoy a nice outdoor walk, followed by Happy Hour! It’s the perfect way to relax, connect, and celebrate Summer being right around the corner! Feel free to join just for the walk if you would like! 

Dates:

Onalaska: Wednesday, May 13th, 4 p.m. - 6 p.m. (Meet at Red Pines - group will walk on nearby trail, then end at Red Pines)

La Crosse: Thursday, May 21st, 5 .pm. - 7 p.m. (Meet at Riverside Park - group will walk through the Friendship Gardens, then end at The Crow) 
 

Appetizers will be provided, so please respond to the calendar RSVP so we can plan accordingly!

 

*Take a selfie at the event to submit for credit* Remember to submit your selfie/picture by June 5th using the following link https://www.laxymca.org/employee-wellness to be entered in the drawing to win a Hosting Gift Basket!

 

Wellness Challenge: Attend a Social Event in the Community

Can't make it to the Wellness Event? Snap a picture of yourself at a social event or gathering with a few friends or family members, and submit your picture to be entered for a chance to win a Hosting Gift Basket!

Physical Activity Tracking Challenge

Track your physical activity minutes during the month of May. If you reach the required goal, submit your minutes using this link: https://www.laxymca.org/employee-wellness by June 5th to be entered in the drawing to earn a meal with a co-worker.

*If you are unable to submit your completed documentation by using the link above, you may send it to me by email ([email protected]) or place your paper copy in my mailbox at either branch by the deadline.
 

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June

In June, we will focus on Screen Time and Digital Health. American adults spend an average of over 7 to nearly 11 hours daily on screens, significantly exceeding the recommended maximum of two hours of recreational screen time. High consumption causes eye strain, mental health issues (anxiety/depression), and potential cognitive decline, while phone usage averages over 5 hours daily.

Health Impacts of Excessive Screen Time:

  • Digital Eye Strain: Prolonged focus on close objects causes eye fatigue, dryness, and blurred vision.

  • Brain & Mental Health: Excessive screen time is linked to higher risks of anxiety, depression, and early neurodegeneration.

  • Physical Effects: Sedentary behavior leads to neck, shoulder, and back pain.

  • Sleep Disruption: Blue light from devices suppresses melatonin, reducing deep REM sleep. [1, 2, 3, 4]

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During the month of June, there are 3 options to participate in Your Wellness Matters programs.

1. Wellness Challenge

2. Wellness Event

3. Physical Activity Tracking Challenge

********See all the details below
 

Wellness Challenge: Screen Time Challenge

30 Day Digital Detox: https://www.regis.edu/news/2023/regis-life/11/digital-detox-challenge

The 30-Day Digital Detox Challenge is meant to create mindful, intentional, and healthier technology use habits by gradually reducing digital distractions and re-engaging with the real world. 

Submit one of the attached, completed Screen Time trackers OR 2 takeaways from participating in the 30-Day Digital Detox Challenge.
 

Wellness Event: Diana DiazGranados and Anna Stindt will facilitate a Lunch and Learn at each Y branch on the new ‘be here’ mental health campaign. ‘Be here’ is a campaign that helps our community build stronger, healthier connections by encouraging tech-free moments and authentic engagement. Attendees will be entered to win a book at the presentation! Bring your lunch and get ready to learn!

June 11th at 12pm at Houser YMCA- Onalaska- in MPR B

June 16th at 12pm at Dahl YMCA- La Crosse in MPR B
 

Prizes for the Wellness Challenge and the Wellness Event:

Anyone who completes and submits documentation for the Wellness Challenge or the Wellness Event using this link: https://www.laxymca.org/employee-wellness by July 5th (remember to choose the correct 'TYPE') will be entered into a drawing for a chance to win a Brick - a device that turns your phone into a new, distraction-free device until you return, as well as a copy of “How to Break Up with Your Phone” by Catherine Price. There will be 3 winners of this prize bundle!

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Physical Activity Minutes Challenge

Track your physical activity minutes during June. If you reach the required goal, submit your minutes using this link: https://www.laxymca.org/employee-wellness by July 5 to be entered in the drawing to earn lunch with a co-worker.

Check your wellness journey progress here

Dashboard refreshes every 2 hours

What is the Employee Wellness Program

Description

The Y offers a voluntary employee wellness program (Your Wellness Matters) to all full time employees. The mission of this program is to provide a worksite culture and environment that supports making healthy lifestyle choices. Programs are intended to educate, empower, and engage full time employees to adopt and maintain healthy lifestyle behaviors. All full time employees who voluntarily participate in programming are eligible for rewards and incentives.

Programming

Each month will surround a different area of wellness where a challenge and or event will be offered for full time employees to complete/attend. Full time employees may submit physical activity minutes monthly as well.

Vision

Implement a comprehensive worksite wellness program that educates, empowers, and engages La Crosse Area Family Y full time employees to adopt and maintain healthy lifestyle behaviors.

Who is eligible?

All full time employees are eligible.

Guidelines

To be eligible to earn up to 16 hours of Personal PTO, participants must log at least 400 minutes of physical activity per month and provide their tracking information by the 5th of the next month AND complete a minimum of 8 monthly challenges or events and submit the required documentation by the 5th of the next month.

All submissions should be turned in at:

www.laxymca.org/employee-wellness

Please Note: We are committed to helping participants achieve their best health. If a participant thinks they might be unable to meet the physical activity goal for a reward or the monthly challenges as they are presented, they might qualify for an opportunity to earn the same reward in a way that is right for them. Please contact Karen Fortin ([email protected] or 608-519-5519) to discuss options further.

Rewards

Those who complete and submit documentation of reaching the physical activity minutes goal each month will be entered in a drawing to win a breakfast/lunch with a coworker of their choosing.

Those who complete and submit documentation for the challenge/ wellness event each month will be entered in a drawing to win a prize (prize revealed each month).

Participants will earn a submission for each physical activity and event/challenge they complete throughout the year. These submissions will be entered into a grand prize drawing that will be announced at the end of 2024.

Your Wellness Matters Team

Please contact any of the following Your Wellness Matters Committee members with questions or concerns:

Karen Fortin

Arianna Lewis

Maddie LaCount

Dana Boler

Anna Stindt

Matt Davids

Natalie Todd

Emma Fox

Julie Siakpere

Jeni Ludwigson

KJ McMillan

Dimensions of Wellness

Physical Wellness: Consists of recognizing the need for physical activity, healthy foods, and sleep, as well as preventing illness and injury or managing chronic health conditions

  • Understand why and how your body works
  • Feel competent at physical activity
  • Become aware of how a lack of sleep, stress, and non-activity affect your body
  • Develop well-balanced and healthy eating habits

Emotional/Mental Wellness: Coping effectively with life and creating satisfying relationships

  • Develop, establish, and maintain intimate and loving relationships
  • Become more aware of your feelings and accept them as valid indicators of what you are experiencing
  • Develop assertiveness and confrontation skills
  • Develop positive feelings about yourself by creating healthy self-esteem and self-concept

Social Wellness: Developing a sense of connection, belonging, and a well-developed support system

  • Develop the ability to create and maintain close friendships
  • Feel comfortable interacting with diverse individuals and groups
  • Understand and accept those with different sexual orientations, gender identities, races, ethnicity, religion, and socioeconomic status.
  • Work toward becoming a responsible world citizen

Intellectual Wellness: Recognizing one’s creative abilities and finding ways to expand knowledge and skills

  • Strive to be open to new experiences and ideas in all areas of your life
  • Develop a love for learning and philosophy for “life-long learning”
  • Expand your ability to create, develop, analyze, concentrate, understand
  • Feel competent in intellectual and academic activities

Environmental Wellness: Occupying pleasant, stimulating environments that support the well-being

  • Become aware of how your external environment affects you 
  • Redesign your environments to more effectively support and reinforce your needs
  • Be concerned about the future of the local, national, and world ecology and climate
  • Minimize your contribution to the destruction of the outdoor environment

Spiritual Wellness: Expanding a sense of purpose and meaning in life, including morals and ethics (Does not need to involve religion)

  • Explore personal values
  • Become aware of how values develop and change from life experiences
  • Search for meaning in life

Occupational Wellness: Gaining personal satisfaction and enrichment from one’s work

  • Understand the relationship between your career choice and other parts of your life
  • Develop effective job-related skills in assertiveness, confrontation, feedback, time management, and active listening
  • Explore your interests, skills, values, and needs and how they relate to your career choice

Financial Wellness: Satisfaction with current and future financial situations

  • Learning how to gain control of your finances so they work for you
  • Understanding how to manage a budget, credit cars, checking and savings accounts, investments, and retirement funds

 

YMCA360

The Your Wellness Matters Committee wants to share with you all a great tool the Y has to offer. If you do not already know, the Y offers a virtual program called YMCA360 through an app or website. This program offers workout classes on demand so you can do them on your own time, anywhere! We encourage you to try these on-demand classes as well as looking into some nutrition and gratitude courses they offer! You can also sign-up for fitness classes at the Y on this program and possibly join challenges to earn rewards through the app/website!

Other Pop-Up Events

We will be offering other opportunities to be involved in other challenges throughout the year such as tournaments and Y employee-only fitness classes. Look for emails including the details as they are scheduled.

Dimensions of Wellness:

Physical Wellness

Consists of recognizing the need for physical activity, healthy foods, and sleep, as well as preventing illness and injury or managing chronic health conditions. 
  • Understand why and how your body works
  • Feel competent at physical activity
  • Become aware of how a lack of sleep, stress, and non-activity affect your body
  • Develop well-balanced and healthy eating habits. 

Emotional/Mental Wellness

coping effectively with life and creating satisfying relationships
  • Develop establish and maintain intimate and loving relationships
  • become more aware of your feelings and accept them as valid indicators of what you are experiencing
  • develop assertiveness and confrontation skills
  • develop positive feelings about yourself by creating healthy self-esteem and self-concept

Social Wellness

Developing a sense of connection, belonging, and a well-developed support system. 
  • Develop the ability to create and maintain close friendships
  • Feel comfortable interacting with diverse individuals and groups
  • Understand and accept those with different sexual orientations, gender identities, races, ethnicity, religion, and socioeconomic status.
  • Work toward becoming a responsible world citizen. 

Intellectual Wellness

recognizing one’s creative abilities and finding ways to expand knowledge and skills.
  • strive to be open to new experiences and ideas in all areas of your life
  • Develop a love for learning and philosophy for “life-long learning”
  • Expand your ability to create, develop, analyze, concentrate, understand
  • Feel competent in intellectual and academic activities

Environmental Wellness

occupying pleasant, stimulating environments that support the well-being
  • Become aware of how your external environment affects you 
  • Redesign your environments to more effectively support and reinforce your needs
  • Be concerned about the future of the local, national, and world ecology and climate
  • Minimize your contribution to the destruction of the outdoor environment

Spiritual Wellness

expanding a sense of purpose and meaning in life, including morals and ethics. (Does not need to involve religion)
  • Explore personal values
  • Become aware of how values develop and change from life experiences
  • Search for meaning in life

Occupational Wellness

gaining personal satisfaction and enrichment from one’s work.
  • Understand the relationship between your career choice and other parts of your life
  • Develop effective job-related skills in assertiveness, confrontation, feedback, time management, and active listening
  • Explore your interests, skills, values, and needs and how they relate to your career choice.

Financial Wellness

satisfaction with current and future financial situations
  • Learning how to gain control of your finances so they work for you
  • Understanding how to manage a budget, credit cars, checking and savings accounts, investments, and retirement funds