Why We’re Paying People to Take Care of Themselves

By: Laura Chackes, Psy.D

This month, in celebration of National Wellness Month, we’re challenging our staff to take better care of themselves. And what better way to get people to show up for themselves than paying the 5 top point scorers cash prizes!

We talk all day about self-care, mindfulness, exercise, and journaling. Our clinicians help clients build these practices; but, it’s easy for our staff to get caught up and forget to actually do these things themselves.

So we made it simple. People earn points for activities that support their wellness. 

Here’s the full list:

ActivityPoints
Attend Yoga at the Center15 points per class
Do yoga or meditation on your own5 points
Go to the gym or exercise5 points
Take a walk5 points
Sign up to attend Intern Impact Hour15 points
Sign up for an intern to shadow a session10 points per session
Stretch at your desk for 5 minutes5 points
Journal5 points
Drink 64 ounces of water in a day5 points
Go to therapy for yourself10 points
Mindful eating: Eat one meal without looking at a phone, TV, or computer5 points
Digital detox: Turn off all screens for 30 minutes5 points
Gratitude log: Write down three specific things you are grateful for5 points
Get outside: Spend at least 15 minutes outdoors5 points
Bring a coworker to any activity+5 bonus points for both you and your coworker

The bonus is key. You get extra points for bringing a coworker, because wellness is even better when shared with a friend.

Why This Works

Compassion fatigue is real. Our staff holds space for people who are struggling. It’s meaningful work and it can be depleting at times. A wellness challenge creates structure and permission around self-care. It removes the guilt and replaces it with momentum and community.

When your coworkers are also out on a walk or heading to yoga or seeing a therapist, you’re less alone in it. Plus, who doesn’t love a little competition among coworkers?!

For Other Organizations

If you’re running any kind of business or organization, consider joining us in this challenge. All you need is a list of wellness activities (feel free to steal ours), a simple tracking system (we use a Google Form), cash prizes, and a time frame.

That’s it. The magic is in creating permission and doing it as a group. Suddenly wellness isn’t something people do solo. It’s something your workplace actively encourages.

Your people need this. They need to know that taking care of themselves actually matters. Not just in theory; but, in practice.