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Wellness Challenges

Bingo board with 25 squares; each square contains a different word or phrase, such as 'Free Space' in the center.

Wellness Challenge

Well-U Bingo Board

Runs all year long

Have fun while building healthy habits! Check off your completed wellness activity on the Well-U Bingo Board. Once you’ve earned Bingo by filling in five spaces in any direction (or the whole card), scan the QR code in the center to email Well-U with a photo of your card and your employee ID number.

Download the Well-U Bingo Board

University-wide Wellness Challenges

Walktober season is here!

This October 2024, all University employees can take advantage of autumn’s cool temperatures and spectacular views as we step out and step up to better health in a fun and inspiring way. Throughout Walktober, a 31-day wellness challenge that runs for the whole month of October, we can boost our energy, improve our mood, and make moving a priority for life.

  • Registration opens Monday, September 16 at https://walktober.com.
  • Win prizes like Yeti coolers and mugs, sweatshirts, Apple watches, and more!
  • Play with a team or as an individual.
  • Log your activity every single day for chances win each week.
  • Registration closes Monday, October 7.

More Details

Departmental Wellness Challenges

Well-U offers a variety of wellness challenges to help build the framework for healthy habit formation.

The following wellness challenges, when organized, implemented, and celebrated by your team, can make the overwhelming subject of self-improvement into baby steps that anyone can do. Even if these new habits don’t stick, you and your team will be moving in the right direction.

Well-U provides the ideas, templates, and prizes, and your team delivers.

To build healthy habits, you can just:

  1. Pick a Well-U challenge below for your department.
  2. Customize the challenge length.
  3. Fill out and submit the Well-U Department Request Form and pick up supplies on the date requested.
  4. Repeat your new healthy habit every day, even after the challenge is over!

Learn how to get started and set up a challenge for your team with the challenges below.

If you have any questions, contact Well-U at well-u-info@rochester.edu or call us at (585) 273-5240.

30 Days of Gratitude Challenge

Available for all University of Rochester employees

Feeling and expressing gratitude promotes a positive and happy mood. These brain boosts can have significant positive effects on employees’ physical and mental health.

Well-U’s 30 Days of Gratitude can get you on the path to incorporating gratitude into your daily routine!

Instructions
  1. Download and edit the invite email template (text version is also included in the drop-down below). When choosing a 30-day window to run your challenge, be sure that the start date is far enough away so that there is time to pick up the challenge supplies† from Well-U before the start of the challenge.
  2. Customize and email the 30 Days of Gratitude invite to all possible participants.
  3. Determine how many will participate based on email replies.
  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. Disperse the 30 Days of Gratitude record keeping card either by email or print.
  6. Begin your 30 Days of Gratitude and 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 or any other creative way to honor participants.
  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.
Email template

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

Our department will be participating in Well-U’s 30 Days of Gratitude wellness challenge starting on:

Gratitude Basics

Feeling and expressing gratitude promotes a positive and happy mood. These brain boosts can have significant positive effects on employees’ physical and mental health.

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

  • Reply to this email to participate and receive your starter kit.
  • On the start date, download or print this 30 Days of Gratitude record keeping card. Follow the checklist from days 1-30 and check off each action as you complete them.
  • Once the challenge period is over, you’ll send your completed to the challenge coordinator. Its’ that simple!
  • Prizes will be awarded and will include a variety of exciting and fun surprises!

How do I participate?

To participate in our department’s Well-U’s 30 Days of Gratitude wellness challenge, respond to this email by __________, then start checking off the boxes on the morning of_____________! All University of Rochester employees can participate.

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

Find other support resources on the Well-U website or on the Gratitude Guide.

Additional resources
Well-U prize supplies

*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 and may also include journal or other supplies for each participant to support their efforts.

†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.

Food as Art Challenge

Available for all University of Rochester employees

Incorporating a variety of colorful produce into your day protects your body from illness and disease. The high fiber and nutrition values helps the body to function and feel its very best.

Use the tools below to invite your department to join the challenge of eating a colorful variety every day in return for improved health and the chance to create a color-by-number picture as they progress. Well-U’s Food as Art wellness challenge supports healthy food choices and lets you get creative so that it works best for your department.

Looking for more information on food and nutrition? Check out the other programs Well-U offers!

Instructions
  1. Food as Art is designed to be run for one or two weeks. 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. Use the invite email (text version is also included in the drop-down below) to invite other University employees. Send out invite email to all possible participants.
  3. Determine how many will participate.
  4. Complete the Well-U department request form and choose a date to pick up supplies (starter kit* and three post-challenge prize items†). A Well-U team member will be in touch via email to coordinate further.
  5. Pick up supplies and disperse the Food as Art record keeping card along with a starter kit* to each participant. NOTE: One card is used for two weeks’ worth of recording/coloring.
  6. Begin your Food as Art wellness challenge, have fun, and support one another! Find more resources on the Well-U website.
  7. Collect record keeping cards by email or in-person and choose prize winners (best picture colored, most colored in, or whatever you can imagine).
  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 Food as Art Certificates of Completion.
Email template

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


Our department will be participating in Well-U’s Food as Art Wellness Challenge starting on:

Food as Art Basics

Incorporating a variety of colorful fruits and vegetables into your day protects your body from illness and disease. 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 at the end! Here’s how it works:

  • Reply to this email to participate and receive your starter kit.
  • Each day, consume a fruit or vegetable that matches one of the colors on your record keeping card/color-by-number and then color-in the appropriate number on the picture. Your goal is one color per day.
  • Once the challenge period is over, you’ll send your completed picture to the challenge coordinator. Its’ that simple!
  • Prizes will be awarded and will include a variety of exciting and fun surprises!

What is considered a serving of fruit and vegetable?

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

How do I participate?

To participate in our department’s Well-U’s Food as Art wellness challenge, respond to this email by [date], then start coloring once you consume that color on the start date! All University of Rochester employees can participate.

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

Find other support resources on the Well-U website.

Additional resources
Well-U prize supplies

*Starter kit may include: Well-U lunch tote, Well-U bento 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.

Move It Challenge

Available for all University of Rochester employees

A lot or a little, the impact of movement has a profound effect on your health and wellness. Incorporating more activity into your normal day can help control weight, improve mood, combat health conditions, boost energy, and help you to sleep better.

Your team can benefit by identifying times of day when to stand while working, walk during meetings, or climb a few flights of stairs instead of taking the elevator. Well-U’s Move It Challenge can help to build that habit every day and, as a team leader or Well-U Champion, you can drive the effort using the below toolkit and build a great experience for your whole team.

If you or your team are interested in more information about physical activity, check out our other Well-U programs!

Instructions
  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: Move It Record keeping cards are designed for a four-week period but you determine the timeframe for your department’s needs.
  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
Email template

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 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, Well-U light-up slap bracelet to take your workout outside safely, or other items to support your efforts along the way. 

Here is how it works:

  •  Reply to this email and receive your Well-U Starter Kit. 

  • On the start date, record the total 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 of 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 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’s guide to 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], and 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.

Additional resources
Well-U prize supplies

*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

Operation Hydration Challenge

Available for all University of Rochester employees

When you are well hydrated, you feel hungry less often, you are in a better mood, and you are less tired. One way to stay hydrated is to take a water bottle with you everywhere you go and Well-U will provide everyone signed up on your team with one that will make record keeping a cinch. If you are a Well-U Champion or just someone who likes to have fun, learn how to create this challenge for your team!

If you or your team would like more information on food and diet, check out the other programs that Well-U offers!

Instructions
  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
Email template

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!

Additional resources
Well-U prize supplies

*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

Self-care Challenge

Available for all University of Rochester employees

Taking care of yourself is a crucial step to healthy work-life balance and having the endurance to take care of others. Showing yourself the love that you deserve also lowers stress, improves health, and has proven to increase life satisfaction – things we all need more of.

Use the tools below to invite your department to join the challenge of having that precious self-care time every day and keeping track of it. Well-U’s Self-care challenge can support your wellbeing so that you are your best, at home and at work.

Looking for more information on self-care? Check out the other programs Well-U offers!

Instructions
  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.
Email template

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.

Additional resources
Well-U prize supplies

*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.

Treasure of Kindness Challenge

Available for all University of Rochester employees

Being kind boosts serotonin and dopamine, which are neurotransmitters in the brain that give you feelings of satisfaction and well-being. It can also help reduce stress and bring a fresh perspective to those being kind. Maybe the best benefit of all is that kindness is contagious.

This unique challenge from Well-U implores each department to work together to help spread kindness at work and beyond.

How it works

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!

Instructions
  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.
Email template

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.

Additional resources
Well-U prize supplies

*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.