Living in a busy, stressful world, it's easy to put yourself and your health on the back-burner. Between work, family, relationships, and other obligations, there often seems little time left to focus on your own wellbeing. However, making self-care a priority is critical.

Here’s why it’s so important to take control and intentionally care for your health:

It Pays Dividends Long-Term

Investing in wellness now yields huge rewards over your lifetime. Making smart diet, exercise, sleep and lifestyle choices helps:

• Extend lifespan – Studies show 4 unhealthy behaviors—smoking, heavy drinking, poor diet/inactivity, and inadequate sleep—can shorten life expectancy by up to 14 years! (1)
• Decrease risk of chronic illnesses – Around 60% of U.S. adults have at least one chronic disease that could have been prevented through healthier living. (2)
• Boost quality of life – Those utilizing preventative wellness and early detection have substantially lower healthcare costs, less sick days and higher reported vitality.

You’re Worth It

Practicing self-care combats lack of self-worth or negative self-talk that says "I don’t deserve this." Remind yourself:

√ You deserve to feel good every day √ Your needs matter too amid other obligations
√ Prioritizing wellness is an act of self-respect

Consistent Baby Steps Work

Major life overhauls often fail because they’re unsustainable. Instead of striving for perfection, focus on small positive changes built up over time.

• Start journaling once a week to manage stress
• Schedule 30 minutes for meal-prepping Sundays
• Squeeze in 10 minutes of yoga during work breaks

Little improvements lead to transformative results!

Where to Start

Unsure what to tackle first? Assess your health status, risks and priority areas needing attention. Then craft a customized wellness plan to strengthen those vulnerabilities.

Remember, the time for action is now! What step will you take today?

The HW Team