An Employee Health and Wellness Tip from the Farm

I’m in the cockpit of a giant plane flying through a thunderstorm. I peer through the clouds and—SPLAT! A cupcake falls from the sky and smashes against the windscreen. Then—BAM! A chocolate chip cookie bounces off the wing. A second later, it’s raining calendars and lunchboxes, and my plane is spiraling out of control, like I’m stuck in an outtake from the movie Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs.

This daydream is so vivid that I can see it like a movie in my head. But with the way I’ve been flying across the country, juggling my mom responsibilities, and dodging holiday desserts, it could happen! If you and your team are feeling the same kind of stress from balancing all of the things and trying to stay healthy through it, this employee health and wellness tip might help: Treat yourself like a plant.

An Employee Wellness Tip from the Farm

I heard this tip recently, and it reminded me of the way that The FruitGuys’ farm partners nourish and care for their orchards and fields. It’s hard and important work, but in some ways, it’s not complicated. Plants only need a few things to be healthy and happy: water, soil, and sunlight. So, how do you follow in their rootsteps?

How to Treat Yourself Like a Plant

• Drink plenty of water
• Nourish your body with fruits and vegetables
• Sway in the breeze (exercise)
• Go outside to breathe the fresh air and enjoy the sun

As long as you’re doing those four things, you don’t need to worry about enjoying a few Christmas cookies with your kids (always worth it) or missing out on sleep because of a delayed flight. At least, that’s what I tell myself—and so far it’s working for me!

Let’s Think Bigger: Bring This Wellness Tip to Your Team

If you’re an HR leader or office manager, you can actually apply this employee wellness idea to your office wellness program, too. I once read this quote from André Spicer, coauthor of the upcoming book The Art of Less: How to Focus on What Really Matters at Work, and it really stuck with me:

“Too often people go all in on investments like treadmill desks when they could get the same payoff by giving their employees natural light, fresh air, and some fresh fruit.”

As much as I love following along with the latest employee health and wellness tips and trends, we might be better off sticking to the basics. Keeping things simple could be the real secret to better health (and to fewer daydreams about flying cupcakes).

Keep Your Office Basics Covered with The FruitGuys

If you’d like to take Spicer’s advice, The FruitGuys makes it easy to keep farm-fresh fruit stocked in your break room. Put your fruit bowl by a window, open it a crack, and add a plant, and you’ve got your office basics covered!

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