Join the Haptivate Advent Challenge!

Do one activity each day to boost social connection and wellbeing in your team – and WIN a free workshop!

Usually as Xmas approaches, we find ourselves winding down for the year, treating ourselves to Christmas coffees with colleagues, Secret Santas and Christmas jumper days. It’s the little moments of social connection at work that we’ve all missed this year, and feelings of loneliness and isolation have the potential to build up even further during December.

The Holiday season can be a stressful time of year at the best of times. However, after a year of lockdowns and remote working, social isolation is set to be an added challenge this December.

That’s why we’ve created the Haptivate Advent Challenge to help you increase social connection and wellbeing for your team during the run-up to Christmas. Every day there’s a different activity to try that will help you to cultivate the festive spirit even if your team is working apart from one another.

Win a free Haptivate wellbeing workshop for your team

Teams who tackle every activity on the 18 working days between now and Xmas will be entered into a prize draw to win one of 3 free Haptivate wellbeing workshops in the New Year! If you’d like to enter, you just need to share photos and insights from your activities on social media with the hashtag #HaptivateAdventChallenge

So let’s get started! We still have plenty of time left to finish 2020 strong – and the three lucky workshop winners will also be getting their 2021 off to a fantastic start!

Consider bookmarking this article and downloading our handy Haptivate Advent Challenge Cheat Sheet for easy reference throughout the advent period!

Week One: 1-4 Dec

Tue 1 Dec
Go out for a walk in nature, snap a nice photo and share it with the rest of your team.
Wed 2 Dec
Create a team music playlist on Spotify of guilty Xmas pleasures.
Thu 3 Dec
Spend 15 minutes as a team meeting reflecting on the things that you’re grateful for and appreciate in others.
Fri 4 Dec
Have an Xmas team coffee break! Grab yourself a special treat and spend 15 mins chatting together and comparing tasting notes!

Weekend Bonuses:

Sat 5 Dec
Spend 10 minutes writing down things you’re grateful for and why.
Sun 6 Dec
Spend 15 minutes filling in this character strengths test.

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Week Two: 7-11 Dec

Mon 7 Dec
Everyone in your team commits to trying one new thing this week to support their self-care.
Tue 8 Dec
Listen to this TED talk and discuss your thoughts together as a team.
Wed 9 Dec
Do something for charity together as a team.
Thu 10 Dec
Split up into pairs. Share examples of your partner’s strengths and the times they have shown them at work.
Fri 11 Dec
It’s time for Xmas jumper day! Consider awarding a prize for your favourite.

Weekend Bonuses:

Sat 12 Dec
Practice 5 minutes of meditation.

Sun 13 Dec
Go out for a walk and smile at all the people you pass.

Week Three: 14-18 Dec

Mon 14 Dec
Launch a Guardian Angels scheme for your team. Everyone is secretly assigned another team member that they are tasked with looking after from afar!
Tue 15 Dec
Reflect on your personal values and share them with the rest of the team. Check out this list of core needs that you can use for inspiration.
Wed 16 Dec
Play ‘The Ghost of Xmas Past’ in a team meeting. What are some stresses and worries you’ve experienced in the past over the Xmas period? What advice would you give your former self or another team member about dealing with these?
Thu 17 Dec
Spend 15 minutes discussing the new strengths and skills you have acquired this year within the team.
Fri 18 Dec
Hold a Kahoot quiz for your team. If you’d like access to our special Haptivate wellbeing at work quiz, send us a message with your Kahoot username and we’ll give you access!

Weekend Bonuses:

Sat 19 Dec
Practice this dance routine.
Sun 20 Dec
Write a letter of kindness to yourself.

Week Four: 21-25 Dec

Mon 21 Dec
Set a timer for 10 minutes. Everyone then goes outside and photographs as many Christmas trees as they can. Don’t be late back as you’ll lose a point from your total for every minute of tardiness! Award a prize to the winner.
Tue 22 Dec
Make an Xmas music video! Pick a song as a team, assign a production manager and an editor, then get filming!
Wed 23 Dec
Have a letting go ceremony where you each reflect upon and share something you want to leave behind in 2020. Then write it down and then destroy it using a method of your personal choice!
Thu 24 Dec
Have a team celebration where you reflect on the year and all of the things you’ve accomplished.
CHRISTMAS DAY!
Complete this 10 minute compassion-based meditation.