Important Dates for Your 2023 Wellbeing Calendar
It can often be overwhelming to keep track of all the wellbeing-related dates throughout the year and plan work events accordingly. But fear not! Our 2023 Wellbeing Calendar is packed with health and wellbeing events to help you plan out a successful wellbeing programme.
Let’s dive in…
Health and Wellbeing Calendar Dates
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1st January – 31st January | Dry January
After the Christmas and New Year festivities, January is a great time to reset and refresh.
Dry January challenges you to go alcohol-free for 31 days and aims to raise awareness of the effects of alcohol.
Taking part is a chance to ditch the hangover, reduce your waistline, boost energy and save some cash, all while doing your body a lot of good.
16th January | Blue Monday
The third Monday of January has been awarded the dreary title Blue Monday due to a combination of post-Christmas blues, dark cold nights and a stack of unpaid credit card bills.
The date was supposedly calculated using several factors, including weather conditions, increased debt, time since Christmas, time since failing our new year’s resolutions, low motivational levels and feeling the need to take action.
So, instead of letting Blue Monday get the better of you, why not do something with your team, organise a wellbeing initiative, or treat yourself to something nice!
2nd February | Time To Talk Day
Mental health problems affect one in four of us and are a serious issue that should be spoken about a lot more. It is a common challenge, but an isolating one and people can often start to feel ashamed or alone because of it.
Time to Talk Day is a chance to encourage everyone to be more open about our mental wellbeing. Be sure to carve out some time during the day to have a coffee and connect with your team about how they are feeling.
8th March | International Women’s Day
This year’s theme for International Women’s Day is about embracing equity. Equity means creating a fair and equal world.
There are many ways in which we can challenge gender stereotypes, call out discrimination, highlight bias, and work towards inclusion.
Change is driven by collective activism. We can all embrace equity, from grassroots actions to wide-scale momentum.
Fighting for gender equality doesn’t have to be limited to women. Women’s social, economic, cultural, and political advancement also relies heavily on allies.
17th March | World Sleep Day
World Sleep Day is not only a celebration of sleeping, it also promotes important issues related to sleep, including medicine, education and social aspects.
The aim is to lessen the burden of sleep issues on society through better prevention and management of sleep disorders.
13th – 19th March | Nutrition and Hydration Week
This global movement aims to focus on nutrition and hydration as a crucial part of quality, care experience and safety improvement in health and social care settings.
The goal is to bring people together to create energy, focus and fun to highlight and educate people on the value of food and drink in sustaining health and wellbeing in health and social care.
20th March | International Day of Happiness
Since 2013, the United Nations has celebrated the International Day of Happiness as a way of recognising the importance of happiness in the lives of people around the world.
Through the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals, they aim to end poverty, reduce inequality, and protect our planet – three key elements that lead to wellbeing and happiness.
You can find our Ikigai Happiness Toolkit and other resources over on the Haptivate Resources Hub.
Related workshop: Haptivate 101: The happiness at work toolkit
Discover a host of practical techniques that can boost mood, bust stress and help you to feel happier at work.
1st – 30th April | Stress Awareness Month
Millions of people around the UK are feeling high levels of stress and it is damaging our physical and mental health. Stress is one of the great public health challenges of our time, but it often isn’t taken as seriously as physical health concerns.
During Stress Awareness Month, healthcare professionals and health promotion experts join forces to increase public awareness of the causes and cures for our modern stress epidemic.
The Haptivate Resource Hub is packed with resources, including a helpful Stress Management Cheat Sheet.
Related workshop: Stress management & building resilience
Explore the science of stress and burnout, the psychology of resilience, and practical techniques you can integrate into your routine to improve your wellbeing and performance.
7th April | World Health Day
World Health Day’s message is simple: giving people access to healthcare without the prospect of financial hardship.
Over the past 50 years, World Health Day has shone a light on numerous public health concerns in the world. Such as mental health, child care and climate change.
26th April | On Your Feet Britain
On Your Feet Britain is a celebration of physical activity that encourages workers across Britain to unite and take part in a variety of fun and simple activities to #SitLess and #MoveMore at work.
It’s much easier than you think and you’ll be surprised by how much better you feel. Here are a few tricks we’ve tried:
- Use the stairs rather than the lift
- Stand up and have a break from your computer every hour
- Eat lunch away from your desk
- Stand during phone calls
- Have standing or walking meetings
- Walk over to your colleagues’ desks instead of phoning or emailing them
1st – 31st May | National Walking Month
Throughout May, National Walking Month encourages people to get active and walk more.
Walking is an easy and accessible way to improve your health and wellbeing. With just a 20-minute walk, a number of preventable health conditions, such as depression, heart disease and Type 2 diabetes, can be reduced.
8th – 14th May | Women’s Health Week
Women’s Health Week is a national effort to raise awareness about the manageable steps women can take to improve their health.
The focus is on the importance of including simple preventive and positive health behaviours in everyday life.
15th – 21st May | Mental Health Awareness Week
Mental Health Awareness Week is all about raising awareness and promoting better mental health.
It provides a great opportunity for people to talk about all aspects of mental health, with a focus on providing support and advice.
15th – 21st May | Learning at Work Week
The purpose of Learning at Work Week is to build learning cultures at work. It aims to put a spotlight on the importance and benefits of continual learning and development.
This week is a great opportunity to run a learning campaign in your workplace linked to a national event.
21st May | World Meditation Day
In the modern world of constant movement, we need to raise awareness about meditation and its benefits. Meditation has been practised since ancient times, as far back as 3000 B.C., when it was referenced in Indian texts.
By practising mindfulness or focusing on an object, thought, or activity, an emotionally calm and stable state can be achieved. In Western culture, meditation has transcended past stereotypes and is becoming more and more mainstream.
If you’re new to meditation, you’d best head over to the Haptivate Resources Hub, where you’ll find our short, guided meditation audio to get you started in no time.
12th – 18th June | Men’s Health Week
Led by the Men’s Health Forum, the purpose of Men’s Health Week is to raise awareness of preventable health issues and encourage men and boys to seek professional advice for health-related problems.
21st June | International Yoga Day
International Yoga Day is an opportunity to recognise the physical and spiritual benefits that yoga brings to people all around the world. Yoga is a wonderful way to exercise and stay healthy, but it’s also much more than that.
For many people, yoga is a way to connect the body, mind, and soul in a way that promotes overall wellbeing. By taking time to practice yoga on this day, you can honor the ancient tradition and discover the many benefits for yourself. Whether you’re a seasoned yogi or just starting out, International Yoga Day is a great opportunity to focus on your health and wellbeing.
25th September | National Fitness Day
National Fitness Day encourages people across the country to make 26 September the most active day of the year. It highlights how physical activity helps us lead a healthier, happier and more active lifestyle.
25th – 29th September | International Week of Happiness at Work
Everybody wants to be happy. Including at work. Work accounts for a lot of our time, after all. And, our happiness at work will likely carry over into our personal lives as well. This one is close to our hearts as we believe happiness at work should be a top priority for all organisations, no matter how big or small.
Related workshop: Haptivate 101: The happiness at work toolkit
Discover a host of practical techniques that can boost mood, bust stress and help you to feel happier at work.
1st – 31st October | Speak Up Month
Speak Up Month is a month dedicated to raising awareness of Freedom to Speak Up and making speaking up business as usual for all workers, leaders and managers. It is a chance for teams and organisations to talk about speaking up and why it is important.
2nd – 6th October | National Work-Life Week
National Work-Life Week aims to get both employees and employers talking about the importance of wellbeing at work and a good work-life balance.
It’s an opportunity for employers to show their employees how their organisation supports and cultivates a family-friendly and flexible working culture.
10th October | World Mental Health Day
World Mental Health Day raises public awareness about mental health issues and advocacy against social stigma.
Every aspect of our lives, including our families, workplaces, and communities, is affected by mental health problems. As individuals and as a society, we must do all we can to prevent mental ill-health.
World Mental Health Day is an opportunity to talk about mental health, how we need to take care of it, and how important it is to talk about things and get help when needed.
18th October | World Menopause Day
World Menopause Day is an annual event that takes place on the 18th of October each year. It’s a day that’s all about spreading awareness of menopause and letting people know about the different options available for improving health and wellbeing.
Menopause is a totally natural part of life, but it can come with some pretty uncomfortable symptoms like hot flashes, night sweats, and mood swings. It’s super important for employers and individuals to be aware of how menopause can affect wellbeing and to offer support where needed.
2nd November | National Stress Awareness Day
National Stress Awareness Day aims to develop a greater understanding of stress. The aim is to ensure those suffering know where to seek advice, and the practical actions that can help prevent and manage stress.
If you’d like a quick and practical guide on this topic, check out the Haptivate Resources Hub and grab the Stress Management Cheat Sheet.
Related workshop: Stress management & building resilience
Explore the science of stress and burnout, the psychology of resilience, and practical techniques you can integrate into your routine to improve your wellbeing and performance.
13th November | World Kindness Day
World Kindness Day is an opportunity for us all to reflect on one of the most important and unifying human principles – to be kind.
It highlights how good deeds and small acts of kindness can bring people of every kind together.
Engaging in random acts of kindness during the working day can bring a huge amount of positivity to the workplace, creating a feel-good atmosphere that spreads throughout the organisation.
19th November | International Men’s Day
International Men’s Day is about making a positive difference to the wellbeing and lives of men and boys. It aims to raise awareness of men’s health, male suicide rates and the underperformance of boys in schools.
Save All These Wellbeing Dates to Your Calendar Now!
Join the Haptivate newsletter to import these wellbeing dates to your calendar and get access all our free wellbeing at work resources.
Did we miss anything?
We’ve done our best to create a health and wellbeing calendar that’s as complete as possible. However, if you have a suggestion for dates to add, let us know in the comments below and we’ll get right on it!
Make sure you don’t miss an important date by adding the 2023 Haptivate Wellbeing Calendar straight into your diary.
If you’re looking for support with your workplace wellbeing or would like to organise an event for one of these awareness days, click here to find out how Haptivate can help.
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Digital Marketing
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