Comprehensive Wellness Tips for Adults

SPIRITUAL WELLNESS

Prepared by the GuideStone Director of Pastoral Wellness, Mark Dance

Align Your Schedule with Your Spiritual Priorities

Our calendars reflect our priorities, so where do Jesus and your spouse fit into your schedule? If possible, give the very first part of your day to your first love — Jesus (Revelation 2:4-5); and the first part of your post-work time to your second love — your spouse.

“Husbands, live with your wives in an understanding way…so that your prayers will not be hindered” (1 Peter 3:7).

Stay the Course

Through life’s many seasons, hills and valleys, keep your eyes fixed on Jesus and deepen your relationship with him through studying the Bible and developing your prayer life. (Matthew 26:41, 1 Chronicles 16:11)

Look for Ways to Serve

Be generous with your time and find a way to use your gifts through serving at your church and volunteering in your community. (Matthew 5:16, Acts 20:35)

FINANCIAL WELLNESS

Prepared by the GuideStone Team**

Plan your Retirement Savings Strategy

Check out GuideStone’s retirement planning resources.
Retirement Planning for People in Their 20s and Early 30s
Retirement Planning for People in Their Late 30s to Early 50s
Retirement Planning for People in Their Mid-50s and 60s
Work towards contributing 15% of your income as recommended by industry experts into your retirement plan.
Increasing your retirement savings amount as a percentage annually.
If your retirement plan has an employer-matching contribution, take advantage of it.
Review your retirement account periodically to ensure you’re on track. If you’re above the age of 50, make catch-up contributions if it aligns with your financial objectives.
Five to ten years prior to retirement, develop a strategy to transition your retirement investments to a more conservative mix of assets to assume less risk.

Build a Budget and Stick to It

Evaluate your budget in every season of life.
Set aside your first 10% to tithe and see if you could be financially generous beyond your initial tithe.
Put a portion of your paycheck in a savings account to build up an emergency fund and save for life goals such as a first house down payment, future car and children’s college.
Work towards paying down debt, including your mortgage.

Establish a Will

No matter your age, make sure you have an updated will and power of attorney.
Gather the documents your loved ones may need someday and put them in a safe place.

EMOTIONAL WELLNESS

Prepared by the GuideStone team** and nurses, doctors and other medical professionals at Lockton and Highmark*

Keep Mental Health in Mind

Be kind to yourself and others.
Find hobbies that bring you joy and spend time in nature.
Understand that your emotional and physical health are connected.
Seek support and help for difficulties your face. Check out these biblical mental health resources.

Maximize Healthy Sleep Habits to Help Manage Stress

Get at least 7 hours of sleep each night.
Avoid caffeine close to bedtime.
Be consistent in your routines.

Practice Gratitude

When you wake up, think of one thing you are thankful for.
Tell someone you love them today.
Call a friend or family member to talk through a stressful situation.

RELATIONAL WELLNESS

Prepared by nurses, doctors and other medical professionals at Lockton and Highmark*

Seek out Mentorship

Look for mentorship opportunities to grow in both your work and personal life. Having an objective third-party offer you wisdom and advice is helpful. As you gain experience, consider being a professional or personal mentor yourself to help others.

Build a Strong Foundation at Home

Work on building a strong, healthy relationship with your spouse and children. Spend time with your family, eat meals together and tell them you love them every day.

Maintain your Support System

Don’t neglect to spend time with your friends and family. Schedule social time, such as a monthly dinner with friends.

VOCATIONAL WELLNESS

Prepared by the GuideStone Team**

Never Stop Learning

Create a personal development action plan.
Consider “shadowing” a person who has a job or a career you desire.
Learn something new, such as: pursuing industry-recognized certifications in the field of your interest. Prospective employers may consider your self-development and learning agility.
Take on challenging projects and assignments.

Maintain a Work/Life Balance

Don’t let life pass you by without taking opportunities to dedicate your time to things outside of work.
Set aside time at home for God and family.
Set time aside in the year to take trips or time off to rest and recharge.

Don’t Lose Sight of What is Important

Be careful with climbing the corporate ladder to achieve “titles” and dismissing “titleless” roles with a high impact.
Treat people in your workplace at all levels with respect.
Get involved with and serve a cause bigger than yourself.

PHYSICAL WELLNESS

Prepared by nurses, doctors and other medical professionals at Lockton and Highmark*

Keep up with your Preventive Care

Check your Preventive Care Schedule and take advantage of covered screenings and procedures to keep you healthy as you age.

Eat Healthily

While primary aging happens due to biological factors such as molecular and cellular changes and oxidative damage, secondary aging occurs due to controllable factors like unhealthy life habits, including a lack of physical exercise and a poor diet. To hold off secondary aging, make sure you keep your body’s nutrition needs in mind as you navigate food options.

Get Physically Active

Each week, adults need 150 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity and two days of muscle-strengthening activity.
In early adulthood, our physical abilities are at their peak, including muscle strength, reaction time, sensory abilities and cardiac functioning.

*Maegen Tabor, RN (Lockton) and Darla Mack, RN (Highmark), supported by Dr. Hale (Lockton) and Dr. Jacobson (Highmark)
**Sharita Bent, Edith Dorsey, Eddy Huskey, David Kieffer, Katie Orgunov, Jordan Puskos, Taylor Rogers, Holly Taylor