Active August

This August we encourage you to be active in as many ways as possible! Being mentally, physically, socially, spiritually and culturally active are all important for general health and mental wellbeing.

31 day calendar

We’ve developed a calendar with 31 ideas for the month of August. Some of the featured activities you may already do, but why not try something new?

Themed days

Each day of the week has a theme to cover the various ways of being active. The themes are:

• Mentally active Monday: Just as our body performs better when we are physically fit, so too does our mind when we are mentally fit. Learning something new, or achieving something mentally (e.g. solving a puzzle) contributes to feelings of self-confidence and belief in one’s abilities.
• Try something Tuesday: Try something new this Tuesday! Give something new a go! Learning a new skill and meeting people with similar interests can feel really rewarding.
• Walk it out Wednesday: Walking is a great way to keep physically fit. Look for opportunities in your daily life where you can increase your steps.
• Think culturally Thursday: Connecting to culture can increase feelings of belonging, and learning about other cultures can increase inclusion and empathy. Keeping connected to your culture can provide social and emotional wellbeing benefits.
• Physical Friday: Keeping our bodies active is not only good for our physical health but our mental health too. Finding ways to regularly keep active (the national guidelines recommend adults are active most days) that work for your body and lifestyle means that you a more likely to regularly exercise and reap the benefits from it!
• Social Saturday: Being socially active and connecting with others is not only enjoyable but also provides us with a support base when we need it. Sharing the good times and being supported in the not-so-good times is what friendships are all about. Getting together with friends or family and doing it regularly can increase your mental wellbeing.
• Spiritual Sunday: While the term spirituality means different things to different people, engaging in some form of spiritual activity contributes to mental wellbeing. There are many ways to express spirituality in non-religious ways, such as spending time in nature, meditation, mindfulness or creative practices.

Customisable calendar

If you’d like to fill out the calendar with your own ideas, there is also a blank version that can be printed out and used as an activity planning tool.

More tips for getting involved

If you need further inspiration to keep active or you want to find something in your local area, check out our Activity Finder.

If you’re on social media, don’t forget to follow us on Facebook and Instagram. We’ll be posting updates about ways to be active this August!

We’d also love to see photos and stories of how you bring Act Belong Commit to life in your everyday – be sure to tag us @actbelongcommit