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E-mail: Health Matters

Phone: 206-205-5017

Stress Less with a stress management focused individual action plan

Preventing and managing stress can help lower your risk of serious health problems like heart disease, high blood pressure, and depression. Managing stress can also help you sleep better and control your weight. But many King County employees, spouses and domestic partners report feeling stressed.

If your wellness assessment shows stress as one of your risk factors, you can choose an individual action plan that teaches you tried and true stress management techniques. It will put you on the road to earning the gold out-of-pocket expense level as well as helping you reduce the impact of stress on your life.

Remember, the steps to earning the gold out-of-pocket expense level are:

  1. Take the wellness assessment by Jan. 31, 2011.
  2. Complete your individual action plan by July 1, 2011.

You can get started on your individual action plan immediately after you complete the wellness assessment. WebMD’s Stress Management Lifestyle Improvement Program is the best option to help you find ways to manage your stress. The program has two parts – stress management related readings and a Stress Planner. You will get the most out of the program if you use the readings and the planner together. However, you can get credit toward gold for using just one. Simply record any three activities a week for 10 weeks before July 1, 2011 and you will earn the gold out-of-pocket expense level!

  • Readings – There are a total of 10 phases of readings that you can complete. Completing one phase of reading (7 steps and a quiz) counts for one of the three activities you need each week.
  • Planner – The planner is easy to set up and is a great way to track how different stress management techniques work for you. Clicking the box next to one of the stress management techniques earns a credit toward your three activities for the week.


Research shows that completing an activity regularly for 10 weeks makes us more likely to stick with the behavior.  Choose an individual action plan that’s right for you, and you’ll have a great tool to help you meet your health goals for 2011.

For a complete list of individual action plan options and completion criteria, go to the Healthy Incentives web page.

If you have questions about Healthy IncentivesSM Program completion or individual action plans, contact Benefits, Payroll, and Retirement Operations at 206-684-1556.

Stress Planner
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Make health your resolution

Enjoy a new year of healthy possibilities! Here are some ideas to make Stress Less your resolution.

  1. Take "you" time each day. Take time out of your busy schedule for you. Do something you enjoy everyday, whether it is taking a walk during lunch, reading the paper, exercising or listening to music. 

  2. Get enough sleep each night. On average, adults need seven to eight hours of sleep per night. Work toward that goal and keep track of how you feel on days when you reach your sleep goal versus days when you don’t. Check out these rules to snooze by and add another tip to your sleep regimen each week.

  3. Exercise regularly. Exercise is the one of the best ways to relieve stress. Choose physical activities you enjoy, such as walking, jogging, bike riding, gardening or dancing. The Move More web pages can give you ideas on how to get started or add to your existing exercise routine.

Remember, the most important part of any resolution is to stick to it. Do not give up. Tell people about what you are doing so they will help you keep going. Good luck!

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