You may have read news articles or heard your parents talk about work-life balance. That refers to balancing time spent earning money to live and time spent doing the things a person needs or wants to do for themselves, their family, or their community. Use the slides below to learn about the health triangle and how to keep it in balance.
The health triangle consists of three sides: the physical, social, and mental/emotional. Each side influences the other two sides. For example, if you spend time playing basketball with your friends, your physical health improves. But playing basketball also affects your social health because you are spending time with friends. And it affects your mental health because being physically active makes you feel good about yourself. Learn more about each leg of the triangle in the next slide. 
To improve your physical health:
To improve your mental/emotional health:
To improve your social health:
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It is normal to have the triangle go out of balance sometimes. When that happens, you need to take steps to bring it back into balance. Keeping your health triangle in balance is one of the keys to a healthy life.
Think about everything you’ve learned about the health triangle. Then, answer the question below.
Elias is busily raking fallen leaves in his grandpa’s big back yard. He thinks about how much he enjoys the crisp autumn air and the smell of the leaves. Soon, his grandpa comes outside and starts raking with him. Compare the physical, mental, and social benefits of this physical activity.
| Your Responses | Sample Answers |
|---|---|
| Elias is engaged in moderate physical activity, so he’s getting good physical benefits from raking leaves. Having time to enjoy the cool air and the smell of the leaves is good for his mental/emotional health. Spending time raking with his grandpa is good for Elias’s social health. |
