While people moved online out of need during the pandemic, many have found they actually prefer it.
“Virtual wellness”: if you practice it, does this mean you are almost well? Just about healthy in mind, body, and spirit? Virtually there? Well, yes, and no. These days, ‘virtual wellness’ refers to staying in good, all round health, despite the fact that during the pandemic gyms have been closed, and wellness advice has generally been restricted to online interactions only. You could consult a counselor, but often only online. It has also been possible to speak with a doctor, but often solely through video-based meetings. Nutritionists, meditation and yoga instructors, fitness classes, chats with friends- for months on end, these have all been accessed solely over the internet or by phone. Of course, there are exceptions to the rule. In most urban areas across the world, a period of lockdown has existed at one time or another during the pandemic, however, leading us into a virtual communal existence.
Has it been beneficial? Certainly, virtual wellness has revealed a new way of doing things. Most of us can now see that both advantages and drawbacks exist when approaching wellness online. Will the practice stick? Here’s what industry leaders are saying.
The Advantages
According to an article posted on Bloomberg.com, in the US, gym membership numbers this past January matched, and in some cases surpassed, those gained at the same time in pre-pandemic times.
“It’s not about bikini body goals, because who knows when we’re going to go on vacation again,” said Josh McCarter, CEO of a fitness booking platform called MindBody. “Covid-19 has pushed people to think about health more holistically.”
“In addition to physical well-being, one’s emotional, mental, and spiritual fitness has become a bigger priority.”
Carter revealed to Bloomberg.com that around 50% of the platform’s bookings at the time were for yoga classes. It wasn’t all about getting physical. And a lot of this can stay online.
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While 75% of people surveyed at one point said they would be returning to their gym in person once everything opens up fully, a large enough chunk of fitness lovers have confirmed that virtual wellness will stay as part of their routine, going forward. Addressing your wellness needs from the comfort of your own home brings many benefits. It means you save on commuting time and potentially on gas or electricity. And you can truly go at your own pace. For those who aren’t comfortable jumping up and down in a group setting, the option to go virtual is attractive. Don’t love your pandemic love-handles? No one needs to see or judge them. And finally, going virtual means you potentially have many more options when it comes to specialists, classes and instructors. The world is your wellness oyster!
What Doesn’t Work
Of course, what is lacking with virtual wellness is that elusive in person connection. What does this bring? For some people, (or maybe most of us), seeing classmates in the same room and talking with an instructor in person brings them a greater sense of connection. You can feel like you are building community within your physical neighborhood. This might lift your mood to a greater degree than a virtual class.
In addition, approaching wellness offline can mean that when you are doing something incorrectly, like potentially hurting your back doing a yoga pose, an instructor can take a hands-on approach to helping you align yourself.
Finally, the subtleties of communicating in person can be lost in translation through video connections. Attending a gym in the physical world, or meeting with a counselor in their office allows you to better read a person’s body language. And, most importantly for some, pursuing things offline allows you to get out of your house. Changing your environment is key for humans. It can allow your productivity to soar and to increase your creativity. While it may be possible to do this by simply rearranging the furniture in your living room, no doubt the benefits pale in comparison to actually leaving the confines of your home. Sometimes new horizons really need, well, new horizons.
Making Your Choice
Finding your balance between virtual life and in-person interactions can take some trial and error. Reflect a bit. What might work best for you? Is your schedule pretty tight? Do you need more downtime at home? Perhaps virtual wellness can work for you. If you already spend large parts of your day out of your home, doing yoga online may strike a perfect balance.
What is offered in your area? Do you want something specific you can only find online? Or, are you looking to make new friends locally? Getting out to the gym and joining a class may be the perfect way to make this step.
When deciding whether to stick with virtual wellness or return to traditional methods, you may want to weigh the pros and cons. Take a couple of months to try different options and combinations to come up with a solution that works best for you.
photo credits: Sam Wordley/Shutterstock.com
