The Original Health Coaching Program
Learn more about IIN’s rigorous curriculum that integrates 90+ of the world’s leading experts in health and wellness, blending the scientific and the spiritual to create an immersive, holistic health education.
The term “social distancing” has become a normal part of our everyday vocabulary as we navigate how to emerge back into our lives as safely as possible. But this act of putting at least 6 feet between you and another should really be called “physical distancing,” as it better reflects our changed behavior.
This distinction is important because “social distancing” implies the absence of being social or actively disconnecting from others. While mingling in large groups may affect one’s health these days, incorporating and maintaining social connection is incredibly important for our overall health, pandemic or not.
If you practice physical distancing, we encourage you to continue fostering your social connections, and interacting virtually is a great option. Whether it’s over text, phone call, video chat, or Zoom, staying connected to your inner circle, as well as your colleagues, can do wonders for your mental health. Social connectedness is crucial for adolescent development, helping them develop proper social skills, as well as positively impacting their academic performance and emotional well-being. This connectedness is also important for adults and older adults, reducing feelings of loneliness, anxiety, and depression.
At the beginning of the pandemic, you may have set up weekly Zoom calls with your family, friends, and work friends, but after a while, the calls became more infrequent or nonexistent. You may have felt like your energy was depleted from trying to manage stress or you simply didn’t want to look at a screen all day.
If this sounds like you, you may be experiencing what’s been coined as “Zoom fatigue,” the phenomenon of experiencing mental exhaustion due to time spent on video calls, whether working from home, taking online classes, or even trying to stay connected to friends, family, and loved ones.
This concept isn’t necessarily new, but the physical and mental exhaustion is exacerbated by our current circumstances of quarantine, physical distancing, and worrying about our health and the health of our loved ones. Avoiding video conferencing altogether may not be the answer, so we’ll explore exactly what causes this exhaustion and how to manage some of the effects to make sure we’re taking care of our health and maintaining important relationships and connections for the long-term.
Being able to video chat with colleagues, family, and friends during these challenging times has been incredibly helpful to fulfill our human need for connection, but there have been unfortunate consequences of spending so much time on video calls:
If you find yourself on Zoom a lot for work, here are five easy ways to strike a better balance while still participating in video calls:
Now that you’ve begun to manage your fatigue from video conferencing for most of your day, here are five ways to continue cultivating positive connections in your social life for a healthier, happier you:
Technology has kept us all connected during this difficult time, but our reliance on technology to give us a sense of security or belonging has almost the opposite effect sometimes.
Have you ever felt anxious scrolling through your Instagram feed, comparing yourself to others who seem to be perfecting the art of self-care? You’re not alone. As our minds and bodies grapple with the stress and uncertainty of what’s happening in the world, we try to distract ourselves with external things so we don’t have to sit quietly with our own thoughts. It’s more important than ever to learn how to take care of our emotional and mental health so that we can prevent those feelings of stress and anxiety that can manifest in many ways.
Here are six simple ways to adjust your technology use:
By learning how to be more present, you will learn to listen to your body – something Health Coaches often help their clients with as its part of discovering what foods and lifestyle practices work best for their unique bodies and minds. Health Coaches also help clients explore what areas of their lives need more nourishment, which can include relationships of all kinds. Nourishing yourself through this particular area of primary food is key when addressing health holistically. Learn more about this unique IIN concept through our free Sample Class.
Learn more about IIN’s rigorous curriculum that integrates 90+ of the world’s leading experts in health and wellness, blending the scientific and the spiritual to create an immersive, holistic health education.