Finland is considering a four-day week. Is this the secret of happiness? – The Guardian, January 6, 2020
The new 34-year-old Finnish prime minister has floated the proposal of reduced working hours to boost productivity and cut carbon emissions. This article presents the evidence behind the idea. In a nutshell: It works! Different recent studies conducted around the world show that working less enhances productivity and naturally reduces our carbon footprint. The question is: just how much less and how to resolve the organizational complexity of working shorter hours.
The virtuous midlife crisis – The Wall Street Journal, January 12, 2020
Forget the sports car and new trophy spouse. For Generation X, the midlife shake-up is all about yoga, meditation retreats and keto diets.
How to get ageing populations to invest in their health – World Economic Forum, December 26, 2019
A Japanese policymaker responsible for healthcare policy explains how a public-private partnership program called Health and Productivity Management (H&PM) addresses the challenge of healthy ageing. It was created six years ago and is now implemented in 2,300 large Japanese companies and 35,000 SMEs, boosting their performance. Since the data shows it is a success for Japan’s super-aged society, it will be emulated elsewhere.
Steve Case, a weeklong series: 10 tech trends from the decade that was… and what will be (wellness becomes extremely important) – Revolution, January 6, 2020
The founder of AOL turned start-up/tech investor offers his prognosis about trends in tech. For him, wellness (that “begins at the end of our forks”) is becoming a theme of paramount importance. He anticipates a rising backlash against Big Tech; the convergence between the tech, media and communications industries; the growing relevance of climate-focused start-ups; and the continued rise of e-commerce.
Inside the $2,000-a-month, invite-only fitness clubs that are becoming elite social networks – Elemental, January 3, 2020
This article looks at the rise of new, very pricey wellness clubs being presented as elite social networks, where—unlike the country club of old—you’re power-networking around adaptogen mocktails or on the yoga mat. It discusses the exclusionary implications of “invite-only” wellness club models, the growing lack of a “wellness middle-class,” but also how there are indications that new wellness products/services for a broader, less wealthy population lie ahead.
Striking Stats:
Biggest day to workout: Tuesday. Most popular booked wellness activity in 2019: meditation. Megaformer Pilates: one of the fastest-growing fitness trends in the US. Most popular classes to take with a friend outside the US: martial arts.
Source: ClassPass’ 2019 fitness trends report
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