Would you pay to sit in a room and stare at nothing in the name of stress relief?
The lengths we take to de-stress...
Stress has probably been one of the most consistent things that has hit everyone since the pandemic came to be. But with that being said, there have also been various introductions into many ways of de-stressing...
Many companies and people have promoted mental health check-ins with friends, colleagues, and family members. If for nothing else, just to make sure that they are speaking to someone, because many people have been forced into isolation due to COVID-19.
But to hear that things have taken a leap into the weird, perhaps even wacky, world of the treatment of stress, has taken us by complete surprise.
Some stressed out South Koreans have reportedly been paying for quiet time. "Some South Koreans are so stressed, they're forking out cash to visit indoor spaces where they can space out and do nothing." (Business Insider)
The trend looks at people who pay to visit indoor spaces where they can go zone out. So from visiting the great outdoors and finding ways of using the fresh air, the sun, the natural surroundings as your energy boosts, the indoors has now become the ultimate chill zone for Seoulites...
"The Green Lab, a cafe near nature hotspot Seoul Forest, allows customers to reserve time slots in the cafe's quiet space. Within this room, which faces the lush greenery of Seoul Forest, customers must put their phones in silent mode and refrain from speaking." (Business Insider)
It's so hard to find spaces in Korean society where it's acceptable to do absolutely nothing. People seem to be finding more interest in this, though I think it will take some more time for it to become widely popular.
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Wait for it, if you thought that was extreme then check this out. The movie theatres in Seoul are also known as a place of escapism for many people, but not for relaxing to a romantic comedy or a thriller...
"According to The Post, Seoul's Megabox movie theaters this month sold $6 tickets to "Flight," a film that's a simulation of a 40-minute plane ride. The film, advertised with the tagline "Take a brief rest through the fluffy clouds," is a sequel to another zone-out-worthy movie, "Fire Mung," which is just a 31-minute video of a crackling fire." (Business Insider)
There is no doubt that many people, regardless of their age group, are feeling the stresses associated with life. And we are all difference and diverse in the way we respond to stimuli, so if this is something that works for Seoulites, then by all means, we say, go for it...
Read more: Exercises to help you relieve stress
The idea of quite chill spaces has expanded to other places outside Seoul, where even restaurants are offering patrons a place to enjoy some 'me time'.
"The idea of "hitting mung" simply means emptying one's mind and heart to make room for new thoughts. It's a place where people can heal themselves. It's something only you can do for yourself, not something someone else can do for you, and we wanted to facilitate that for everyone exhausted by the demands of modern life," Ji told The Post." (Business Insider)
The thing is that sometimes we have to be open to different things to find the best way of dealing with our stress. Each method is bespoke to the individual. Perhaps, there's a business idea there, to all the budding entrepreneurs out there...
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