People’s lives have been drastically disrupted by the year 2020. To balance the effects of stress, people prioritize caring for their mental health and wellbeing. 

Self-care has become a necessary practice, and activities vary by person. How about shouting on top of a mountain? To stimulate stress release and future tourism, Promote Iceland’s Let It Out campaign encourages people to scream it out in one of seven isolated Icelandic locations. Virtual tourists can submit their recorded screams via the web site, then witness the site’s live feeds broadcasting their screams in real time. Imagine hearing your scream belted at the peak of Festarfjall in Reykjanes Peninsula!

For most US adults (88%), getting a good night’s rest is an essential component of health.* To offer a much needed self-care retreat for Black Lives Matter activists protesting racial injustice, nature escape hospitality brand Getaway partnered with renowned civil rights activist Rachel Cargle. The brand grants nominated activists a chance to win one of 100 free Getaways to their iconic cabins, situated within an hour or two of major cities like Atlanta, D.C., Houston and New York.

With stress mounting for everyone, people are realizing talking it out helps too. In fact, according to Mental Health America, two-thirds (67%) of U.S. adults agree that venting to a confidant is an active part of their self-care routine. In the South, where six states rank in the bottom 10 for mental health care access, many barbers are now training to become mental health advocates with The Confess Project’s Barber Coalition. For southern Black men, feeling comfortable opening up about their stress is a sentiment not widely accepted in the culture. This collaboration is helping not only to break down stigmas, but also provide opportunities for venting and recognition in a place of pampering.

Brands can help people fulfill their self-care needs, too. A fitness brand could create a social media sweepstakes event asking followers to submit a photo of their favorite fitness self-care ritual, personal tips, and the hashtag #SelfCareStrides. Winning entries get a free product plus an invitation to a video conference series on the power of taking a pause for yourself during a hectic pandemic.

Source: *Horizon Media, Finger on the Pulse. Survey fielded 6/22/20 – 6/29/20, n=899