Report Shows the Pressure to Keep Up with Wellbeing is Making People Feel Unwell

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lululemon today released its fourth annual 2024 Global Wellbeing Report¹, revealing a perpetual and counterproductive cycle where the relentless pursuit of wellbeing is making us less well. While the focus on wellbeing is stronger than ever – 90% of people in Asia Pacific (APAC) are taking more action than they were a year ago to improve their wellbeing – so is the crippling pressure to keep up. Nearly two-thirds of respondents are struggling with this growing societal demand to support their wellbeing in specific ways. This pressure is causing almost half of respondents to experience wellbeing burnout.

The data highlights that through the simple act of moving with others, individuals can feel more connected to their communities, become rooted in purpose, and improve overall wellbeing. Anchored on this finding, lululemon launches its ‘Together we grow’ campaign in support of World Mental Health Day – featuring a curation of inspiring stories from ambassadors, collective activations, and a community challenge with the goal of reaching “1 million minutes of movement.” Through the challenge, the brand will unlock complimentary movement classes through its collaborators and community partners. ‘Together we grow’ taps lululemon’s ambassador collective, including actor Park Seo Jun, CrossFit athlete Amotti, and founder of KAAIAA holistic-wellness program, Leah Simmons, to help inspire and support men and younger generations who have proved to struggle the most with wellbeing burnout.

“We are pleased to share new insights into the state of wellbeing around the world,” said Calvin McDonald, CEO, lululemon. “By sharing these insights, we hope to stimulate conversations and encourage people to reflect on how to support their wellbeing. The data shows us that moving with others and feeling a sense of community can positively impact how a person feels, and we look forward to bringing our guests and communities around the world together throughout the year to do just that.”

Despite this continued prioritisation of wellbeing, the Wellbeing Index Scores, measured across physical, mental and social dimensions, have remained stagnant globally and regionally over the past four years; underscoring a need for a change in the approach to improving wellbeing. The data highlights the top pressure points fuelling the wellbeing cycle:

  • 62% of those surveyed say they experience overwhelming societal expectations to appear well.
  • 54% say there is a lot of conflicting information about the best ways to improve wellbeing.
  • 90% of those experiencing wellbeing burnout say loneliness is a contributing factor.

Who’s feeling wellbeing burnout in Singapore?

While people across the globe are straining under the pressure to be well, certain markets and groups in APAC are experiencing the highest levels of wellbeing burnout. This is especially pronounced in the Southeast Asia region, where Singapore ranks among the top three, following Malaysia and Thailand.

Men are feeling the effects of wellbeing burnout on a greater scale than women, with 43% of men in the region reporting heightened feelings of loneliness (vs. 38% of women). Mirroring this trend in Singapore, loneliness is especially prevalent among younger men (57% Gen Zs and Millennials), whose wellbeing is 11% lower compared to those who rarely or never feel lonely. The reasons behind this loneliness are multifaceted, with respondents citing lack of meaningful relationships (72%), financial concerns (49%), and uncertainty about the future (44%) as the primary factors contributing to their feelings of isolation.

Additionally, younger generations in APAC are feeling the pressures more acutely than older generations, with 76% of Gen Z and 70% of Millennials reporting they feel pressured to be well (vs. 58% of Gen X and 45% of Boomer+). In Singapore, nearly 8 in 10 feel this pressure, largely driven by societal expectations around the ways to support their mental wellbeing. The report also reveals that 61% of Gen Z feel pressured to pretend to be happy, even when they are not.

How are people coping with these wellbeing challenges?

While the data highlights the wellbeing pressures, an intersection of community and movement can help break the cycle and improve wellbeing. Through the simple act of moving with others, individuals can feel more connected to their communities, become rooted in purpose and improve overall wellbeing by 16%.

In Singapore, many are harnessing the power of movement to enhance their wellbeing and connect with others:

  • 72% are diversifying their physical activities, exploring new ways to move their bodies.
  • 60% of people report that working out is one of their favourite ways to spend quality time with friends, contributing to a 19% lift in wellbeing.
  • 84% of men prioritise their physical wellbeing, often spending time with friends and enjoying
    nature as personal time, which leads to a 16% increase in their mental wellbeing.
  • 77% of women are combining low-intensity exercise with comfortable home activities, while 71% are embracing “slow living,” taking the time to engage in activities at their own pace.

“Despite the societal pressures that people are feeling, it is heartening to see more people taking action to improve their wellbeing,” said Gareth Pope, Senior Vice President, lululemon, Asia Pacific. “Given the importance of physical movement and community, as highlighted in the latest Global Wellbeing Report, the ‘Together we grow’ campaign is rooted in encouraging everyone to move and connect with each other. Drawing on lululemon’s commitment to uplifting the wellbeing of all, we are dedicated to creating more opportunities for guests to make positive strides in their journeys.”

Together we grow: Inspiring communities in Singapore to move, connect, and grow

Unveiling the latest edition of the Murph Challenge, lululemon will once again partner with former lululemon ambassador and CrossFit Trainer Aidan Chemaly and rally over top studios – Mobilus, Canvas, REVL, Division Athletics (DVS), Fire City, Fitness Bravo, JustJym, F45 Training, BFT, Amplify, Core Collective, Crossfit Kampung, Grityard, Ministry of Fitness (MOF), The Garage, Hello Body – to galvanize Singaporeans to “Move. Mind. Unite”. Marrying movement and connection, the refreshed challenge spanning across 14 locations provides an essential pathway to amplify one’s sense of wellbeing with communities.

Comprising of multiple one-hour workout sessions conducted over a 24-hour period, the Murph Challenge is an endurance-based CrossFit workout that involves running one mile, doing 100 pullups, 200 pushups, 300 squats and running another mile – all while wearing a weighted vest, symbolising the mental wellbeing challenges that persist throughout the day.

In the spirit of connection and promoting meaningful conversations about well-being, guests will have the exciting opportunity to team up with a friend and tackle the challenge in pairs. This will allow them to share the workout experience, fostering camaraderie and support as they embark on movement together.

This year, the challenge will be spearheaded by ‘Murph Elites’, including national swimmers Quah Zheng Wen and Christopher Yeong, CrossFit Fire City founder Samuel Lim, Division Athletics SG instructors Mohammad Haiqal and Gino Morales, who is also a lululemon ambassador. They are joined by Revl Singapore owners Simon and Syamil, and Fitness Bravo founder Johnny Yeo. Embodying a collective commitment to break the barriers and stigmas surrounding mental wellbeing, the initiative also showcases the power of collective movement that uplifts one another.

Details on lululemon’s Move. Mind. Unite

When: 20 October 2024
Where:

  • Mobilus CQ (12am / 4am)
  • FireCity, Hello Body, Fitness Bravo, Amplify, F45 Changi Business Park, BFT Loyang (8am / 9am)
  • FireCity, Crossfit Kampung, Grityard, Canvas, DVS (Shenton Way, Paya Lebar), Core Collective (12pm)
  • The Garage, MOF, REVL, Canvas, DVS (Shenton Way, Paya Lebar) (4pm)
  • MOF, Grityard (8pm)All proceeds raised from the challenge will be donated to Samaritans of Singapore. Each ticket includes a limited edition lululemon top. For further details, refer to lululemon’s Instagram page @lululemonsoutheastasia. To view the lululemon 2024 Global Wellbeing Report, please visit this link.To find out more about lululemon’s new ‘Together we grow’ campaign and sign up for the ‘Together we grow’ Challenge, please visit: https://www.lululemon.com.hk/en-sg/c/community/together-we-grow.

¹ lululemon launched its annual Global Wellbeing Report in 2021 to help guide its ongoing work in support of its brand purpose and achieving the Be Well goals outlined in its Impact Agenda. The 15-market study benchmarks the state of wellbeing globally and explores the drivers and barriers to being well mentally, physically, and socially. Research was fielded April 22, 2024, to May 30, 2024, and included 16,000 general population adults globally (1,000 within each of the following 15 markets: United States, Canada, United Kingdom, France, Germany, Spain, Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, Malaysia, South Korea, Hong Kong S.A.R., Thailand and Japan; and 2,000 within China Mainland).
² UNICEF does not endorse any company, brand, product or service.

Images: lululemon

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