At Revent Consulting, we’re no strangers to back-to-back Zoom and Teams calls, endless webinars, and the fine art of pretending you’re paying attention and not writing an email. But as much as we live and breathe virtual events (and trust us, we breathe a lot! see tip #2), we also know they can quietly chip away at your wellness if you’re not intentional about your recovery.
So let’s talk about how to plan and attend virtual meetings and webinars without sacrificing your health.
1. Design Meetings With Built-In Breaks
When planning virtual events, don’t just schedule for the content. Schedule for the humans. That means:
Keep sessions under 45 minutes when possible and stick to time!
Build in 5-15 minute buffer zones between sessions.
Add optional “stand-up-and-stretch” breaks or quick breathing exercises. Even have sessions that are specifically designed to get your participants moving (chair yoga anyone??)
Pro tip from Revent’s virtual event playbook: label break times creatively, and with specifics (“Refill your coffee and do three squats!”). People will take the hint.
2. Don’t Forget to Breathe
We’ve all done it - ten minutes into a client call and you realize you haven’t blinked, much less breathed deeply. But the same mechanism that keeps us ticking can also be a tool to utilize when work (or life) becomes overwhelming. Deep, intentional breathing activates the vagus nerve in our bodies, boosting focus, reducing stress, and keeping emotions in check. Take 3 deep breaths in through your nose and slowly out of your mouth as needed to fully reset.
3. Water: The Unsung Hero of Virtual Engagement
Hydration is key to not only our survival but it’s also the easiest thing to forget when your brain is running PowerPoint marathons. Whether you’re attending or hosting, keep a water bottle nearby. Encourage attendees to do the same.
Need a reminder? Set up a “hydrate and movement checkpoint” slide halfway through longer sessions. Add a cute pic of a cat, we swear it works better that way!
4. Cameras On? Move Around!
When the camera is off, consider standing, pacing or stretching lightly while you listen or speak. Better yet, design segments where participants don’t need to be glued to their screens. Hosting? Announce a 2-minute “audio-only” segment to let people move around or shift positions.
If camera’s are on, simply do some calf raises or cross and uncross your legs. Even these simple movements will help in refocusing you and keep that blood moving!
Also, normalize saying: “Feel free to stretch or move”.
5. Plan Like a Pro, But Leave Room for Life
Event hosts, listen up: we know that you have put in a lot of effort to perfectly orchestrate the session, however sometimes the universe has other plans… Kids cry. Dogs bark. Wi-Fi blinks. Build in grace and flexibility. Remember that a big takeaway from remote attendees will be how they were treated during your event, not just what you presented.
6. Don’t Make the Chat the Only Social Outlet
Isolation is real, and virtual doesn’t have to mean sterile. Try:
Pre/post-event coffee chat rooms
“Stretch & Share” moments
Polls that ask about feelings and opinions, not just topics and data
Wellness is emotional too.
Wrap-Up: Wellness is a Feature, Not a Bonus
Here’s the truth: how you feel during and after a virtual meeting matters. Whether you’re a speaker, a silent participant, or the poor soul wrangling Zoom breakout rooms, the amount of stress experienced is often greater than an in-person environment, which means your wellness deserves extra attention too.
At Revent Consulting, we don’t just plan and host virtual meetings. We design experiences that respect your time and energy, and create digital spaces that support and prioritize the people involved.
Want help designing wellness-minded webinars? Reach out to us and let’s create something refreshing - like lemon water, but better.