More than a year after the pandemic, there is not one of us who hasn’t experienced some level of fatigue resulting from our virtual lives. Studies have shown our increased screen time can lead to stress, anxiety, and exhaustion. But as we acknowledge that our virtual life is here to stay in some form, let’s resolve to find ways to enhance our e-existence. And our fatigue is much more bearable—actually entertaining—when we are doing so over wine. As April is Stress Awareness Month, let’s discuss responsible ways to use virtual vino to combat our zoom fatigue!
Connect with friends
It’s one thing to be on zoom meetings all day with work colleagues. The stress of having to be intensely focused and hyper-attentive on job-related issues can be exhausting. More casual and therapeutic, connecting with friends over a glass of wine can be a completely different experience. Pick a theme for your happy hour to make it even more fun—why not share a rose, compare sparkling wines, or take a virtual eno-journey through Italy? How about discussing your favorite food and wine pairings? Or why not simply open a bottle you’ve had for some time and share with your friends the story surrounding it. Use that same zoom format to de-stress with friends and you’ll feel much better.
Join a virtual wine education class
We’ve had over a year to improve virtual educational content, whether it’s for work, school, or otherwise. Virtual wine education has exploded on the internet albeit with varying levels of quality. When it comes to virtual wine classes, content matters and so does personality. Engaging instructors, interactive material, and practical information increase your chances you’ll get more out of your online wine school. It’s a bonus if you are able to taste the same wines along with the class! But even simply learning about a new region, style, or winemaker is the perfect way to relieve stress, increase productivity, and give yourself a mental vacation. Why not even research an actual vacation to wine country through your class?
Music, meditate for a better mood
Sometimes even zooming for fun is still too much zoom time for our mental status to tolerate. If that’s the case, by all means close that laptop and enjoy that glass in silence…or with music…or meditation. Focusing on music while savoring your glass can help you experience your wine in a whole new way. Pay attention to how certain notes or beats are in harmony—or discordance—with your music. How do certain styles of music complement your wine? How do others dampen the experience? This practice is actually akin to simple meditation, which we know is a proven way to combat stress. Wine and meditation has definitely become a mental health “thing.”
At Latinas Wine Club we want to encourage our whole community to focus on mental self care and stress management. And Stress Awareness Month is the perfect occasion to use our favorite beverage as a tool to do just that. Just remember to do so responsibly! Salud!