You finally got the OK for the stress management portion of your wellness program.

But, the budget is low.

So, you think YouTube meditations are an easy answer. Play a meditation during the weekly meeting and then share the link and employees can go back whenever they want to access it.

Zero cost.

Winner....right?

What is the difference between using a YouTube meditation versus a live instructor?

1. Not all meditation is created equal

If I give my honest opinion, most meditation instructors are lecturing, not guiding meditation. The cues are too frequent, the words provoke thoughts. Meditation must allow space for people to practice, in silence. And the truth is, the best teachers don't give their services for free, so you must ask what kind of quality you are getting on YouTube. You think you are gaining the mental health benefits of meditation, but are you really? What are the credentials and experience of the instructor? Would you really go to an exercise class with an untrained teacher? These are important considerations.

 2. Do you know what you are getting?

Many of our clients who choose the YouTube route aren't trained in meditation. They may not know the benefit of a body scan meditation that begins at the feet versus the one that starts at the right hand. Let's say your colleague has a question about the style or why they had a particular reaction. Having an answer for your employee meditation group may improve understanding, educate them about different styles and create opportunities to safely explore the depth of their journey.

3.  Reflection

Being a part of a busy office, or during a high demand work day, it may be our tendency to jump from one meeting to another without much time to reflect or observe. An essential part of this practice is to spend time asking "What happened" during the meditation and have a discussion around participants who had a similar experience. For instance, is it normal to fall asleep during meditation or to have a mind that can't stop thinking. If left unaddressed, participants can be left feeling discouraged or not return to a practice thinking that they "failed."

 4. Experience

Each of the employees in your meditation class is at a different level of experience. Inevitably there is a need to adapt the meditation to the group. An experienced teacher can capture the attention of all levels by bringing up themes and focal points. In our classes we ask participants about their meditation experience and elicit sharing from everyone during reflection. Differences in levels can lead to richness in discussion and reaction to certain meditations and experiences within meditation.

 5. Engagement

Let's get honest. Many wellbeing programs are offering incentives to attend programs of this sort. Are you, as the wellbeing coordinator, only checking a box? Or are we interested in each experience being deep and layered for the participants? The simple act of having a live instructor modulating their volume and voice based on what they observe in class can lead to a participant feeling fully engaged, or not at all engaged. We frequently get the feedback that the instructor "said something as soon as my mind began to wander." This really can only happen when we are live, and is even more effective when we are in-person.

YouTube/Pre-recorded benefits

1. Cost

Yes you are going to get a lower cost with a pre-recorded or YouTube meditation class. And you know the $0 cost improves your boss' mental health!

2.    On-Demand

Use the recording anytime you like, in any way you like. So if the employee finds the class relaxing they can play it over and over again. In live instructed virtual classes, you often do have the opportunity to distribute a recording, so make sure to clafify this with your teacher.

3.   It's Easy

No meetings to vet the instructor. No limits to usage.

With Inward Office, you get the best of both worlds

At Inward Office, you have your choice of live virtual classes or you can choose from our library of pre-recorded, on demand classes and workshops! In addition to those great options, if you are in the greater NY area, somewhere near or between Buffalo and Syracuse, we will come to you and teach at your business location! Whatever your individual needs, Inward Office can create a custom program specific to your requirements.

Getting Started

To get started, new organizations can start here.

You can also choose from our catalog of live classes or start with one of our On-Demand Classes.

If you need something on premises or a custom class to meet a specific need, please contact us.

What else are we missing? What do you think the benefits of the YouTube Pre-recordings are? What do you do in your wellbeing program? Use free stuff that's already "out there" or hire an instructor?