Viewers are turning to stress reduction and in-home fitness videos to cope with social-distancing: YouTube

• As the world continues to self-isolate, people are trying to find ways of keeping themselves connected and engaged.
• In a blog, Google revealed that more and more people are turning to fitness and stress relief videos on YouTube to cope with social-distancing.
• They are also watching videos around work-from-home essentials, online studies and pantry meals.

We are living in unprecedented times. The Coronavirus outbreak seems like a situation straight out of a sci-fi movie, and we seem to be part of this entire unreal experience.

With the virus spreading rapidly across the globe, people are self-isolating, to flatten the curve and prevent the virus from creating more havoc. However, with people stuck inside homes, balancing home as well as office work, it becomes imperative to take your mind off things. And a lot of people on the internet are finding solace and coping with whatever is happening outside by watching content, to pass their time constructively and also to keep their sanity intact.

In a blog, Google said that YouTube's creators are offering handy tips to help people adjust to this new way of life, while also helping foster human connections.

Here are the five types of videos that people are turning to

Work-from-home essentials

With more and more people having to turn their homes into their workplace, more and more creators are coming up with content that help people navigate the entire work-from-home situation. “From troubleshooting poor internet connections to equipment hacks to sharing creative ways for remote team collaboration, their advice is resonating. In the past week alone, searches for “telecommuting” in the U.S. reached an all-time high on Google and YouTube,1 with no sign of slowing down,” revealed the blog.

Study with me

With the closure of schools and colleges, a lot of classes are moving online. In recent weeks, self-isolation and social distancing has led to the rise of the #WithMe campaign which offers content on a range of interests.

Pantry meals

For a lot of people who stay in India away from their families, cooking at home is a challenge. With food delivery services affected due to the lockdown too, people in India and across the world, are turning to simple everyday recipes.

Stress reduction

The uncertainty around the Coronavirus, its spread and impact on both a macro and micro level has obviously led to a lot of stress. People are constantly watching news, keeping tabs of everything that is happening around them, tracking all the latest developments. Moreover, social isolation has also led to a lot of stress among people of all ages. YouTube revealed that many are turning to online videos for help in coping with anxiety and stress. “Within the genre, we see people leaning on everything from the expected — meditation and yoga — to the unexpected — aquarium videos and autonomous sensory meridian response (ASMR) content,” read the blog.

In-home fitness

For all the fitness enthusiasts who are now not able to hit the gym, online fitness videos have come handy. It is important to take care of both your mental and physical wellness in times like these and that’s exactly what people are doing right now. “In the US, daily views and daily uploads of videos from the US-based fitness community hit peaks for the year on March 18, suggesting that even in these challenging times, people are tuning in to maintain their workout schedules,” revealed the blog.