Ice Bath Business
Did you know that it’s a thing now to have business meetings in an ice bath? Because who doesn’t love to rush all in and say, “hey, I am cool too?”
In some countries like Japan, it has been a ritual to start the new year with a cold water plunge forever. And this has spread around the world with polar bear dips and plunges. People show external courage by jumping into bodies of icy cold water.
From the Wim How plunge method, which became hot and trendy a while a go, to other icy-water methods, many are seeking to boost immune systems through bone-chilling showers and dips. And cold therapy in community is becoming a thing.
So it shouldn’t surprise anyone that this trend has entered the world of business. And the power lunch may be replaced by dipping together in an ice bath.
Bonding in the Ice Bath
In a recent article from The New York Times, executives report preferring to address workplace challenges after spending “six minutes in icy cold water, breathing through the pain.” At trendy social wellness clubs, like Remedy Place, BIÂN and Bathhouse, executives meet, brainstorm and even interview job candidates in 40-degree water.
It seems that with increasing burnout, instead of sharing some wine or beer at the pub, a dip together in ice cold water boosts productivity. But ice bath productivity has yet to be fully researched!
Do we really want to jump into cold water with just anyone? We have witnessed that brainstorming in its current form is not that effective—will an ice bath in swim suits change this reality? And isn’t there enough stress in finding fulfilling employment than being interviewed in an ice bath?
We are incredibly creative beings but not everyone wants to purify ourselves in icy water once a year; let alone in key business meetings. While there may be many health benefits to cold water immersions, don’t we get to choose whether an ice barrel or ocean is for us? Maybe walking meetings are no longer as cool?