Healthy Homes

Our homes used to be our biggest investment. Today, our homes are the biggest investment in our health. Read how six specific life aspirations are driving this change.

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Welcome to “A Healthusiasm World”, a newsletter by Christophe Jauquet on making customers healthy & happy.

1. Discover how both healthcare and consumer companies are experience-driven health businesses now.

2. Learn what's next for customer experience, purpose-driven marketing and digital health.

3. Be inspired to design the most engaging health experiences yourself.

Bringing home.

As a returning reader, you already know that I like to introduce myself over and over again. But you must have noticed that I always do this in a different way. Why do this? It is not easier, and it also takes more time... Frankly, I just like it better that way. And I hope this is the case for you too.

This newsletter has been simmering in my brain for a while. Ever since the first Covid-19 wave, I have been thinking about everything that was changing. My first reflex was thinking about the changes in the outside world. But after a while, I noticed how I looked differently at our own house or how I started to do different things and things differently in our home. As a result, I organised brainstorming sessions with other people, set up a Miro Board, and actively looked for new in-home innovations. In the meantime, a new White Paper is almost ready: “healthy homes”. This newsletter is a brief preview of how our homes provide new health experiences.

There is no place like home

With the 4th wave picking up in some European countries, we are again kindly admonished to withdraw to the safety of our own homes. That place has had to protect us from the outside world several times in the past two years. The epicentre of Covid may be the hospital, but it is not exactly considered the epicentre of all the most significant changes due to Covid. However, we did experience our house differently during the past two years. It suddenly became more than the roof over our heads. We are now doing more than coming home, eating and sleeping.

For most of us, the home is the most significant investment in our lives. But we realise more than ever that our home is the most essential investment in our health. The vast majority (83%) of US construction companies believe consumers are willing to pay more for a healthier home (US National Association of Home Builders, 2020). Also, if investments are made in existing houses today, health is one of the two most important drivers (Shelton Grp, 2020).

I wrote earlier this year about how “transformations” will become the keyword of this new decade. This statement was not about the digital transformation dominating processes and plans in companies for years already. It's about the transformations people want to undergo and how they want to feel better, healthier, or happier. I expect Customer Transformations to be the strategic priority of any company in the years to come. This change will be reflected in how brands adapt products, services and experiences. We will see, for example, how shops, cars, fitness centres and work environments will evolve into transformative spaces. Spaces people want to spend time because it makes them feel better, healthier, or happier.

The same trend, ‘transformative spaces’, is also visible in our homes, where we (have to) spend time more often. But how does this change translate into new business opportunities? What part of health and happiness can you focus on as a building constructor, furniture manufacturer, supplier of household appliances, lighting specialist or landscape gardener? After all, health and happiness are very broad concepts. It is, therefore, more interesting to look at the underlying motivations or health aspirations of people. What do people want to achieve when it comes to their health & happiness?

I am now researching about 20 universal health aspirations that apply to consumers and patients, to drivers and employees, to tourists and students,… to everyone. A particular situation, place, or moment will make some universal aspirations meaningful. In other situations, other universal aspirations are becoming increasingly relevant. In this newsletter, I outline the aspirations or motivations that are more relevant “at home”.

I will briefly touch upon the six universal health aspirations shaping the (future) health experiences within our houses. If you are interested in reading more on this topic, reply to this email to receive the white paper for free in the coming weeks. The white paper will contain more detailed background information and new business innovations. (The white paper will later also be available for purchase in my webshop.)

1. REST & RELAX:

As humans, we need time to calm down and relax, to stay healthy and happy. Our home is our sacred place for our own "spiritual" habits. It is a place to zoom out from all the responsibilities in life. In this chapter, learn how the home becomes even more of a place to cocoon, recharge and be ourselves.

2. BE IN THE MOMENT:

In our lives, we are easily distracted by everything that happens around us, not least by our digital devices. But as more diverse tasks take place in the house (work, sports, life, enjoyment, receiving people, school, recovering,…), we have to find new ways to be in the moment without being distracted. Be inspired in this chapter about how the organisation of our home will play an essential role in this.

3. OPTIMISED ENERGY:

We desire to have the right energy at the right time throughout the day. By (having to) spend time at home more often, our home becomes the place to influence this. We also understand better and better what gives or drains us energy throughout the day. Discover in this chapter how organising a home provides the opportunity to optimise the energy of its inhabitants by measuring and managing Circadian health.

4. MEANINGFUL CONNECTIONS:

Meaningful connections are essential for our health and well-being. Today, we probably have the most meaningful relationships in or around our homes: with friends, family, pets, or even nature. The pandemic reality has increased our awareness of this reality. Since then, the house has played an even more critical role in (being able to) have these meaningful connections. This chapter explains how, when, where and with whom people will create more of a sense of meaningful connections

5. PROTECTIONS SAFETY:

We have retreated to our homes to protect ourselves from the outside world ravaged by a virus. The house should be a safe haven, where - for once - we don't have to worry about the danger of infections. We want to keep it that way by doing what we think is necessary for this. Discover which innovations make our home safer.

6. CARE & REPAIR:

When we are in pain, exhausted, recovering or simply getting old, we want to be in an optimal environment to heal, recover or stay healthy. Nursing homes and hospitals appear to be less and less the preferred location for this. Therefore, our homes are increasingly becoming a place to recover and grow old. Even personal and beauty care are now being done at home. In this chapter, understand our house's impact on caring and caring for.

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The upcoming White Paper will delve deeper into each point with examples and more context. It would be too much detail in the context of this newsletter but will be soon available for purchase via my webshop. As a subscriber to my newsletter, you can receive a free copy by replying to this post.

The core message of this newsletter is that our home has become the most crucial investment in our health. It changes how we will look at our homes, what we will put in them, and how we will organise our lives. A house will no longer be a collection of our things where we go at night to rest and sleep. The house becomes a transformative space where we are convinced that we are taking care of and even optimising our health.

Some will argue again that this will only be available for the lucky few. Indeed, many short-term solutions may not be available or affordable to everyone. That is an economic law that cannot be reversed here either. Nevertheless, this does not alter that this inevitably is the direction we are evolving in. With the growth and popularity, solutions will become more affordable and more available to a broader group. In addition, we should not forget that 'smaller' solutions are already integrated into our lives as well. For example, the light from the screen of your smartphone and computers is automatically adjusted to the time of day, more and more people are taking plants into their homes, and IKEA is a conscious pioneer in this trend.

It's easier to say this isn't for everyone than to make sure it can be for everyone. Maybe the latter is just the role you can take on? Maybe your company or product can make the first small difference? I'd be happy to discuss this with you.

Finally, I would like to thank Marie-Michèle Larivée for co-authoring this research and upcoming report with me. Marie-Michèle is a Canadian Consultant specialising in Trends, Strategy and Foresight. Definitely someone worth following if you ask me. Would you like to continue working with us on this theme? Do not hesitate to contact us about this.

Regards,

-Christophe-

Keynote speaker on making customer healthy & happy