At the recent launch of Manulife Vitality for Group Benefits Members, the program was initially introduced to its own employees with the help of a new health and wellness activity: a drumming experience called DROM!

It was a beautiful late summer morning when 130 Vitality Partners came together to find their own pulse and rhythm through this amazing drumming experience. What was amazing to me, as I listened to the introduction of Vitality from the Leaders on this program, was how in sync it was with my own core beliefs about health and wellness.

Many of us approach exercise and other healthy habits as another checklist of “to dos” in an already busy schedule. What Vitality experts have discovered is that by making small changes to our days, we can reap tremendous results in our overall mental, physical and emotional health! Employees’ sick days decrease, their job satisfaction increases and they find benefits in the work-life balance. By focusing on simple things like reminders to move, finding activities that we like to do and building community within the workplace, everyone benefits.

Seeing how easy and fun exercise can be is an important part of my message but it doesn’t stop there. Life is a continuous balancing act—finding the ways to fit in healthy eating, exercise, mindfulness and de-stressing can be a challenge for all of us.

I’ve never seen anyone else create that much fun during a workout. Thanks for being awesome.

Greg Bisch (via Twitter)

During a 25-minute DROM Exerciser, we had people scanning their bodies, tapping into their breath, synchronizing left (logic) and right (creative) brain through drumming, finding the power of their own heartbeat while building a community event. The drumming experience ended with a guided visualization where we set an intention to make time for ourselves each day. It was amazing and powerful to look out at the crowd and see people laughing together and feeling the energy build.

What was particularly remarkable was the fact that Manulife invested in custom Vitality branded fitness balls, drumsticks and stands so that the message can spread experientially across Canada. The Manulife Vitality drumming experience not only looked effective but sounded amazing. Together, Manulife and DROM are leading the pack in a paradigm shift on how we look at health and wellness!

Scroll through the photos below to see how fun it is to participate in a drumming experience with DROM.