Working for long hours as an IT consultant, Daniel Turissini used to always feel tired by the middle of his workday. He asked other business professionals around him about what they do and where they go to re-energize. The answers varied, from having a nap in their cars in the garages or a nearest hotel lobby, to just falling asleep at their work desk. Seeing a need and an opportunity he founded recharj, a place where professionals can go to take a quick rest.
Need to Recharge?
Washington DC, the nation’s capital, is home to government agencies, financial institutions and all kinds of firms and corporations.
In the heart of this busy city, where people work for long hours, recharj opened a few months ago. People drop by from around the city for a break.
After turning off all electronic devices, customers go to any of the sleep “cocoons,” separated by white curtains hanging from the ceiling. Inside these pods, bean bag beds, blankets and lavender scented eye-masks allow them to fall asleep to soft music.
After a 20-minute nap, they're awakened and go back to work refreshed.
recharj founder, Daniel Turissini, says his place offers the answer to our fast-paced lifestyle; an opportunity to slow down.
“Some of the distractions that we’re facing today we’ve never seen before, like the smartphones tethered to our belts 24/7 so your boss can contact you at all hours at night or when you’re on vacation,” he says. “There is a challenge we really never had a generation ago. There’s a load of other challenges we’re facing today that wellness and life style changes, habit changes are critical to a sustainable life, to a long happy life.”
Sounds Invite Relaxation
To help clients improve their physical and mental wellness, recharj also offers guided sessions on meditation and mindfulness. Senior teacher, Page Lichens, uses different tools to help her students stay mindful of the moment.
“Listening to relaxing sounds allows them to step into a place of putting away other thoughts and lay back and listen,” she explains. “The sounds specifically have different areas where they’re working into different vibrations on the person’s body. So beyond that a lot of them would end up talking about the experience of lightness or floating. They were uncertain where they were, but they just relaxed deeper than having just to lay down, trying to sleep.”
The rejuvenating experience keeps customers coming back. Connor Garitty, an IT consultant, says he comes to recharge almost every day.
“I feel, I guess, like the day is just beginning instead of (thinking) ‘Oh my God how am I going to get through the rest of the day?’ I come here a lot at the middle of the day and after work. And even that is just as helpful because you’re energized,” he says.
Mari Aponte, a lawyer, says she feels tired and stressed out after hours of sitting down working. “What I like most about coming here is that I can breathe, whereas my morning is very crazy. I drink a lot of coffee and I’m like moving too much, too fast. So, I come here, it helps stop time and just balance my day.” Guided meditations help Aponte relieve her physical tension as well.
“A lot of the things that they do includes a full body scan,” she says. “So, you can check and see which areas you’re carrying more stress, and which areas you can soften. My problem is usually here, in my jaws. This is where I hold my tension. So, it helps me loosen this area.”
Recharging Workplace
recharj’s experts also offer wellness workshops at workplace.
“The companies now are understanding that not only is there so much goodwill involved in treating your employees and educating them on health and wellness and lifestyle, but also there is a bottom line to it, there is a return on investment that the companies get from ensuring and promoting health, wellness activities with in organizations,” recharj’s Turissini says. “So, we teach them different tools that are attainable in an office environment so that they can find a little of calm in the middle of the day, but more than that, they can learn to manage their angry thoughts and they can actually be more productive.”
As the trend of promoting wellness and healthy habits continues, the business of midday breaks is expected to grow and thrive. Daniel Turissini, recharj founder, is proud to be one of the pioneers.
