I believe that we can live healthier lives when we address both our mental health and our physical health at the same time, rather than when we focus on only one of them. Currently, however, mental and physical health are treated as separate issues, while actually they are closely connected to each other. In light of this, services and applications that address wellbeing should promote both physical and mental issues in a more integrated way. 

 

As a result, I designed a holistic system where what we do for mental and physical health is intertwined. This is the premise for my application TOGATHER, which features an unusual combination of 1) gathering and 2) running. The gathering serves to motivate users to work out and to turn arduous experiences into enjoyable experiences. Running is a medium for getting together with friends, an excuse for keeping in touch, and a way to elevate one’s mood. 

 

Through using TOGATHER, users can run with their friends in real-time while talking over the phone though they are not physically together. TOGATHER facilitates appointment arrangements, making it easy for users to overcome distance barriers and go on runs together.  In that sense, TOGATHER is a social platform but unlike usual social apps, it is for strengthening existing friend circles and relationships rather than making new connections so that users can take care of themselves and support each other in their comfort zone.