Stress can be a costly matter for businesses. But as Sally Lovett says, regular sessions of stretching and meditation could be just the solution to enhancing employee wellbeing
Although rooted in ancient origins, yoga?s benefits remain relevant today, and are proving particularly applicable to corporate life. Translated from Sanskrit as ?union?, it has been practised for thousands of years to cure or relieve health problems and attain peace of mind.
Whether it?s carpal tunnel syndrome from too much typing, or a sore lower back from slumping over a keyboard, spending eight hours a day desk-bound can be detrimental to staff wellbeing. Corporate yoga classes focus on postures that alleviate those typical ailments of a desk-bound job ? as well as stretching, strengthening and toning the body. And the postures and their benefits needn?t be confined to the mat. The beauty of yoga is that it teaches the necessary tools to enhance your everyday life, so your yoga teacher will explain how a supine twist on your mat can be adapted to a seated twist in your office chair to release tense back muscles mid-meeting, or how a few rounds of energising pranayama (breathing exercises) will shake off the 4pm fatigue far more effectively than reaching for a cup of coffee.
Providing a much-needed nugget of ?me time?, a weekly class also gives staff the space and solace to find mental clarity, which in turn can boost productivity, concentration and team morale. Stretching the City incorporates the increasingly popular meditation technique of mindfulness, which cultivates awareness, attention and appreciation of the present moment and is now commonly prescribed by Western medics to treat stress.
Classes tend to last an hour and can take place before or after work, or at lunchtimes. They can be held in boardrooms or spare spaces in open-plan offices and can be adapted to suit all levels. And since yoga is practised barefoot and in loose, comfy clothes, there?s little equipment required except mats, an open mind and willingness to leave your to-do list behind for an hour.
As an increasing number of companies take a more holistic approach to their business objectives and performance, it?s refreshing to see the prevalence and priority of employee wellbeing and the dawning realisation that happy, healthy staff are well worth the investment.
Sally Lovett is the founder of corporate yoga company Stretching the City and the author of The Wellbeing Guide to London ? a guide to London?s health and holistic places
Mind over matter
A new hot topic in the corporate world is ?mindfulness?. So what is it? A good analogy is that of a computer: the more programmes are open, the more difficulty the computer has in functioning and running them all at once. Similarly, the more different thoughts fight for attention in the mind, the more energy we use up and the more difficult it is to do one task efficiently.
Mindfulness is most basically focus: doing everything by being aware of the task at hand, and remaining fully in that present moment. Think of how often your mind drifts off, letting you work automatically or losing concentration. Mindfulness is the opposite of that.
By being more mindful of ourselves, our bodies and our immediate environment we become calmer and less stressed ? we can even notice more about our own physical health. Our interaction with our colleagues and clients also improves as our awareness of them is enhanced too.
As managing with fewer staff and working longer hours is becoming the norm, perhaps it?s time to take more steps to guard our mental health, and make mindfulness part of our daily lives.
Martin Rogers runs the mindfulness workshop as part of the corporate sessions available at Lifehouse Spa
