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For Many Companies, Yoga Now A Part Of Workplace Setting
So it makes sense that adding yoga into the workplace routine has become a well-received option. Many businesses these days are doing just that. As computers become more and more an essential part of the modern office, along with the prevalence of iPhones and Blackberries that permit you to continued to work anytime and anywhere, employees are feeling even greater pressure to be "on call". But research is proving that a more stressed worker very often becomes a less productive worker. Enter yoga in the workplace. As employees handle more and more tasks, and spend more and more time in the office, the question of how to keep them alert and productive has become an important issue for many employers. Thus yoga, many companies have discovered, is an effective way to help employees cope with the stress of the workplace. In recent years, more and more corporations have begun scheduling yoga sessions in the workplace throughout the day, to accommodate those with different schedules. The classes may be held in an on-premises gym or a converted conference room, but regardless of location, yoga classes are being conducted in businesses of all sizes. The beginnings of yoga in the workplace, as far as the U.S. is concerned, started approximately 25 years ago when the increase in health care for workers led many companies to created programs designed to promote well-being, such as smoking cessation programs, on-site gyms and yoga. But since that time, companies have found out that the stress-reducing benefits of yoga are far outweighing the benefits of lower health care costs. According to the director of one trend analysis company, corporations began to understand that addressing an employee’s mental health is just as important as addressing their physical health. Meanwhile, a clinic at the University of Massachusetts Medical Center found that yoga, in conjunction with meditation, reduces stress and actually improved workplace performance. Further, an Ohio State University research project concluded that only 20 minutes of yoga and meditation in the workplace, as well as six weeks of once-a-week group yoga sessions lowered stress by approximately 12 percent and even improved the quality of sleep in some workers, making them more productive at the office. The office environment makes it a prime location for a yoga session, many workplace and yoga experts contend. Workers often sit in uncomfortably chairs for hours on end, staring at a computer screen while performing repetitive tasks. For many, lunch is a visit to the fast food restaurant down the street, last night’s leftovers or a quick trip to the vending machine. Add to that the pressure of trying to meet a deadline, handle last-minute assignments that were due yesterday, answer a seemingly endless stream of emails or figure out the inner workings of a printer that just won’t print anymore, and the stress levels of the average office worker can go through the roof. To relieve this stress, many corporations began bringing yoga into the workplace. For some corporations, it meant converting a space in their existing gym, while smaller companies managed to make their conference rooms and lunch areas serve a dual purpose, simply by moving tables and chairs to one side. It proved to be an entirely new way of life for many yoga instructors, who not only had to attempt meditation exercises with the whirr of a Coke machine in the background, but were also dealing with employees at different levels, from beginner to experienced, or who weren’t exactly dressed in traditional yoga clothing (think ties or work overalls). The benefits of adding yoga to the workplace became readily apparent and soon other companies began to adapt to the growing trend. And today, many of the top corporations in the nation bring in yoga instructors and conduct classes in areas specifically designed for the purpose. Companies such as Apple Computer and Google arrange for yoga classes at the office before, during and after work. And at HBO corporate headquarters in New York City, the demand for yoga classes at work has become so great they’ve had to add additional classes. It may be impossible to get workers to scale back from the belief that multi-tasking at work is a must, and indeed many companies may be reluctant to get them to do so. But when it comes to coping with the stress that results from it, they may want to add yoga in the workplace to their to-do list. Article Directory: http://www.articledashboard.com Linda Adams enjoys all things health related. One of the most excellent yoga websites Linda has found is Yoga Teachers Kamloops, which is a exceptional mix of yoga and exercise. For more information, have a look at Yoga has many Benefits for Women during Pregnancy one of the finest Yoga blogs. |
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