I worked in an office environment for 6 years. I have lived the aches and pains of being in the same position for a large portion of the day and understand the impact it has on the body. To repeatedly use the same muscles to click and type all day is definitely not the most natural thing for us to be doing! Many of my office workers even encounter repetitive strain injuries (RSI) from repeating tasks like clicking, writing and typing. I myself struggled with an RSI injury a few years back due to not taking proper breaks, it was painful and frustrating, but helped me to be the person I am today-a passionate workplace wellbeing advocate!
In addition to physical aspects of work, mentally we begin to fatigue and struggle to maintain focus on our work, and generally become less productive! We over and under develop certain muscles and let our posture suffer by sitting at a desk for long periods. This over working and not taking the time to switch off leads to stress. When the body is stressed it activates the flight or fight reaction-in short the body feels like it is under attack. The nervous system releases hormones into the body which increase heart rate and blood pressure and slow down digestion. Basically your body is getting ready to run and escape the situation! So stress can contribute to many PHYSICAL health problems like high blood pressure, heart disease, obesity and diabetes. Some studies also show that stress can weaken the immune system leaving people more susceptible to infections and illnesses.
Mental health issues that also may result from stress include anxiety, fatigue, depression and burn out. Due to this mental exhaustion the amount of leave taken due to this is startlingly high:
In 2016/2017 According to HSE (Health and Safety Executive):
*Stress, depression or anxiety accounted for 46% of new cases of work related ill-health.
*12.5 million work days were lost due to those suffering from the conditions
As an employer think how much energy, time and money you spend on work related ill health?
What you steps you are taking prevent it, and support your staff? If the answer is that you feel more could be done……this is where I can provide a solution!
Drawing upon my office experience I take care in tailoring my classes for the office body’s needs and wants! Each class will also have a short meditation helping employees to quieten the mind and regain presence. We also use breathing techniques throughout the practice to help employees centre themselves-they can take these techniques back into their working week and everyday life to manage stress. I understand the practicalities of a working environment-the classes are bespoke to fit your specific needs and centre around your employees workload. For example for a lunchtime class, I can create classes that are less based around strength and more focused towards stretching and flexibility, so workers can take part whilst wearing their office wear without worrying about getting a sweat on!
Don’t take my word for it!…Head over to my Workplace Yoga page to read some testimonials from workers that I have taught. From nurses to forklift truck drivers they’ve loved it!
I can provide mats, although a suitable space will need to be provided. I offer a FREE consultation appointment to discuss how the yoga classes can meet your workforce’s wellbeing needs. We can also perform a short risk assessment of the teaching space together.
Classes are £50 per session. Discounts for block booking!
Please get in touch to discuss your businesses requirements and how I can support you in looking after your staffs workplace wellbeing.