Today's workforce is more stressed than ever. A combination of workplace tension and worries from home and family life can make for some very strained employees.
Reducing office place stress can help employees to become more productive and improve their workplace experience. Easing everyday tension and fatigue will also give the employee a greater sense of physical and emotional well being.
Guided Visualization and Meditation
While some may keep a practice of meditation at home, it is quite possible to use guided visualizations in the office. Audio programs are available for purchase that can be listened to from an MP3 player or can be streamed online. The Meditation Room is an online service that offers complimentary 2-12 minute audio files that can be played straight over the computer. A headset or earphones will improve the relaxation experience as well as maintain privacy and not disrupt nearby co-workers or customers.
Seated Yoga
Some yoga positions have been modified to be performed from a seated position. Try looking for tips in wellness publications such as the Yoga Journal or Body+Soul magazine. Chronicle Books’ 2000 publication Office Yoga: Simple Stretches for Busy People has become a staple item on some desks.
A good yoga instructor could give some tips and suggestions on keeping a simple yoga practice in an office cubicle. Students should ask for some one-on-one time with their instructor to practice the movements and stretches together with the instructor.
Hand Mudras
Often referred to as yoga for the hands, mudras are meditative positions and symbols that the hands and fingers are held in. Most mudras can be performed while in a seated position, while lying down or when standing or walking. The mudra shown in the picture below is the most common hand mudra; it is the gesture of consciousness. According to Gertrud Hirschi in her book Mudra: Yoga in your Hands [Red Wheel/Weiser, 2000] this mudra will have "an effect on the physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual level." She also writes that this mudra is popular for insomnia, depression, high blood pressure and for promoting a "clear head."
Self-Help Reflexology
Simple techniques, such as rolling a golf ball on the feet, can be done in short routines while sitting at a desk. Several busy nursing stations in Massachusetts have adopted this act of improving circulation and reducing stress and fatigue. Nurses keep a drawer of golf balls and roll them under foot while working at a computer station.
Cobblestone foot paths have cropped up across Asia as a way to promote workplace well being. Barbara and Kevin Kunz, authors of multiple books on Reflexology, have developed a kit for Barnes and Noble called The Reflexology Path [ISBN 1435114426.] The kit includes a simulated stone mat and a piece of bamboo. The mat is small enough it could easily stow under a desk and be used for a few minutes a day.
Seated Chair Massage
Companies around the world have introduced massage and bodywork into employee wellness programs. The massage practitioner often performs abbreviated sessions in a special chair designed to allow access the recipient's back, neck, shoulders and arms. Massage at the office is quite popular with employees and can be done monthly, weekly or at other intervals.
Creating a Plan
The worker is encouraged to make a list of items that are enjoyable and help to combat daily stress. This list can be referred to when the mind is drawing a blank after a stressful situation. All of the above tips can be used on a trial basis to find the top three or four activities that are most effective for that person. Stick with those to develop a routine so the mind and body respond quicker to the relaxation.
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