According to Examined Existence, yoga provides incredible relief to those suffering with anxiety and depression. The concentration on breathing with conscious movements create a positive feedback loop that reprograms your internal stress response. Over time, your stressors become less impactful and your resiliency boosts dramatically. You can’t apply yoga to your taxes, but you can apply the benefits of doing yoga to handling stressful situations with an increased strength.
What about yoga at work? Business Insider uncovered the surprising ways that practicing yoga improves your productivity, focus and more:
- Possibility grows when you achieve new postures in your practice, improving your stamina with a workplace obstacle or issue.
- Self awareness means that you’re well equipped to take fresh and bold perspectives when working, driving your success to complete projects and relate to coworkers.
These are just a few of the many beneficial opportunities that yoga creates in your life. Imagine if everyone in your office were exposed to the same benefits? Scientists, yoga teachers, and social psychologists have explored the benefits of workplace yoga with fascinating results!
- When everyone has the space to relax and de-stress, productivity and positive energy immediately flows throughout the entire environment. The joy of yoga is contagious, and a company wide yoga class benefits everyone!
- Presence is vital in any company. Yoga creates present moment experiences for those who practice, which means a greater sense of self awareness and respect among employees and managers.
- Many companies also noticed a decrease in sick day reports after introducing company wide yoga classes in their offices. Less absences means more company morale and efficiency!
RYL owner and Yin Yoga instructor Gretchen Griffin has a direct relationship with yoga in the corporate environment, including a personal transformation through embracing yoga and overcoming the stress of endless work days. We interviewed her to learn more about how yoga can transcend a challenging job or career:
What are the three most unexpected ways yoga has helped you in the workplace?
It helps one to gain clarity when making decisions, become calm and centered - less reactive to stressful situations, & have more energy throughout the day.
When did you discover that yoga could be a powerful tool in corporate settings?
Yoga is more than just exercise for the body, it is really a guide for interacting with the world at large. There are eight limbs to yoga and the first three are yamas, niyamas, and asanas. Most people are familiar with yoga postures, or asanas. These postures, when practiced regularly, condition the body to create resilience to deal with the physical, emotional, and mental challenges that are inherent in the workplace. The lesser known aspects are the yamas and niyamas, which are ethical and personal observances that allow us to be at peace with ourselves and our community.
The yamas (ethical considerations) are compassion, truthfulness, non-stealing, controlling our senses, and non-attachment. Think of companies that you have worked at. My guess is that if you were unhappy in any way within a company, it was because one or more of these ethical considerations were missing. Just think of what would be possible from an employee and customer satisfaction standpoint if all of the yamas were just part of the regular operating procedure within a company!
The niyamas are personal observances or guidelines about how one treats themselves. It is the concept of "be the change you wish to see in the world" or "change starts with you" because we all impact those around us by how we treat ourselves. The niyamas are cleanliness, contentment, mindful use of our energy, self-study, and having a connection to something greater than ourselves (inspiration). These observances foster growth, personal development, and happiness within each individual employee, which then radiates out into the world - workplace, customers, and community.
Do you see more companies integrating yoga as a daily work activity, such as a lunch break or meeting?
Yoga in the workplace is growing because it is seen as an affordable tool that increases employee satisfaction, health, and overall well-being. With excessive demands on employees to stay connected 24/7, skyrocketing healthcare costs, and a rise of workplace violence and bullying, employers have a lot to deal with. Implementing a regular yoga program is an affordable and sustainable tool to reduce the devastating impacts of the elevation of stress in the workplace.
How would workplace yoga benefit one's stress levels at work?
Yoga allows one to quiet the mind by using the breath to activate the parasympathetic nervous system, which reduces the stress response in the body. By utilizing the breath to work through physically stressful yoga postures on the mat, one builds the resiliency needed to deal with stress off of the yoga mat in positive, productive manner. When an employee is able to operate from this calm, centered place, they are less likely to react to stressful situations, such as intense deadlines, upset customers, and unexpected issues.
What insights would you like to share regarding yoga at work and the importance of taking "asana breaks?"
The key is to assess the long term impacts that stress is having on employees and the work environment and then choosing a sustainable, affordable intervention. Yoga is just one of many options, but in my opinion it is the key to creating a healthy, sustainable work environment that supports employees in being productive and satisfied.
Take a free Lunch Yoga class at RYL December 8th-12th and the Roswell Farmer's Market will deliver a healthy, organic lunch to the studio. Be sure to pre-order your lunch 24-hours in advance by calling 770-702-0109.
Learn more about special events & offers on the Roswell Yoga Life Facebook page!