Yoga releases stress & increases productivity

What companies should know!!!

Yoga is an ancient discipline from India. Yoga in Sanskrit means union. It is a union of both spiritual and physical being. Yoga is an amalgamation of breathing techniques (PRANAYAM), exercises (POSTURES & MUDRAS) and meditation. It helps to improve mental, emotional and physical health and inculcate self-discipline.

Patanjali was a pioneer of classical yoga. He defined yoga as "the cessation of the modification of the mind".

In the present era, many emergent businesses are offering their employees a low-cost, preventive and holistic healthcare measure in the form of YOGA, a discipline with strategic returns on employee’s wellness investments resonating successfully with human resource teams. Being a practitioner of Yoga increases strength, flexibility, concentration, postural alignment & emotional balance to name only a few of the various benefits.

The National Institute of Mental Health estimates that U.S. employers lose $70 billion a year due to absenteeism, lost productivity and disability caused by mental distress.

Benefits of Yoga in the corporate environment

The very crux of the Yogic discipline is a mind-body balance. Illustrating the numerous benefits for corporate employees at the workplace by using Yoga as a wellness technique are:

1. Boosting Morale: Yoga can bring employees together and boost morale in the office. It means more employees are happy with their job, more meaningful interactions with the co-workers and running daily work as smoothly as possible.
2. Flexibility: Employees practicing yoga gain awareness of strain in various parts of the body by properly stretching & using their muscles and tendons. Employees learn how to go with the flow and roll with the knocks in an ever-changing work environment.
3. Stress Reduction: By learning how to focus on breathing, meditation and other techniques, the process of yoga becomes the perfect antidote for removing anxiety and stress that leads to mood changes & low productivity.
4. Boosting Immunity:Yoga stimulates the lymphatic system & increases blood circulation. It supports healthy bones through weight-bearing exercises, leads to loads of health benefits which results into less sick days and higher performance amongst employees.
5. Improving Posture:  Yoga ensures the natural curves of the spine by lengthening the sides of the waist, tilting the pelvis and broadening the back body. Yoga also stretches major muscle groups and increases joint mobility to prevent joint aches and stiffness.
6. Increasing Confidence: Yogic poses (asana & mudras) are designed to increase flexibility while building muscle strength & cardiovascular health. Small changes lead to major results and soon confidence in the body’s ability climbs sharply.
7. Improving Digestion: Yoga postures help in improving digestion. Stress reduction can decrease acidity, heartburn, and indigestion. Deep leg folds and twists can turn on the digestive fire, aid in detoxification, and wring out any toxins stored in the intestines. Once digestion is back on track, you will be able to tune into those gut feelings in your second brain (the gut) to help aid you in making important decisions at work and in life.
8. Increasing Energy: Yoga has proven to increase energy levels. A sedentary life style quickly fatigues you leaving less energy to tackle everything. Taking the time to focus on yourself, even for a short period, will boost your energy needed to tackle the rest of your day with strength.
9. Improving Breathing: Yoga has various kinds of breathing techniques resulting in increasing your awareness, energies and positivity levels. Yoga teaches you how to breathe deeply and use your breath to relax or energize your system resulting in enhanced productivity.
10. Helping with Creativity: As yoga leads to high concentration and focus levels, this opens the brain and the creative juices, energy & oxygen can flow results in the “out of the box” thinking.
11. Enhances Concentration: Being present “in the moment” helps one to learn controlling the mind so that ability to focus on the task increases, which is a useful skill to have in a fast-paced multitasking workplace & in life
12. Stimulation from Exercise: Yoga can help to be healthy and in shape only with regular practice. As exercise releases endorphins into the system leading to a sense of well-being, Yoga can create a better feeling and attitude towards the work environment.

What’s next for Yoga and its ever deeper involvement in the corporate world?

The National Business Group on Health has found that there is a trend aimed towards enhancing onsite programs and stress management as well as holistic wellness. 50% or more of corporate healthcare costs are lifestyle related and can potentially be prevented. Companies need to invest not only on cures but on prevention and good health too. This mindset of employee wellness has become a strategic imperative for most organizations across the globe and not without reason. In addition, this has gained the respect that the ancient science of Yoga has found in the corporate world as a comprehensive wellness prerogative, replacing all other healthcare investments.

Sources:

https://www.geekhive.com/buzz/post/2017/03/10-benefits-of-practicing-yoga-at-work/

https://www.yoga-king.com/blog/benefits-of-corporate-yoga/

https://www.business.com/articles/6-ways-yoga-can-improve-productivity-at-work/

Photo credit: Open Clip Art Library by qubodup