Trend Setters: What’s Shaping Your Wellness Programme?

Businesses of all sizes are being impacted by the trend of corporate wellness programmes, integrating strategies to help create an overall wellbeing-enhancing experience in the workplace. Corporate wellness programmes also use incentives to increase participation and awareness. Let’s take a look at five trends that are helping shape health and wellness at the workplace:

 

1. Lifestyle Management: Finding time to workout or visit the doctor can be problematic in today’s hectic world. You need to rush home, make dinner, help your kids with their homework, clean the house, make time for your relationship and somehow get to bed at a decent hour; where’s the time for wellness? This is why more and more corporate wellness programmes are focusing on lifestyle management, and including efforts such as biometric screenings, flu shots and cholesterol screenings in the workplace to help you make time for your health. Such measures can help you prevent the risks for common, yet dangerous, health problems including diabetes, stroke and coronary disease – without having to leave the office!

 

2. Weight Loss: More companies are now offering free yoga, Zumba classes or individual workouts onsite or at a nearby facility to make fitness opportunities more accessible for those looking to lose or manage their weight. Doing your diet plan alongside your colleagues brings with it a sense of camaraderie, with your workmates encouraging you to keep going along to workout sessions. Moreover, companies that offer weight loss programmes tend to have vending machine options with fresh, healthy snacks, as well as fruit and veggies at meetings instead of unhealthy treats. With such a variety of healthy food options and fitness classes available, you have the opportunity to try several options to find the best fit for your lifestyle.

 

3. Redesigning the Workspace: In order to encourage you to become healthier, many businesses are rethinking the design and layout of the office. This may incorporate a variety of design options, such as fitting out desks with exercise balls or standing or treadmill workstations instead of chairs. Some employers offer anti-fatigue mats for employees to stand on while they work, while others give employees ergonomic telephone headsets and keyboards. Then you have wireless personal trainers such as BodyBugg and FitBit, which accurately tracking calories burned, steps taken, walking distance, etc to help keep employees in the mindset of fitness.

 

4.  Smoking Cessation: It’s often a wise investment for companies to introduce smoking cessation programmes, which is why so many businesses do exactly that. Many wellness experts view such programmes as a necessity that provides a direct correlation with good health, helping employers to foster a healthier workforce. As an employee, you need motivation, social support, an understanding of what to expect and a personal game plan to increase your chances of quitting smoking, and many companies offer all of this and more. In fact, some companies execute smoke-free campuses, and even go so far as to avoid hiring smokers.

 

5. Stress Management: While programmes focusing on physical fitness have been proven to decrease stress and increase energy, mental fitness programmes are increasingly being recognised as equally important. The point of a stress management programme is to allow employees to dedicate a short time every day to mental fitness through volunteering, journal writing or even daydreaming. This, in turn, helps you to feel rejuvenated and more confident, which shows in your work and overall lifestyle. One of the strongest efforts being used to manage daily pressures is meditation, which many companies use as a daily tool to help employees cope with stress.

Categories: corporate wellness, corporate wellness programmes, lifestyle management, mental fitness, Programmes, smoking cessation, stress management, Weight Loss, Wellness, Wellness programmes

Six Foods You Need to Avoid If You’re Stressed at Work

You spend a large portion of your day at work, so it’s not hard to see how your corporate wellness impacts the rest of your wellbeing. Work stress feeds into the rest of your life, which, in turn, has a negative influence on your overall health. Therefore, we’re always trying to find ways to reduce workplace stress and, thanks to registered dietician/nutritionist Keri Gans, MS, RDN, CDN, author of The Small Change Diet, we now have the answer: your food. According to Gans, what you eat may contribute to your stress load and, since diet is one of the things in life you have any control over, it’s a good place to start when dealing with workplace stress.

 

1. Avoid foods high in caffeine: The Stress Management Society states that while caffeine can be stimulating when you’re tired, foods and drinks with caffeine also contain the neurostimulator theo-bromine. Gans explains, ‘Both theo-bromine and caffeine have been proven to increase stress levels. Caffeine can also cause a loss in concentration, which can result in poor work output and thus more stress on the job. If you need coffee or tea in the morning for that boost, make sure you do so in moderation or you won’t be able to reduce work stress.’

 

2. Foods rich in sodium: ‘Sodium can cause the body to retain water, possibly leading to hypertension and an increase in stress,’ Gans warns. ‘Thankfully, sodium is fairly easy to monitor in a diet; make sure you read all product labels. Natural and whole foods will have less sodium than those in packages, but keeping hypertension at bay also means keeping up with an exercise routine.’

 

3. Junk foods: Not only do junk foods get in the way of your weight loss plans; they can also hinder your efforts to reduce work stress. Gans notes, ‘Snacking on potato chips, candy and baked goods may temporarily relieve hunger, but it rarely lasts any length of time. This can cause an energy crash later in the day and can lead to chronic hunger, which can make work that much more difficult to get through. What’s more, junk foods lack the vitamins and minerals the body needs to manage stress throughout the day.’

 

4. Fatty foods: There is research that indicates if you eat a fatty meal you will increase the negative effects of stress on your heart. ‘Most people don’t realize it, but starting the day out with a high-fat dairy product could be sabotaging that goal to reduce work stress,’ Gans cautions. ‘The more stressed the body feels, the less likely it is to perform well throughout the day, and as most of us now, poor performance is one way to drastically increase job stress.’

 

5. Alcohol: Gans advises, ‘Most jobs don’t allow drinking on-site, but if you go out for a business lunch steer clear of those alcoholic drinks. Alcohol stimulates the release of the stress hormone cortisol even though it may seem like it lowers your inhibitions. Also, drinking heavily at night can make you sluggish for work in the morning and make you less likely to pick up on important job facts throughout the day.’

 

6. Fizzy Drinks: If you steer clear of alcohol on business lunches, don’t replace your usual tipple with a glass of fizz! The Stress Management Society asserts that you should avoid fizzy drinks if you are feeling stressed at work. Gans comments, ‘When the body is under pressure, a build-up of carbon dioxide and lactates in the body can result in a condition called “acidosis”, which can harm health. The high levels of carbon dioxide in beverages aggravate that condition; therefore soft drinks need to be considered as an unnecessary addition to your diet.’

Categories: caffeine, day nbsp, junk foods, reduce work, sodium, steer clear, Stress, stress gans, stress management, stress nbsp, work stress, workplace stress

Divorce Health: 5 Tips to Stress Management

 

Going through a divorce can bring about a host of changes that can affect how you perceive life. Developing tips to help manage the levels of your stress can ease the difficult process and alleviate the pain and sorrow that you may be going through. By implementing the following tips, you’ll be able to come through the changes unscathed and allow your body to slowly get used to the pain of moving on as one.

 

1. Diet and Exercise

The stress of a divorce can be debilitating for some, and you may find it extremely difficult to follow a normal routine. However, regular exercise is a great stress reducer and can channel the negative energy into a positive outlet. Finding something that you enjoy doing will help you stick with the routine. It may also be helpful to find a friend, family member or co-worker to exercise with.

 

Divorce can also cause your immune system to suffer. In addition to exercise, you’ll need to maintain healthy eating habits. Eating a diet rich in whole-foods, fruits, vegetables and drinking water can keep a body strong and healthy during times of stress.

 

 

2. Hire an Attorney

A knowledgeable and experienced divorce attorney can aid you in the process and provide you with realistic expectations. While many divorced couples want it over in a matter of weeks, you’ll find that to be an unrealistic prospect. An experienced attorney can also provide you with the necessary information related to the state where you reside.

 

One firm of divorce lawyers in Tucson states “The feeling of loneliness that the couple experience may not be helped by your Tucson divorce lawyer, but you should be certain that they have your best interest at heart.” This will help you to get the best end result and provide you with the financial stability needed to help you move on with your life. Since they will be your primary advocate by fighting for your rights, their moral support and guidance can be beneficial to alleviating your levels of stress.

 

 

3. Get Plenty of Rest

A difficult divorce can keep you up late at night, especially if you’ve been running the problems over and over in your mind. While thoughts of revenge and anguish may be running rampant, you need a good night’s rest to keep stress at bay. To encourage a restful night, you can incorporate yoga and other methods of mediation. This will channel your mind to relieve stress, let go of any anger and channel it toward something positive.

 

 

4. Ditch the Bad Habits

Unfortunately, divorce can be one of the most stressful events an individual can experience in their lifetime and many people often pick up bad habits. However, you don’t want to give in to temptation by smoking, drinking or doing drugs.

 

 

5. Change Your Routine

A new life can begin with a divorce, and you are now free to change your direction. This can include deviating from your ordinary routine. You are also free to change your home environment. A change in wall colors or moving the furniture around can be empowering and reduce your stress levels immensely.

 

Emotions are usually at heightened levels during a divorce and this can make it especially challenging to move forward. However, finding other outlets to combat your stress levels can prove beneficial in maintaining a happy mental and physical outlook for your new life ahead.

 

Lisa Coleman shares some tips for stress management during the process of a divorce. It can devastate a person’s health if not managed well. She recently viewed online how a group of divorce lawyers in Tucson can help with the legalities of such a case for a client in TX.

 

 

Photo Credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/kennyuhh/2917293212/

Categories: divorce, divorce and stress, divorce lawyers, handling stress, levels, nbsp, nbsp nbsp, Stress, Stress Levels, stress management, stress nbsp

What Everybody Ought to Know About Stress at Work

In 2011/12, the Labour Force Survey reported 428,000 cases of workplace stress, which contributed to the UK losing 10.4 million working days. Clearly, stress is a significant issue to the UK workforce, especially since these statistics don’t show the unreported cases of everyday stress and anxiety. The LFS reported that these issues often involved employees feeling overwhelmed by their workload, tight deadlines, workplace bullying and poor management. Stress manifests itself in many different ways, and can affect both mental and physical health, but there are common symptoms which you can identify in yourself and in others. A particular behaviour is increased drinking of alcohol, which can escalate into alcoholism if unchecked. Other health problems that workplace stress may cause are heart palpitations and insomnia. PruHealth UK also identify the distressing issue of ‘desk rage’ and violence in the workplace. They report that these are on the rise, and include behaviours such as rudeness and swearing, aggressive gestures such as fist slamming, and employees suffering breakdowns at work.

 

These problems can be prevented in numerous ways, if behaviour is monitored and communication maintained in an open and friendly way. It is important to acknowledge your limitations when a workload feels threatening or impossible. Pride and fear can often lead to workers attempting to tackle more than they could realistically handle. Being aware of yourself and accepting that you may need help occasionally is extremely important in promoting self-esteem and managing workplace stress, so don’t hesitate to make it clear when your workload is becoming too much for you. Also keeping a realistic perspective on life is important. The office or workplace environment can sometimes seem like a microcosm, but don’t lose touch of your life outside of work. Stay in touch with friends and family, and do the things you enjoy. Taking time to look after yourself, perhaps by exercising or participating in a hobby, can reduce the stresses of the workplace by helping you realise your priorities. If you feel you need more help than this to manage your stress, or if you feel that you are reaching a crisis point, it is vital that you talk to your employers immediately, and don’t be afraid to contact your GP for help when you feel you need it.

Categories: Stress, stress management, Work-Life Balance