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Relieving Stress While At Work

© Maureen Fleury

With most of us juggling work and family, we know there is not much time on evening and weekends to undertake a major stress-relieving program. As a result, I looked on the Internet to get ideas on what can be done during working hours. Once I got through all these sites with people trying to sell books, tapes, and lectures, I found some things that could be initiated.

Portable Massage: There are various companies that will visit your workplace and give massages. They have portable massaage beds or chairs that can be easily set up in a quiet place. The massages can be booked for 15 minute and up to 1 hour sessions. The massages can help alleviate tense muscles in the neck, arms and legs. It's also an opportunity for some quiet time. If the massage service doesn't supply it, bring in a CD player for listening to relaxing music. Depending on the preference of the company, they may ask you to bring loose clothing or may provide a gown. I am currently undergoing massage therapy at a registered clinic where I go after work once a month and I feel relaxed and like a "wet noodle" afterwards.

Reference: http://www.handsonexpress.com/home2.html

Relaxation Room: If there is an available space, an employer can set up a room for relaxation. It is suggested to allow only one employee in at a time. The room should have a reclining chair or couch, a CD or tape player to play music or meditation exercises. One site I visited suggested a soaking tank for an epsom salt bath. Even 15 minutes of solitude could certainly allow a person to relax.

Reference: http://imt.net/~randolfi/WorkStress.html

Exercise Program: To exercise, you don't have to put on your spandex and sweat at the gym. You can bring a good pair of walking shoes to work and go for a stroll during lunch or coffee break. Your employer may decide to set up an exercise room with equipment. The program could be supervised at a specified time or self-directed. Years ago, a group of us would get together after work and do exercises in the lunch room using a video taped program. All you need is plenty of room to move around and a TV & VCR.

Reference: http://www.thrive.net/shape/work/work.fi...

Incentive Program: Your company could start a fitness incentive program. My employer used to have a program where you would earn points for participation in athletic activities (such as jogging, baseball and even snow shoveling). Each activity is assigned a score for the duration of participation. For instance, 1 hour of jogging would be 10 points but 3 hours of bowling would be 2 points. We were given record cards for tracking our activity. There was even a program for people with disabilities. When an employee reached various milestones, he/she would receive a cash reward. At the end of the year, the top 10 achievers were taken out for dinner.

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