Blog Archives - Page 9 of 10

July 1, 2020July 1, 2020

A Resilient Body through Massage

Maintaining a positive outlook and the ability to bounce back can be challenging in the best of times, but what about during times of high stress with competing demands on our time, energy, and resources? Layer in the stresses of Covid-19 and the potential of re-entering our places of work and it can start to feel more difficult to keep one’s thoughts and outlook positive. It can feel as though our reserves are depleted just when we need that extra bit of energy or spark of motivation to get us through the next challenging moment.

At this point, it’s likely that we’ve all heard the word “resilience” tossed about as an attribute that helps people face difficult and trying times. The question one might then ask is; how do we build resilience in ourselves, our families, communities, and workplace at a time when it is most needed and during a time of stress?

There are many ways to approach building our resilience, such as breathwork, mediation, and movement. At Body Techniques, we think a good place to begin building and maintaining our resilience is through the body. We view wellness as a holistic practice, eating thoughtfully, exercising, and taking time to slow down and receive massage are all components of building a resilient body. Below are three reasons massage therapy is an excellent first step towards developing our resilience toolkit.

Reducing Stress

Between Covid-19, ambiguous direction about states and counties reopening, and the possibility of returning to the office or having to find a new job, we are all stressed to some degree. Prioritizing our own well being and finding ways to reduce levels of stress are key to building our overall health and maintaining a positive outlook. Making time to slow down and tend to ourselves is a first step towards resilience. Whether it’s hands on massage in a safe and hygienic way (as counties permit) or enjoying a virtual 1:1 guided massage, the act of releasing tension through massage therapy is known to lower cortisol (a stress hormone), quite the mind, and soothe the body. By disengaging from the pressures and expectations of the day for even 15-minutes, we allow for the breath to deepen, the mind to relax, and the “pause button” to take the reins. Hands-on therapeutic touch gives us time and space to focus on our own relaxation so that we can return to our day to day in a more relaxed manner.

Relieving Physical Discomfort

Many of us are stuck at home working from the kitchen table or sofa, many others are taking on responsibility as essential workers and supporting our communities by delivering goods and services while working long hours. All of this can lead to our body feeling stiff, sore, and overworked. If our bodies are in pain or discomfort, it makes it hard to be fully present and it also siphons off our body’s resources. If we are busy thinking about the pain in our knees, neck, or back, we are more likely to further injure ourselves, miss workdays, or struggle to look after our kids. Scheduling time to receive hands-on massage therapy helps relieve injuries and muscle strain. When we feel able in our bodies, it allows us to have a more positive outlook, which can help us feel less stressed and more prepared to face challenges.

Better Sleep

When your head hits the pillow does your mind kick into high gear? Do your thoughts swirl and seem to be running on repeat? Do you start making lists of all the things you need to do the following day or didn’t get done today? If so, you aren’t alone! Lack of sleep is detrimental to our health and overall sense of well being. When we aren’t clocking a solid seven to eight our body takes the brunt in many ways; such as a weakened immune system, being more prone to accidents, weight gain, memory loss, and mood changes to name a few. In these hectic and uncertain times, it’s hard to shut off our thoughts and get the rest we need.

There are ways we can help ourselves power down, such as taking an epsom salt bath before bed, enjoying a calming herbal tea, or taking time to read something other than the constant newsfeed. And, because we are firm believers in the health benefits of massage, we definitely add it to this list of sleep resources.

Massage therapy is an excellent way to release the stress of the day and allow ourselves the time and space to relax. Expert guided massage or hands-on therapeutic touch is proven to be effective in helping people relax and restore the ability to sleep more deeply, which in turn supports our immune system and overall health status.

Let me see the science behind massage!

As we face the future, our health and wellness are a critical component in our ability to show up and build our resilience, as individuals and as communities. Making time for ourselves to destress and relax will help us be present for our friends, family, and coworkers. Remember to build into your day time for just you. Take a walk, stretch, do some jumping jacks, or meditate. Time for you is time well spent.

June 30, 2020June 30, 2020

Honoring Essential Workers

While many of us have transitioned to working from home, there is still a large portion of the population getting up every morning and heading into work. These are the brave professionals who are classified as essential workers. They are health-care professionals, social workers, grocery store employees, warehouse workers, delivery drivers, journalists, postal workers, first responders, and many others who are working tirelessly to serve and sustain others. As states and counties begin to reopen, it’s time to start considering how you can show your appreciation for these essential workers by providing them a necessary service.

3 Ways To Honor Essential Workers with Body Techniques

Give the Gift of Massage

All of us could definitely use a massage right now. We have spent months hunched over on a couch or have turned our dining room table into our work from home desk. Since these setups are not ergonomically correct, they exacerbate our existing aches and pains. Although we could all use some Tender Loving Care, the workers who have been out on the front liness, should be first in line. Our team has spent months training all of our providers on extra safety and sanitation guidelines so that you can give the gift of massage to your staff with confidence. The essential workforce has sacrificed daily to keep our society functioning and it is time to give back to them with the best service possible – massage.

Calm the Mind with Focused Meditation

Being an essential worker comes with added stress that many of us have the privilege of escaping. Having to be out in the world and adhere to ever-changing guidelines and precautions means there are many more things you need to be aware of to protect yourself, and others. This acute attention to extra details can exhaust the brain and leave the essential workers feeling mentally fatigued and overwhelmed.

A great way to alleviate stress is to do a quick 15-minute meditation session. Meditation is proven to calm the mind, decrease stress, and increase focus. It is exactly what essential workers need to continue to sacrifice and work tirelessly to keep our society and essential services functioning.

Sweat Off The Stress

While essential workers are on the front lines putting themselves at higher risk, it is important to ensure that their health and immune system are operating at the highest level. It is no secret that exercise is one of the keys to a healthy immune system and an individual’s overall wellbeing. Help your essential workforce sweat out the stress and boost their immune system so they can continue to push forward and support all of us!

Not Ready for Onsite? We are hands-on, even virtually.

Are you or your organization not ready for onsite visits to your essential workers? That is okay! We can still support them and you through our virtual services. Our virtual services include self-massage instruction, guided stretch, mediations, yoga, bootcamps, zumba, pilates, and much more.

Essential workers are the first to help, but often the last to be thanked. As an organization, taking the time to share gratitude with employees on the front line is vital to building strength and resiliency. We believe gratitude is more than words and wellness is for everyone. If you have essential workers that you would like to honor, please reach out to our staff directly and we will work with you to build a program to thank those who have helped us all during these shifting times.

June 24, 2020December 16, 2021

Safety and Sanitation

In some places people are slowly combing knots from their hair, starting to remember what real pants feel like, and drinking coffee not made in their own kitchens. As humans start to discover other humans outside of their household it’s time to start thinking about how to cleanly and safely return to office.

At Body Techniques, we are people in the business of people, so when we sat down to put the newest safety measures in place, we went beyond guidelines. It’s bigger than a canister full of wipes and pile of masks. We wanted to equip ourselves with not only the physical tools but also the knowledge of how to provide a safe and relaxing experience to those returning.

How does it feel to return to work in a way that keeps our minds at ease?

We consider our community as our family—and family takes care of each other. We’ve always been dedicated to the cleanliness of our spaces and the health and safety of our community. Now we’re taking it to an even higher level.

As we get green-lights from local and state government officials to begin services we’re implementing our new Safety and Sanitation training for all providers upon re-entry to on-site services. Our training focuses on educating providers on the new levels of cleanliness needed in the wellness spaces, how to keep themselves safe, and how to keep their clients safe within the space. *washes hands* Here’s a sneak peek of our new Cycle of Safety; a step-by-step guide for providers and our clients to understand how to safely integrate on site services back into the workplace. In addition to exciting new protocols we’re excited to offer outdoor massage and goat yoga. Goats can’t get COVID right? Either way they’ll be masked so we’re good.

If there is one thing that COVID-19 has brought it’s more awareness of the speed and pace in which we’re all working. Praise of the constant hustle and bustle is shifting into a recognition of the value of a more intentional and thoughtfully productive workforce. This shift includes a focus on a resilient and healthy workforce, and an acknowledgment that wellness is for all of you, and all of us.

Click Here to read our full Safety and Sanitation guidelines

June 23, 2020December 16, 2021

Resilience and Reentry

The global pandemic united us all in a shared experience. During this time, the Body Techniques’ staff, like so many others, felt a full spectrum of emotions that included confusion, fear, compassion, grief, anger, and hope. Although our individual stories vary, this shared experience is a unifier of our society. As we’ve journeyed through these trying times, we know that Covid-19 has impacted everyone, and, through this awareness, we have opened moments of compassion previously unseen.

Grocery stores and retailers are now designating time to protect our aging and immunocompromised population with senior hours. Long gone are the days’ employers applauded their staff for a strong work ethic when someone arrived at the office battling a cold. We also now exalt our frontline workers for their vital contribution to society. These changes, like so many others, help to illuminate that in the most trying of times, the compassion of the human spirit can shine through.

Compassion is one of the building blocks of resilience. Resilience does not mean we do not falter. It also does not mean that we do not make mistakes. Instead, resilience is like a bamboo stalk that is strengthened over time. It can bend but refuses to break.

Compassion for ourselves and others allows for us to move through hard times with an openness and understanding that provides the springboard to bounce back.

Resiliency during Reintegration to the Office

As shelter in place restrictions lift across the US, we all continue to tap into our ingenuity and compassion to reshape tomorrow. Teams are starting to come back into the office and, once again, must demonstrate resiliency. During the last three months, working from home has become the new standard, and reintegrating back to the office requires teams to adapt once again to a new state of normalcy. As employees come back to work, new safety procedures and social distancing measures will impact interactions and daily workflows. All of this requires yet another round of flexibility and awareness.

Just as people are demonstrating their capacity for change, so are companies across the nation. After all, people make up these companies and carry their resilience through to their work. So many businesses suddenly had to adjust their services and delivery methods to adapt to pandemic constraints. Thoughtful employees are overcoming unseen barriers to ensure the futures of their firms and are carrying that innovative thinking into the future.

The Future of Body Techniques

At Body Techniques, we also faced the sudden pandemic shock and had to quickly adjust our services. We tapped into our vast network of professional providers and delivered our programs virtually so that they were accessible to all, regardless of location. If you haven’t had the chance to support your team with our Virtual Wellness Programs, click here to learn more. After all, corporate stress management programs become a vital resource during times of heightened stress.

As we look to the future, we are excited to bring our onsite massage service to teams going back to the office. Corporate massage is our specialty and serves as a fantastic resource to calm the stresses of high-performance teams. Our licensed practitioners have always adhered to the highest sanitation standards of the industry, and now we are implementing even more safety procedures.

Click Here to read our newest Safety and Sanitation guidelines

Over the next four weeks, Body Techniques is going to look to share our stories through the lens of resilience. We see resilience in our practitioners, clients, and our business itself. We will continue supporting businesses with stress management programs and are inspired by people leading with compassion.

Are you ready to build a Resilent Workforce?

June 15, 2020December 16, 2021

The Rise of Virtual Wellness Programs

Social distancing shifted working from the office to our personal homes and, as a result, created the need for companies to develop new resources. There was an initial shock that left many employees struggling to juggle the responsibilities of the office and personal life in one location. It turns out that so many of us were not set-up with home offices, so we quickly turned that kitchen table to a desk or the spare bedroom into an office.

Goodbye ergonomic chair, hello couch.

Team leaders are now in the process of reshaping wellness programs for professionals working from home and those who are beginning to reintegrate back into the office. In our pre-COVID world, many offices offered in-person fitness and mindfulness benefits onsite. However, the downside to these programs was that many team members were unable to access the benefits because they already worked remotely or at a satellite location. As we reconstruct tomorrow’s corporate wellness landscape, it’s vital to build programs that are accessible to all members of the team, regardless of their locations.

Just as employees needed to reimagine workspaces to make the most of a remote position, companies must transform their stress management programs.

As a result, Virtual Wellness Programs (VWPs) have surfaced as an essential resource for employees currently working from home. With VWPs, teams log on and recharge for half an hour with trained professionals. Companies are just starting to capture the emerging benefits of virtual workplace wellness programs. However, it is apparent this is the next wave of employer support of stress reduction.

Not convinced?

Here are our Top 6 reasons Virtual Wellness Programs are an asset for your team

1. Holistic Approach to Wellness

Wellness is not one size fits all and even varies day-by-day. Sometimes releasing stress means rising to the challenge in Boot Camp, other times it means letting go of muscle tension with a slow stretch. With virtual wellness accessible anytime, anywhere, taking a break to calm your mind with meditations or get fired up in a boxing class is as easy as clicking on a meeting link.

2. Focused on You

Some of the best virtual wellness programs are offering personalized care. That means you meet one-on-one with knowledgeable professionals in a convenient setting for both the teacher and student. All it takes is a quick note to share your aches and pains, and you’re ready to work through new techniques in real-time.

3. Respect for Social Distancing

For the time being, we all must continue to keep our social distance. A packed exercise class that has us breathing heavy and dripping sweat is far from ideal. Luckily, there is no need to take unnecessary risks because there’s the option to log in to a class from the safety of our own home. With virtual wellness, you can focus all your energy into your workout and never feel the need to skip that immunity-boosting session.

4. The Gift of Time

Eliminating travel to and from a wellness class creates more time to focus on other parts of the day. After all, logging on to a guided meditation geared for a midday recharge should be seamless. A quick click on a virtual meeting link means that the journey to inner peace just got a little faster, and there is more time to knock out that to-do list.

5. Integrate Health into Your Personal Space

Wellness does not live in a vacuum and neither should your routine. With VWPs, you learn to utilize your space to maximize wellness in your home. Over time, you learn to integrate small changes that transition to familiar, healthy habits.

6. Say Goodbye to Performance Anxiety

Trying something new can be scary. Trying something new next to your experienced peers is even more intimidating. With VWPs, you don’t have to worry about what others think. Most virtual classes offer the option to participate without displaying video content, so you don’t have to debut your Zumba moves in front of your coworkers until you are ready.

Are you interested in bringing a Virtual Wellness Program to your team?

May 5, 2020June 7, 2021

Let’s Talk Safety!

Coming back to the office will happen, but it won’t be as easy as flipping a switch. It will likely be a gradual process, and extra safety and security protocols will be mandated to decrease the chances of COVID-19 recurring. Our goal, at Body Techniques, is to provide the safest experience possible for you and your team as you return to work. Many of our wellness services, such as yoga and meditation, do not require physical contact. Although onsite massage requires physical contact, luckily, it is naturally isolated “one to one”, which lowers the chance of exposure. In addition, we have also implemented the following nine onsite massage safety measures to reduce risk for our clients and practitioners:

Following the CDC’s Sanitation Guidelines
Using the highest quality approved disinfectants
Implementing pre and post shift sanitation protocols
Thoroughly training providers on new safety guidelines
Strictly enforcing sick policy for both provider and client
Limiting face-up time during massage sessions. All sessions will be performed with clients face down to limit face to face exposure time with practitioners
Offering exclusively over the clothes massage with disposable face cradle cover, on vinyl chair or table
Extending time between sessions to provide adequate time for disinfection of all surfaces: table, chair, desk, door knobs, light switch, phone, desk, computer, and all surfaces client and provider may touch
Daily communication regarding any changes to guidelines and protocols

We remain vigilant in staying informed on the latest research and recommended safety measures from trusted sources and authorities, and will promptly update both clients and practitioners of changes to guidelines as they emerge.

We Will Guide You

Wellness programs are not one size fits all, and your organization will likely have its own layered “return to work” journey. We will use our two decades of experience creating wellness programs to guide you and your company in reducing the negative impact of social isolation on your employees. We will help you build your “return to work” plan by:

Assisting you in developing a customized virtual and onsite wellness program that will foster connectivity and community in the workplace
Collaborating with you to implement your company’s newest safety standards alongside our own to enhance safety
Ensuring your safety protocols are followed by our providers with the utmost integrity
Conducting surveys from your team to discover how to improve and scale your program
Remaining flexible and ready to administer change when you are ready

Give your employees continuity of wellness by providing a virtual program now, which can then transition into an onsite program alongside your team’s return to the office. With 24-years of experience behind us, we are ready to pivot to take on the future of workplace wellness in this new post-Covid landscape. It is never too early to begin planning – take action now.

Let's Start To Plan

April 30, 2020December 16, 2021

Workplace Wellness – The Importance Of Planning Now

Workplace Wellness Planning For Employees

COVID-19 has greatly disrupted the everyday lives and routines of businesses and employees and this disruption has an impact on employee health and wellbeing. Stress, anxiety, and isolation are just a few examples of what your employees may be experiencing now and as they prepare to return to work. The long term effects of Covid-19 will not be understood for quite some time, yet it is evident and crucial that the need for wellness while “sheltering in place” as well as upon return to the workplace is paramount, and companies must adapt both in the short and long term.

Building a sense of community and connection as your employees transition back to work will be vitally important for the team. Many people will be stressed and anxious from having worked in isolation as well as dealing with the ever changing environment surrounding COVID-19. Now is the time to plan ahead; use this time “sheltering in place” to create the best possible wellness program for your employees as you prepare for their return to work.

What can you do Now?

Create a virtual wellness program for your team. Currently employees are reporting feelings of isolation and disconnection due to social distancing and “shelter in place” guidelines. Creating a virtual wellness program as a stop gap measure until employees can return to work will provide a sense of community, connectivity and continuity while reducing the negative impact of social isolation. Your virtual wellness program can include services such as:

Invest in community through Yoga: Our livestream yoga classes are a great way for employees to stay connected while keeping active. The practice of group yoga creates a sense of community where your team can connect in a meaningful way.
Keep bodies moving through fitness classes: Utilizing our virtual fitness classes will help your employees move and get a sweat on with just body weight movements. Many of us are not exercising the way we normally do, our classes can help motivate and inspire your team to keep moving and stay healthy.
Make mental health a priority through meditation: Through our Dial-In meditation service, employees can step away for 15 – minutes to practice mindfulness, and relaxation and return to work with a more focused state of mind. Meditation is known to reduce stress and anxiety which is prevalent as a result of COVID-19 circulating within our communities and workplaces.

Planning For The Future

Now that you have a virtual wellness plan to support your employees while “sheltering in place”, it’s never too early to begin planning for your company’s return to work. Employees will be looking to you for continuity in your support of their health and wellness. Developing the right wellness program for your office will take time. Between service selection, contract review, and finalizing operations it can take one to two months from the start of a conversation to the launching of a program.

With 24-years of experience behind us, we are ready to take on the future of workplace wellness in this new post-Covid landscape. Our expertise and commitment to the services we provide is what drives us to deliver wellness to employees across the nation. We are a resilient company and we’re ready to support your team’s wellness initiatives in the future. Take action now and schedule a consultation today.

March 5, 2020December 16, 2021

The Hard-Knocks Restaurant World Discovers Wellness

It doesn’t matter what industry you fall into, health and wellness is being recognized as a top priority for employees, and management is beginning to address it. Workplace Stress Management has been Body Techniques’ “special recipe” for over 20 years, and we applaud the food industry for dipping into Wellness.

“Many employees are getting yoga, counseling and other benefits, as the industry tries to change an often unhealthy culture.”

– well.blogs.nytimes.com

January 21, 2020December 16, 2021

Promoting Workplace Fitness

How To Promote Fitness In The Workplace

How is your company keeping employees fit? Finding time to exercise can be difficult. One of the ways you can help employees find more time for exercise is by allowing employees to exercise “on the clock” for at least 30 minutes each day.

The main benefits of establishing a culture of fitness in your company? Lower healthcare costs, less absenteeism, less employee stress, better work performance and better teamwork. What’s not to love? Social support is a big component, because when colleagues take part in a fitness program and get to interact with each other in a setting apart from the stress of work, they have conversations they may not have had otherwise in the work environment. They boost each others efforts and help hold each other accountable.

When time is of the essence, the easiest strategy is to break down daily exercise into short, frequent stints throughout the day. Even 10 minutes, 2 to 3 times a day, can be enough to achieve the significant health benefits from physical activity.

Some very simple, low-maintenance workplace fitness tips:

Encourage walking meetings
Position printers farther from desks
Promote taking the stairs and parking farther away
Set up a company sports team
Encourage employees to take part in a charity fitness challenge
Utilize lunch and work breaks for walks or onsite exercise

Workplace Fitness Programs Lead the Pack as a Popular Employee Perk

Research suggests that exercising during working hours can also pump up work performance. A Leeds Metropolitan University study found that workers who engaged in onsite fitness classes or gym during working hours were more productive, managed their time better, and felt more work satisfaction.

While not every organization can afford to build in-house gyms for their employees, onsite fitness programs are springing up all over the country focusing on corporate fitness. Companies can now employ personal trainers who are experienced in running fitness classes for large or small groups of staff – whether that’s an intensive cardio workout, Zumba dance class, or onsite yoga session. Some companies also offer meditation classes and a gentle introduction to exercise such as an “I don’t really want to sweat” class.

One way to get your company started on the road to fitness is by contacting Body Techniques, a national leader of on-site chair massage therapy, yoga, and a full range of onsite fitness programs that provides employees with onsite access to fitness professionals and a diverse library of workouts for all ages and abilities, including boot camps, Zumba, U-Jam Fitness, Yoga and Pilates. Separate groups from different parts of your organization can work out together, and they can even stage a friendly competition against each other for points and prizes.

Body Techniques has found that programs work best when companies:

Subsidize the full cost of the program. We find these companies view fitness classes as an employee benefit, and as the classes are free to employees, participation is greatly increased.
Have adequate on-site space for the classes. We will conduct classes of any size, provided the company has a fitness-minded culture. Gym equipment is also helpful, but not required.

Forward-thinking companies are demonstrating what science has proven several times: exercising at work, even without sweat, has huge benefits for productivity and employees’ health and is simple to implement. The benefits you will receive from your employees’ improved health and work performance will more than outweigh the cost of providing onsite corporate fitness programs.

Want to learn more about fitness programs?

Click the button below to visit our fitness programs page.

January 3, 2020January 7, 2020

Body Techniques Owner & CEO Austin Lund Profiled by Saint Mary’s College

Recently, Body Techniques Founder and CEO Austin Lund was profiled by Saint Mary’s College of California to highlight his nontradiational path to earning his EMBA with honors. As part of this campaign, Saint Mary’s interviewed Austin and featured him in a promotional video as well as on regional billboards, signage, and on their website. Read his interview here and watch the video below:

Want to learn more about on-site massage?

Click the button below to visit our massage page.