On Workplace Stress: 5 Culture Shifts Employers Can Make to Help Employees Manage Overwork and Overwhelm

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Stress is a common experience in today’s fast-paced work environment, and it’s no secret that it can take a toll on both employees and employers. As the workplace has gone “back to normal” in many ways here in 2023, a new study from The Hartford found that a majority of workers (84%) indicate they are at least somewhat happy at work, despite the continued overall presence of burnout across the workforce.

It is essential for leadership teams, including CEOs, human resources managers, and chief people officers to implement practices that help manage overwork and overwhelm within their organization. This includes employee benefits programs that truly cater to the needs of today’s workforce.

 

Here are some ideas that can shape a healthier workplace environment where employees’ needs are met and where they are encouraged to thrive.

 

Foster a Positive Work Environment, Starting with the Basics

A positive work environment can go a long way in reducing stress and promoting wellbeing. This can include creating a culture of open communication, recognizing employee achievements, and providing opportunities for professional growth and development. When employees feel valued and supported, they’re more likely to be engaged and productive at work.

Promote Healthy Habits

Healthy habits such as regular movement, eating a balanced diet, and engaging in personal growth and development can help employees manage stress and improve their overall wellbeing. Attention to the many dimensions of wellbeing can also help boost relationships with co-workers, creating a more connected work environment.

As a human resources manager or employee benefits manager, you can promote healthy habits by offering holistic wellness programming as well as incentives for employees who participate in wellness-promoting activities.

Provide Resources for Mental Health Support

Mental health is a crucial component of overall well-being, and it’s essential to provide resources for employees who need support. This can include access to an employee assistance program (EAP), mental health counseling, or mindfulness-based stress reduction programs. Within the realm of holistic wellness programming, consider meditation and breathwork offerings that allow employees to rest their minds, and wellness webinar topics that validate issues employees are experiencing. By providing resources for mental health support, you’re showing employees that you care about their wellbeing and that it’s okay to ask for help when they need it.

Encourage Time Off

One of the best ways to manage overwork and overwhelm is to encourage employees to take time off. This can include vacation time, personal days, or mental health days. Many employees feel guilty about taking time off, even when they need it. Encouraging time off not only helps employees recharge but also shows that your organization values work-life balance. When it comes to holistic wellness programming, offering on-demand content that employees can choose to engage with during their time off is one way to maximize benefits for both employers and employees.

Implement Flexible Schedules

Flexible schedules can help employees manage their workload and balance their personal and professional responsibilities. This can include options such as working from home, flexible hours, or compressed workweeks. The Hartford’s study found that although many employees believe their employees would want to work remotely full-time if allowed, only 21% of U.S. workers say they prefer this. When employees have more control over their schedules, they’re less likely to feel overwhelmed and more likely to be productive.

 

In Conclusion

Managing the effects of overwork and overwhelm is essential for maintaining a healthy and productive workplace and avoiding burnout. As corporate leadership, it’s essential to implement practices that promote work-life balance, support mental health, and foster a positive work environment. By doing so, you’ll not only help your employees manage stress, but you’ll also create a culture that values wellbeing and productivity, which is rapidly becoming the “new normal”.

 

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Urban Balance is the premier provider of comprehensive on-site corporate wellness services including massage in the Portland, Oregon metro area and offers virtual workplace wellness programming worldwide. We deliver livestream and on-demand classes, webinars, and special events to the workplace environment for happier employees and a healthier bottom line.

 

Browse our virtual wellness services catalog with offerings including yoga, Pilates, Tai Chi, Zumba, HIIT, Barre Sculpt, meditation, nutrition, learning opportunities, and more.

Discover the benefits of the Urban Balance on-demand video library, a workplace wellbeing solution with 350+ holistic wellness classes. Includes membership options for companies and individuals.

Virtual Workplace Wellness Retreats: A Welcome Addition to Today’s Hybrid Workplace

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As we settle into the new era of hybrid workplaces, it’s more important than ever to prioritize employee wellbeing. The pandemic has forced us to adapt to a new way of working, blurring the lines between work and personal life. This has resulted in an increased risk of burnout and mental health issues. HR professionals have the responsibility to ensure that employees are happy, healthy, and engaged in their work. One way to achieve this through your company’s employee wellness strategy is to consider offering virtual workplace wellness retreats.

A recent survey of 3,400 people across 10 countries conducted by the Workforce Institute at UKG found that 43% of employees are “often” or “always” exhausted after the workday, and 78% say that stress negatively impacts their work performance. What’s more, work stress carries over from the workday impacting employees’ home life (71%), wellbeing (64%), and relationships (62%). Employees across the spectrum are feeling these impacts, from those with less seniority on up through management.

What we know is that holistic workplace wellness offerings can help employees decrease stress and anxiety, sharpen focus and mental clarity, and improve their confidence and happiness at work.

In this blog post, we will explore the role that virtual workplace wellness retreats in countering stress and burnout in the hybrid workforce and how Urban Balance’s offerings can support your organization.

 

What are Virtual Workplace Wellness Retreats?

While there are many possible ways to structure a virtual retreat, these events are often best implemented over the course of one day or multiple, providing employees with a designated, uninterrupted space set work aside and focus on self-care. Virtual wellness retreats can include a variety of holistic wellness classes and webinars including yoga, movement, meditation, nutrition, wellness self-care with opportunities for employees to rest, unwind, learn new things, and build camaraderie through something other than work. The best part? They’re fully customizable to meet the needs of your unique employees.

Improved Employee Well-being

Virtual workplace wellness retreats offer a unique opportunity for employees to focus on their physical, mental, and emotional health. Employees will walk away with self-care tools they can build into their daily routine along with a sense of nourishment and refreshment. By prioritizing their wellbeing, employees can reduce stress levels, improve sleep quality, and feel better overall.

Enhanced Team Building

Virtual workplace wellness retreats provide an opportunity for employees to connect with one another while having a shared experience in a supportive environment. By participating in classes together, employees can build stronger relationships and foster a sense of community within the organization. This can lead to improved collaboration, communication, and teamwork in the workplace.

Increased Employee Engagement

Offering virtual workplace wellness retreats can increase employee engagement and motivation. When employees feel valued and supported by their organization, they are more likely to be invested in their work and the success of the company. Virtual workplace wellness retreats provide a welcome opportunity for employees to take a break from their daily routines and focus on self-care. This can lead to increased motivation, productivity, and overall job satisfaction.

Reduced Absenteeism and Healthcare Costs

By investing in the health and well-being of your employees through special offerings like retreats, you can reduce absenteeism and healthcare costs. Employees who prioritize their health are less likely to get sick and miss work. Additionally, by promoting wellness practices, you can help prevent chronic health conditions and reduce healthcare costs for your organization.

Improved Employee Morale and Retention

Virtual workplace wellness retreats can improve employee morale and retention. When employees feel supported by their organization and have opportunities to prioritize their well-being, they are more likely to feel satisfied with their job. This can lead to increased employee retention and reduced costs associated with turnover. Urban Balance’s virtual retreats offer a sense of peace and refreshment, promoting a positive workplace culture that can improve employee satisfaction.

Increased Cultural Competency

Virtual workplace wellness retreats can promote cultural competency by exposing employees to diverse wellness practices from around the world. By incorporating practices such as yoga and meditation from different cultures, employees can gain a better understanding of and appreciation for diverse perspectives. This can lead to a more inclusive workplace culture and improved relationships between employees from different backgrounds.

 

In conclusion, virtual workplace wellness retreats provide a unique opportunity to promote employee well-being and improve organizational outcomes. By improving employee well-being, enhancing team building, increasing employee engagement, reducing absenteeism and healthcare costs, improving employee morale and retention, and promoting cultural competency, virtual workplace wellness retreats can have a positive impact on your organization. Urban Balance’s fully customizable virtual retreat experiences offer a range of classes and activities tailored to the unique needs of your employees. Our goal is to help employees make their work life feel more sustainable, and for them to leave with a sense of peace and refreshment.

 

Contact us to schedule a retreat for your employees today and discover the benefits for yourself!
Ask us about our newest virtual retreat packages for 2023 including the Compassion Mini-Retreat, Half-day Virtual Retreat, Full-day Embodied Wisdom Retreat, and 6-hour Leadership/Management Virtual Retreat.

 

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Urban Balance is the premier provider of comprehensive on-site corporate wellness services including massage in the Portland, Oregon metro area and offers virtual workplace wellness programming worldwide. We deliver livestream and on-demand classes, webinars, and special events to the workplace environment for happier employees and a healthier bottom line.

Browse our virtual wellness services catalog with offerings including yoga, Pilates, Tai Chi, Zumba, HIIT, Barre Sculpt, meditation, nutrition, learning opportunities, and more.

Discover the benefits of the Urban Balance on-demand video library, a workplace wellbeing solution with 350+ holistic wellness classes. Includes membership options for companies and individuals.

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5 Reasons to Include Employee Wellness Webinars in your Workplace Wellness Strategy

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The ongoing strain on employees’ mental health and sense of psychological safety at work is taking an enormous toll on today’s workforce. According to Gallup’s State of the Global Workplace 2022 Report, based on surveys which were conducted in 2021 and released in June of this year, employee stress and detachment at work remain at an all-time high, second only to the results of the same Gallup surveys done in 2020.

Among the shifts needed to improve these circumstances, employees need to know their employer is well-attuned to their individual needs and is dependable in supporting them. This support is essential because while many employees know they would be well-served to engage in activities that support their overall wellbeing such as movement and exercise, making nourishing food choices, and getting quality sleep, the demands of work ultimately pull them away from their goals.

Some employees can become addicted to busyness, stress, achievement, and people-pleasing without recognizing it. The urge to stay busy at the expense of wellbeing can even be a trauma response in some individuals. The pull toward stress and overwork becomes even harder to break away from in workplaces where external validation for these tendencies is everywhere.

With all of this being the case, there is a need for employee benefits teams to skillfully curate programming that is creative, varied, offered consistently, and is relevant to employees’ current needs. One approach HR managers, wellness coordinators, and employee benefits professionals can take is to offer regular employee wellness webinars, which introduce important topics related to holistic wellbeing and can help bridge the gap between where employees are across the dimensions of wellbeing, and where they want to be.

Here are 5 top benefits of offering employee wellness webinars:


They are a convenient type of programming for today’s hybrid workers.

In hybrid workplaces, employee wellness webinars hold a similar space to lunch & learn sessions, only they are delivered virtually and thus, can be accessed no matter where your team is working.

They help integrate health and wellness habits into the company culture.

Consistently offering webinars inspires the adoption of healthy habits and curiosity about new avenues for growth. Both employees and management might consider ways to integrate the information, not only personally, but companywide.

They promote mental health and wellbeing in the workplace through engagement around holistic topics.

Uniting employees around the common goal of improved wellbeing empowers everyone involved and can help to jump-start conversations around supporting mental wellbeing on both a personal and organizational level. With so much uncertainty, change and trauma in the world, which is not separate from our workplaces, ongoing support for mental wellbeing will remain essential.

They encourage employees to build self-awareness and accountability.

Whether live and interactive or on-demand, wellness webinars give employees space to reflect on how the topic relates to their current life and start asking questions. What might they add to or let go of in their life? What shifts in thinking are necessary? What support might they ask for from their boss or their peers? Holistic employee wellness webinars can create an opening for this type of inquiry.

They include practical takeaways employees can implement in their everyday lives.

By engaging with webinar topics in the group format, employees will pick up new tools and ideas they can integrate into their regular routine. They will also gain insight into challenges their co-workers might be facing, which can lead to increased empathy.

In summary:

Incorporating employee wellness webinars into your corporate wellness plan can help your company create a culture shift that puts employees first and gives rise to a new standard of employee wellbeing.

 

Employee Wellness Webinars with Urban Balance

Guided by wellness professionals who are skilled at holding space and normalizing the many different employee experiences related to the topic at hand, our presenters encourage participation while inspiring comfort in their audiences.

When you work with us as a wellness webinar provider, you can schedule a single webinar, or a bundle of 3 or 6 for added impact. View all of our bundle and program options here.

These may be offered via livestream presentation, with or without a recording. Both are great options for those looking for an interactive group activity. Webinars are also available via on-demand video giving employees the convenience of being able to view at any time.

Want an expanded, yet flexible learning experience?

Consider an on-demand wellness webinar series. We’ll work with you to curate an impactful array of webinars that meet employees where they are to inspire learning and growth.

Browse a wide array of topics related to general holistic wellbeing, financial wellbeing, and environmental wellbeing, then contact us to get started!

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Urban Balance is the premier provider of comprehensive on-site corporate wellness services including massage in the Portland, Oregon metro area and offers virtual workplace wellness programming worldwide. We deliver livestream and on-demand classes, webinars, and special events to the workplace environment for happier employees and a healthier bottom line.

Browse our virtual wellness services catalog with offerings including yoga, Pilates, Tai Chi, Zumba, HIIT, Barre Sculpt, meditation, nutrition, learning opportunities, and more.

Discover the benefits of the Urban Balance on-demand video library, a workplace wellbeing solution with 350+ holistic wellness classes. Includes membership options for companies and individuals.

7 Wellness Services to Integrate into Corporate Meetings and Events

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Does your organization have a conference, training, or all-company meeting coming up? Promote workplace wellbeing by adding holistic corporate wellness services to the agenda.

Including wellness services in these types of events provides attendees with opportunities to rest, digest, and re-energize, striking a balance between work and self-care within an otherwise busy event schedule. Services like yoga & movement, meditation & breathwork, and massage can help attendees move through the day feeling more focused, centered, and engaged. This helps to ensure they get the most out of the experience and increases the likelihood your company can call the event a success.

There are many ways to incorporate holistic wellness services into events, but the best strategy is to make sure the offerings are relevant to what employees or attendees really need. Important topics in corporate wellness right now include employee mental health, the role of exercise in mental wellbeing, creating a culture of belonging and care at work, and recovering from and preventing burnout.

The following holistic corporate wellness services make a powerful addition to both virtual and in-person events:

  • Keynote Speakers
    Conferences and meetings revolve around business needs, but they are also about human connection. Create a culture of wellbeing within your event by inviting speakers who motivate and inspire on topics related to employee wellbeing.
  • Chair Yoga
    Chair yoga pairs well with many different corporate events, especially those where attendees are sitting in an event room for extended periods of time without much space to move around, or they are attending virtually and are glued to their screens for hours on end. No special props or clothing are required for chair yoga. Attendees may practice just as they are.
  • Breathwork & Meditation
    Even a minute or two of conscious breathing has been shown to create a measurable increase in focus, concentration, and an overall sense of wellbeing. Bring in a meditation teacher to guide attendees through a simple, yet profound experience of noticing their breath and feeling into the present moment.
  • Mindfulness Talks & Guided Meditation
    Mindfulness talks and meditation sessions make a nice addition to the start or end of a meeting or even a midday break. These offerings help attendees move into a more relaxed, cooperative headspace and feel more connected with the present moment so they can engage meaningfully throughout the day.
  • Wellness Webinars
    Hosting a virtual event? Wellness webinars make a terrific addition to the day. No matter where employees are attending from, they can tune in and explore wellness topics designed to enhance their life, from living more simply and creating healthy habits to recovering from burnout.
  • Nutrition Talks
    Help attendees make sound nutritional choices both during the event and in their daily lives with nutrition talks. Led by certified nutritionists, these webinar-style presentations are packed with nutrition facts, insights, and tips to educate employees while empowering them to make skillful dietary choices.
  • Chair Massage
    Bring in massage therapists to offer chair massage to attendees in short intervals. A long-time staple in the landscape of corporate wellness offerings, chair massage is known to benefit busy professionals in a variety of ways. It can reduce stress, enhance circulation, boost the immune system, relieve pain, and even act as a mood-booster.

Work with True Wellness Professionals

When choosing workplace wellness vendors for your event, be sure you are collaborating with credentialed professionals who are able to adapt their classes or services to meet the needs of different groups and individuals. The Urban Balance team of wellness providers understands how to adjust their presentation style to match a company’s culture and ensure their classes flow efficiently and effectively.

Interested in planning a virtual wellness retreat, wellness week, or employee health fair? Visit our website to discover our full range of event options.

 

*When working with Urban Balance, on-site services are available in the Portland Metro area only. Virtual events are available worldwide.

 

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Urban Balance is the premier provider of comprehensive on-site corporate wellness services including massage in the Portland, Oregon metro area, and offers virtual workplace wellness programming worldwide. We deliver livestream and on-demand classes, webinars, and special events to the workplace environment for happier employees and a healthier bottom line.

Browse our virtual wellness services catalog with offerings including yoga, Pilates, Tai Chi, Zumba, HIIT, Barre Sculpt, meditation, nutrition, learning opportunities, and more.

Discover the benefits of the Urban Balance on-demand video library, a workplace wellbeing solution with over 350+ holistic wellness classes. Includes membership options for companies and individuals.

6 Ways to Improve Sleep Hygiene for Quality Rest

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Sleep plays a significant role in both physical and mental health, but research makes it clear that Americans struggle to get quality sleep. In fact, according to the CDC, one third of US adults report that they usually get less than the recommended amount of sleep.

Also according to the CDC, getting poor quality sleep on a regular basis or less than the recommended amount of sleep is linked with a wide range of common health conditions including type 2 diabetes, heart disease, obesity, and depression.

It is widely documented that stress, the chronic type that is highly prevalent in the workplace, is one of the leading sleep disruptors.

Feeling sleepy in the office while sitting in front of the computer is one thing, but in industries and workplace settings including warehouses, construction sites, airports, and manufacturing, physical safety is of the utmost importance. In these settings, the National Safety Council (NSC) points out that workplace fatigue can contribute to bottom-line issues like worker absenteeism, poor performance at work, occupational injuries, and accidents, and even offers a calculator for organizations to estimate the cost of sleep deficiency on their operations.

So, what measures can companies take to help stressed employees improve their sleep habits (often referred to as sleep hygiene)? Or perhaps as you are reading this, you have realized that you are ready to make some changes to your own sleep habits?

Here are a few tips to share or apply yourself:

1. Reduce stress – According to medical professionals, high levels of stress hormones in the body can impact how long it takes to fall asleep or may prevent sleeping through the night. Sleep loss itself can also trigger the stress response, only prolonging the cycle. So, it stands to reason we can benefit from bringing our stress level down.

One place to start is being sure to engage in physical activity each day, even if it’s just a short walk, yoga practice, or higher intensity exercise in the form of HIIT routines you can do at home. Exercise increases endorphins (feel-good hormones) while reducing stress hormones, which together help support relaxation.

There are countless stress reduction tools out there. It is likely your employer even offers some through a corporate wellness program provider. If you haven’t recently, be sure to review your company’s employee wellness benefits package to see what may already be available.

If you need some inspiration, Urban Balance’s on-demand class library is a great holistic wellness resource both for companies and individuals seeking guidance with their routine.

2. Develop a consistent sleep schedule – As the proverb “early to bed, early to rise” has long encouraged us, it is beneficial to go to bed at the same time each night and wake up at the same time each morning. Any early riser would agree that having a fixed wakeup time builds the body’s desire for sleep at the end of the day, making it easier to rest and begin the next day’s cycle.

3. Make sure your bedroom is dark and cool – Invest in a set of blackout curtains or try sleeping with an eye mask to support your body’s internal clock. The absence of light signals the brain that it’s time to sleep. Adjust the room temperature – conventional wisdom suggests between 60-67 degrees Fahrenheit is optimal.

4. Leave ample time to unwind at the end of the day – Turn off screens by at least 30 minutes before bed, do a mediation or some restorative yoga before bed, or settle in with a good book to help your brain unwind.

5. Aim for balanced nutrition – Eat a balanced diet packed with lots of fruits and vegetables, which provides the recommended daily intake of vitamins and nutrients. Eat dinner a few hours before going to bed, as digestion can interfere with sleep. Be sure to watch your caffeine intake throughout the day, as well as alcohol intake – both are stimulants and can interfere with your ability to fall asleep or stay asleep.

6. Make holistic wellness practices a part of your life – There are many holistic wellness practices that promote quality sleep, including chair massage, yoga (especially yin and restorative styles, as well as yoga nidra), meditation, Tai Chi and other styles of movement. These practices promote overall stress reduction, which sets the stage for better quality sleep.

 

If getting a good night’s sleep is a struggle and you’re curious about whether holistic wellness practices like yoga, meditation, and other healing modalities might help you or your employees, don’t hesitate to use us as a resource!

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Urban Balance is the premier provider of comprehensive on-site corporate wellness services including massage in the Portland, Oregon metro area and offers virtual workplace wellness programming worldwide. We deliver livestream and on-demand classes, webinars, and special events to the workplace environment for happier employees and a healthier bottom line.

Browse our catalog of virtual wellness services with offerings including yoga, Pilates, Tai Chi, Zumba, HIIT, Barre Sculpt, meditation, nutrition, learning opportunities, and more.

Discover the benefits of the Urban Balance on-demand video library, a workplace wellbeing solution with over 350+ holistic wellness classes. Includes membership options for companies and individuals.

3 Ways Companies Can Support Employees During Stress Awareness Month

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April is National Stress Awareness Month. Recognized every April since 1992, this month reminds us of the importance of practices that help with stress management. It can serve as a reminder to both employers and individuals that a key part of wellbeing is about finding healthy ways to cope with the natural stressors of life.

We all experience stress, and not all of it is bad. In fact, stress can play a healthy role in our lives by helping us accomplish what we need to each day and encouraging us to take the steps we need in order to grow. But when left unchecked, stress can wreak havoc on our bodies and minds.

Work stress was rising even prior to the pandemic – the average worker knows the truth of this. Gallup reports that over 40% of US and Canadian workers say they are facing unhealthy levels of daily stress on the job. The workers surveyed reported high levels of worry, anger, and sadness. Stressed, disengaged employees create a drag on productivity, innovation, and organizational change.

As employers bring workers back to the office, they must consider how they will help employees navigate work stress. We know the successful companies of the future will thrive not only because they are profitable, but because they are driven by the efforts of healthy, happy, and resilient employees.

Stressed employees are less able to perform the duties required of them at work. Happy, healthy employees who are resilient in the face of stress equate to a healthier bottom line for your business.

So, how can employers recognize and celebrate this important awareness month? Here are 3 wellness offerings companies can make to employees during Stress Awareness Month—and beyond.

Ideas to Help Employees Manage Stress

1. Normalize Taking Breaks for Wellness-related Activities

Make it a part of company culture to build in breaks for movement and holistic wellness activities throughout their week. Encourage this by scheduling weekly fitness & wellness classes held on site or virtually – offer a blend of high-and-low impact classes like yoga, t’ai chi, HIIT, or Pilates. Movement of any kind is one of the greatest stress-busters.

Consider making meditation recordings available so employees can listen on their break or offer workplace wellness webinars on topics directly related to stress management. No matter what the chosen offering, be sure to provide paid time for employees to engage in these activities, as well as encouragement from management to do so.

2. Surprise Employees with a Retreat Day

On-site and virtual wellness retreats are a great way to help employees find balance and connection during their workday. They allow employers to offer variety and versatility while introducing employees to the benefits of building consistent wellness practices. They also help bring employees together in the hybrid workplace where connection with co-workers can be a challenge.

3. Prepare Some Food Together

Yes, you heard that right. Get employees together virtually and make food.

Interactive cooking demos are a great way to connect remote workers and bring them together for something fun. No matter the recipes, cooking and baking help to reduce stress by engaging our senses and bringing us into the present moment. Such classes encourage a balanced approach to nutrition, which supports mental wellbeing, sleep and energy levels throughout the workday, while helping employees exercise more creativity in their own kitchen. These sessions incorporate practical nutritional information employees can customize and implement into their meal and snack planning.

Looking Forward

As employers bring workers back to the office and restart operations under what will become their new normal, they must consider how they will help hybrid workers navigate work stress. The successful companies of the future will thrive not only because they are profitable, but because they are driven by the efforts of healthy, happy, and resilient employees.

Boost Stress-Reduction Offerings with a Corporate Wellness Provider

Looking to strengthen your organization’s employee stress reduction programming? Urban Balance offers an array of classes, workshops and webinars on topics related to stress reduction. Browse our virtual wellness services catalog and get the scoop on our latest employee stress reduction resource, the Urban Balance on-demand class library.

Curious about how we could work together? Contact us to start exploring options.

 

 

Urban Balance is the premier provider of comprehensive on-site corporate wellness services including massage in the Portland, Oregon metro area and offers virtual workplace wellness programming worldwide. We deliver livestream and on-demand classes, webinars, and special events to the workplace environment for happier employees and a healthier bottom line.

Browse our virtual wellness services catalog with offerings including yoga, Pilates, Tai Chi, Zumba, HIIT, Barre Sculpt, meditation, nutrition, learning opportunities, and more.

Discover the benefits of the Urban Balance on-demand video library, a workplace wellbeing solution with over 350+ holistic wellness classes. Includes membership options for companies and individuals.

Why You Should Go on a Wellness Retreat

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Since the onset of the pandemic, more people have begun to develop an appreciation for the role of health and wellbeing in their lives. And, as we move into this next phase of the experience, many are ready to travel, gather, and experience the world again.

It’s no secret: the past couple of years have taken a toll on just about everyone’s sense of wellbeing. For one, maintaining physical wellness has been a challenge for many — getting out into nature, moving your body, breathing well, and eating well, are a few of the keys to thriving in this dimension of wellbeing. It’s also very important to acknowledge how challenging it can be to keep our attention here while living under stressful circumstances.

Mental wellbeing is another dimension of wellbeing that has been hugely impacted. In a recent survey from American Express, 69 percent of respondents said they had experienced mental health impacts from the pandemic, while 76 percent of respondents said they wanted to spend more on travel that put wellbeing at the center of the experience.

Over the past 10-15 years, this trend of seeking out vacations that prioritize relaxation and self-care has led to the rise of an entire industry. Dubbed wellness tourism or wellness travel, this industry boasts a wide array of retreat-like experiences in locations around the world.

Benefits of Wellness Retreats

Some of the most impactful wellness retreats combine multiple dimensions of wellbeing that help to enrich our lives. Offerings might range from yoga and meditation sessions to fitness classes to massage and other spa services. Wellness retreats often give participants a taste of the local cuisine, as well as opportunities to learn about the local culture.

There is typically some space set aside for retreat-goers to step out of the main group to enjoy personal time in nature or take excursions to local attractions of their choice. Such elements help transform a simple trip into a holistic experience. If you’re ready for a reset, here’s why you should make a wellness retreat part of your plan.

Holistic wellness retreats help you:

Nurture your body inside and out
Holistic wellness retreats often include daily movement practices like yoga or Pilates, access to spa services like massage and skincare, and the opportunity to savor delicious local fare. Typically taking place in restful, relaxing environments, holistic wellness retreats support the release of tension and stress in the body and nervous system.

Care for your mind
Mental wellbeing has been a well-documented challenge throughout the pandemic. Reducing your stress level for a few days by participating in a refreshing experience like a wellness retreat can help to shift your outlook amidst the challenges of life, and even boost your optimism.

Eat well
Often, one of the best parts about wellness retreats is the food – especially when it’s locally produced, sustainably grown, and chef-prepared. It’s easy to feel well when eating nutritious, flavorful cuisine. All the more reason to leave the cooking to someone else for a few days!

Connect with others
Wellness retreats are a great place to make new connections and discover new interests as you step out of your daily responsibilities and into a fresh perspective. Show up solo and you might just come away with a new friend.

Step out of your routine

There’s something comforting about our daily routines. They can help us stay focused and steady to ensure we honor our commitments to ourselves and others. Consider setting your routines aside for a time. Doing so can help to widen your perspective and release the stress of your to-do list as you immerse yourself in the present moment experience. When you return home, you might just appreciate your “regular” life and the space your routines hold even more.

Looking for wellness retreats near you?

Googling “wellness retreats near me” will pop up some great options in your local area.

Urban Balance is proud to offer local and international wellness retreats. To see what we have coming up, visit the retreats section of our website. Next up is our Gather Wellness Retreat happening April 22nd-25th at Brasada Ranch near Bend, OR.

Looking for a virtual “getaway” for hybrid employees? We also offer virtual corporate retreats that employees can take part in from any location!

 

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Urban Balance is the premier provider of comprehensive on-site corporate wellness services including massage in the Portland, Oregon metro area and offers virtual workplace wellness programming worldwide. We deliver live and on-demand classes, webinars, and special events to the workplace environment for happier employees and a healthier bottom line.


Browse our catalog of virtual wellness services with offerings including yoga, Pilates, Tai Chi, Zumba, HIIT, Barre Sculpt, meditation, nutrition, learning opportunities, and more.

The Benefits of Live, Ongoing Employee Wellness Classes

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Companies looking for ways to help employees maintain physical health, address mental wellbeing, and build stronger connections with their co-workers have many options to choose from, including wellness apps that provide everything from on-demand content like guided meditations and yoga classes, to biometric tracking.

While these solutions have their benefits, companies that are looking to shift company culture, by taking a holistic approach to employee wellness should consider the benefits of live, ongoing virtual classes aimed at developing the mind-body connection, as well as a sense of connection with co-workers.

This includes offerings such as yoga, Pilates, Tai Chi & Qigong, dance fitness & conditioning (Zumba, Ellové), HIIT (or strength and conditioning formats), and meditation & mindfulness sessions.

With virtual wellness here to stay, here are 5 benefits to adding live, weekly classes into your workplace wellness program.


Employees can join from anywhere

One of the beautiful parts of online classes is that some of the participation issues that arise in on-site wellness classes, such as vacations, business trips, and employees working different shifts, are no longer as much of a barrier to participation. Whether your team is hybrid or fully remote, employees leave for business trips or vacation, or even if they relocate, they can still join their Pilates class or build that regularly scheduled group meditation session into their day. We’ve heard first-hand from employees in our live classes that they enjoy the convenience and flexibility that accompanies such offerings.

Easy implementation

From a business perspective, live, ongoing wellness classes are relatively easy to implement. Once you determine which class to offer and set the schedule, encourage employees to schedule their classes into their calendar. Working with a company that handles the administrative side, including marketing and employee communications, means wellness coordinators can “set it and forget it”.

They provide a built-in space for connection

Live virtual yoga and movement classes offer an element of connection and community that is especially essential with so many employees now working in hybrid or fully remote environments. In addition to interactive and engaging class content, many mind-body wellness instructors, especially those trained to teach yoga & meditation, are skilled at encouraging connection not only through their teaching but in the spaces before and after class.

Having a weekly time and date to attend class vs. participating via recording encourages employees to be consistent and accountable. Knowing there is a live group they’ve committed to provides many people with motivation to stay engaged.

They offer little something for everyone

Many of today’s group fitness and wellness classes include mixed-level instruction, making them appropriate beginners and the more seasoned practitioners alike. In a live setting, teachers build relationships with the employees who come to class regularly and can offer specific instruction based on what they see. In this way, live classes make it easier for teachers to meet employees where they are and to deliver an experience that differs from the on-demand classes.

A connected, engaging solution to employee burnout

Virtual fitness and movement classes help employees to address common physical issues, such as poor posture, stiffness, neck and back pain, as well as the mental stress that comes with working long hours in a hybrid or fully remote work environment. Mindfulness and meditation sessions can also help employees to create space in the course of a stressful day where there otherwise may have been none.

 

 

In Conclusion:
There are benefits to engaging with wellness offerings no matter the frequency, however, based on positive outcomes with our clients, we are strong advocates for weekly, ongoing corporate wellness programming whenever possible.

Live wellness offerings help to bridge the gaps inherent to a distributed workforce. This type of programming encourages consistency, connection, and community, all of which helps employees stay accountable and reach their wellness goals.

Visit our website to learn more about the full array of yoga and movement classes Urban Balance delivers.

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Urban Balance is the premier provider of comprehensive on-site corporate wellness services including massage in the Portland, Oregon metro area, and offers virtual workplace wellness programming worldwide. We deliver livestream and on-demand classes, webinars, and special events to the workplace environment for happier employees and a healthier bottom line.


Browse our catalog of virtual wellness services with offerings including yoga, Pilates, Tai Chi, Zumba, HIIT, Barre Sculpt, meditation, nutrition, learning opportunities, and more.

 

 

Ways to Boost Mental Fitness in the Workplace

Ways to Increase Mental Fitness in the Workplace

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Have you heard the term “mental fitness” and wondered if it involved lifting tiny weights with your brain? Thankfully it doesn’t, but mental fitness training can enhance our ability to move through many of the challenges we encounter at work and at home – an area where many employees are needing support right now.


What is mental fitness?

Critical to our ability to thrive and reach our full potential, mental fitness can be defined as a state of emotional and psychological well-being in which we are in touch with how we think, feel and act. Just like physical fitness, mental fitness is something we can all strengthen and improve over the course of our lives. There is an array of skills, lifestyle habits, and practices that can help boost our mental fitness and increase resiliency so we can manage stress and cope with challenges.


What does being mentally fit look and feel like?

A few common indicators include:

  • A positive sense of how we think, feel, and behave
  • Living in the present moment more of the time
  • Resiliency in dealing with stressors as they arise
  • Experiencing flow states more of the time
  • Laser-focused attention and a clearer mind
  • Clarity about who you are and how you want to be
  • Eagerness to take on new challenges and show up in your life
  • Ability to creatively problem-solve

What are some ways to increase mental fitness?

Meditate or otherwise practice mindfulness
Meditation and mindfulness practices encourage relaxation as you engage in contemplation. Regular meditation may increase your ability to focus, decrease anxiety, and help you approach life with greater intention.

Look at your “information diet”
Pay attention to what types of media you’re consuming on a regular basis. What is the overall quality of your “diet”? Notice the quality of thoughts that are flowing through your consciousness each day. Kinder, more compassionate thoughts help to develop a more optimistic mindset which in turn supports positive action.

Focus on Nutrition
It’s hard to focus or feel mentally engaged when our bodies aren’t getting enough nutrients. While there is no one-size-fits-all diet to follow as each body has different needs, concentrate on eating a wide array of nutritious foods and eat for brain health whenever possible.

Maintain physical fitness
A healthy body supports a healthy mind. There have been many studies done that show the positive impact of exercise on mental health, including this one. If your mind is feeling dull or on the other side of the spectrum, chaotic, getting out and moving can work wonders, often in a short amount of time.

Improve Sleep Hygiene
Consider your sleep habits. What is your caffeine and water intake like throughout the day? Do you have a routine in place like reading or meditating to help you wind down before bed? These can all impact the quality of our sleep.

Mental Fitness Training Programs
Mental fitness programming is one of the many ways companies can demonstrate care for their employees’ mental well-being. In fact, formal brain training/mental fitness programs have become quite a trend in the last few years and with the widespread increase in demand for mental well-being programming in the corporate wellness landscape, these programs definitely have their place.

Urban Balance offers one such program called Positive Intelligence. In this 8-week course, employees learn to identify, recognize and intercept thoughts, habits, and patterns that no longer serve them. The practices offered within the program simultaneously activate and strengthen the region of the brain that supports highly effective stress-free performance and optimal response.

To enroll yourself or a group of employees in the next session of this widely-acclaimed professional development course starting in January, please contact us for full details.

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Urban Balance is the premier provider of comprehensive on-site and virtual corporate wellness services in Portland, Oregon. We deliver yoga, Pilates, meditation, massage, nutrition and learning opportunities to the office environment for happier employees and a healthier bottom line.

Check out our catalog of Virtual Wellness Services here.

Stress: The Good, The Bad, and How to Navigate it at Work

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Stress is a given in our modern lives. We can’t escape it fully – nor would that necessarily be a good thing. Though it gets a pretty bad rap, some stress can actually be beneficial in helping us to move forward and grow in life.

Regardless of how it’s classified, stress is our body’s way of responding to a demand or threat. In the presence of the stressor, the body kicks into what’s known as “fight or flight” mode, or the “stress response”.

The Types of Stress

We’ll start with Distress — the “bad stress”. Perhaps the most widely-recognized type of stress, it’s the kind that, especially when chronic, can lead to major health issues including heart disease, high blood pressure, and diabetes. It can also exacerbate mental health conditions including anxiety and depression. Distress may be triggered by a variety of factors including the death of a loved one, relationship issues/divorce, isolation, financial issues, sleep problems, or simply working too much.

Then, we have Eustress – the “good stress”. It’s the type that inspires, motivates, and ultimately, it’s what helps us feel alive. Read more