Monday is International Yoga Day and we wanted to share the many benefits that yoga can have for you. In March, at Randstad we launched virtual yoga classes for anyone who wanted to participate. Shirley Shivon from 'less is (a)more' came to us live from Italy to provide our employees with 45 minute sessions focussed on Yin Yang flow, with a particular emphasis on breathing and quieting our busy minds.
From stretches that can be incorporated during the working day to focusing on breathing to help quieten our busy minds, read on to find out how yoga and meditation has been proven to benefit you, as well as some small tips to start being more mindful.
reduced stress and anxiety
Taking 30 minutes or so per day to practice stretching, yoga or meditation can help you to manage your stress and anxiety. In fact, studies have shown that the level of cortisol (also known as our stress hormone) is reduced by taking the time to relax, take deep breaths and be in the present.
more focus
Yoga and mindfulness meditation are about learning to take control of your thoughts and be in the present moment. Distracting thoughts can quickly snowball into procrastination, which in turn leads to more stress and anxiety. By practicing yoga and meditation, you can learn to focus on your breath and allow thoughts to come and go while remaining present and focused. This will lead you to be more productive, less stressed and more content.
healthy mind and body
Increased stress levels (or cortisol levels) have been shown to have a negative effect on the immune system. By using yoga and meditation to lower your stress and anxiety levels, you can help your immune system stay healthy. This is in addition to the numerous physical benefits of yoga; including increased muscle strength, bone strength, flexibility and balance.
quick tips and tricks to incorporate into your life
Yoga will take a while to master, but even starting off with 5 minutes of stretching per day can help you get into the habit of taking some time out to focus on your breath and being present. Here are some other quick tips to help you practice mindful techniques and destress your life:
- The moment you find yourself distracted from a task, bring your focus back to your breath to regain that control - then shift the focus back to your task. It’s important not to get angry at yourself for getting distracted and to simply just reset your focus
- It’s easy to forget to be present and mindful. Something as simple as a sticky note on your door as you go to make a cup of coffee can help you remind yourself. Over time, it will become much easier to be present
- Make a habit in the morning of ensuring the first thing you do is not to look at your phone; take 5-10 minutes to stretch and focus on the up and down motion of your breath. These few minutes focussed on being mindful and present will set the tone for the rest of your day and make focussing on tasks much easier - ultimately reducing stress throughout the day.
At Randstad, we’ve taken many steps to address our people’s wellbeing over what has been a very stressful year for most. From our employee assistance program to support our people in their personal and professional lives, our resilient business principles to provide tips and tools for managing workload, through to our new flex@randstad initiative that allows our people to work flexibly - we are always looking for ways to help manage the wellbeing of everyone who works for us.
If you want to work with us at a business that will look after your wellbeing, you can find out more about our careers on the link below.