The Ultimate Guide to A Healthy Workday: Part 1

As a working professional, it can admittedly be very difficult to manage your health.  With long days made even longer by long commutes, it’s easy to feel like your whole day is gone in a flash and your energy with it.  However, there are some steps you can take to be physically and mentally healthier at work.  While you still want to make sure you’re getting in those workouts and eating healthy, these steps are a phenomenal start to living a healthier lifestyle, and they’re all things you can start doing TODAY.

1.   Wake up one hour earlier – Okay, so this one isn’t technically at work.  But it will make a world of a difference to your work life.  Instead of snoozing your alarm up to the last possible second, practice waking up 10, 15, 30 minutes earlier each day until you manage to consistently wake up one full hour earlier than you need to each day.  With this hour, you can enjoy an unhurried morning that you can use to have a healthy, filling breakfast, maybe sneak in a quick workout, and enjoy some time to yourself to practice mindfulness.  This will start your day on the right note instead of on a rushed and stressed note.

2.   Pack your lunch – Not only will this save you tremendous amounts of money in the long run, but it’s also the easiest meal to prepare for, and will take away the temptation to order unhealthy fast food.  Making a protein-packed sandwich with a side of fruits and veggies the day before will take you maybe 15 minutes but it will save you money, calories, and time at work.  By not going out to buy lunch you’re free to enjoy your healthy lunch at your leisure, maybe outside in the fresh air.

3.   Practice mindfulness – This one doesn’t need much of an explanation.  The workplace is often associated with stress and hours spent zoning out in front of your computer.  By practicing mindfulness, you can calm your mind and become not only more present, but also more productive.  Here are some mindfulness ideas specific to the workplace.

In the coming week, practice these tips and pay attention to how much better you feel.  By the way, if you’re not sure how to practice mindfulness, let us help you.  We have a great mindfulness class we offer through our corporate wellness program that will leave you with tips you can do all day.

#healingshandsmiami, #therapeuticmassage, #corporatewellness, #massage, #wellness, #servicespotlight, #healthylifestyle, #mindfulness

The Freedom To Be Healthy

Happy 4^th of July!  In between all the many festivities today and this weekend, don’t forget to pause and take a moment to really think about what the occasion celebrates.  This is a good opportunity to practice mindfulness.  BE IN THE MOMENT.  Really appreciate everything you have, as we are incredibly lucky to live in a country that allows us so much freedom.

Think about it: we get to choose who we are, and how we live.  Our passion here at Healing Hands is wellness, so we wanted to take a moment to remind you today that being healthy is a CHOICE, and it’s one that you can make every day.  Luckily, you live in the USA, which means you get to do so freely.

Don’t get me wrong, we’re not saying you should skip the burger at your weekend cookout and go for a salad instead.  Quite the opposite, actually.  Today, you get to CHOOSE to have that burger, because having a great time with friends and family over the long weekend and making memories are worth a few extra calories.  And tomorrow, you get to choose again.  And the day after that!  You have the freedom to make your own choices – healthy and unhealthy.

This weekend is a celebration of independence and freedom.  That is no small thing.  So, we wanted to take a moment to pause and be thankful for our freedom to choose, and our freedom to look after our mental, physical, and spiritual health in whatever way we see fit.  We hope you do so as well.

As always, if you want to take a first step towards a healthier you, we are here to help.  From all of us at Healing Hands, happy 4^th of July!

#healingshandsmiami, #therapeuticmassage, #corporatewellness, #massage, #wellness, #independenceday, #mindfulness, #holiday, #julyfourth, #4thofjuly

Three Reasons Why Office Yoga Works

Happy [almost] July!  As the "dog days of summer" approach, and we’re all experiencing the summer slump, we thought it would be a good idea to remind you of a little trick we have up our sleeve that helps us enjoy work refreshed and rejuvenated in both our minds and bodies: office yoga.

Here’s the thing: regular yoga is amazing already.  But yoga at work?  Now that’s a powerhouse of benefits that goes well beyond your evening or weekend yoga class.  The yoga we provide through our corporate wellness program is specific to the workplace, meaning it focuses on techniques you can implement even while sitting at your desk.

So why do office yoga?  Because it works.  And here’s why:

1.    It just might be more fun than regular yoga – yes.  Work can be fun!  Think about it: you’re doing an activity that is already relaxing and good for you.  Except now you’re doing it around people you already know.  This means you’ll instantly feel more comfortable and be able to relax and ask questions.  This way you’ll get even more out of office yoga than you would out of a regular class.

2.    Office yoga leaves you refreshed – a good instructor will focus on relieving tightness from areas that receive overuse during the workday, and strengthening muscles that don’t get enough use.  By learning to engage and strengthen your core through techniques that can be used even at your desk, and stretching hamstrings that become tight after several hours of sitting, you are more likely to feel refreshed at the end of a workday instead of tight and tired.

3.   It reduces stress and increases focus – and keep in mind that a happier and more productive you is going to look a whole lot better come promotion season than a tired and unfocused you!  Studies show that brief distractions from a task can actually improve focus on said task.  What better way to distract yourself for a little while than doing something your body will thank you for?

We know (and your employer knows) you already take breaks from work.  Let us help you level up those breaks through our office yoga program.  Talk to your employer about bringing us in today!

#healingshandsmiami, #therapeuticmassage, #corporatewellness, #massage, #wellness, #servicespotlight, #healthylifestyle, #yoga

The Summer Slump..and How to Beat it

Happy first week of Summer!  Here begin the months of daydreaming about vacations (and hopefully taking a few as well), along with the accompanying decline in productivity.  This phenomenon is known as the “summer slump”.  

Check out this infographic created by Grasshopper that breaks down exactly how the summer months affect employees and their productivity.  25% of office workers across the U.S. feel significantly more unproductive during the summer months as a result of office temperature, lack of vacation, and summer distractions.  Perhaps this can be attributed to years of our school system conditioning us to expect THREE WHOLE MONTHS of vacation a year, and then entering the real world to find out we get a grand total of ten days (on average).

Here are some ways to get around the dreaded summer slump:

1.    Control your work space temperature - If you can, of course.  While too hot of a temperature will definitely lead to a decline in productivity, so will freezing cold cubicles.  During the summer, many offices will overcompensate with their indoor temperatures to combat the outdoor heat, which results in freezing, unproductive employees.  The United States Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety & Health Administration recommends a temperature range of 68°F to 76°F.  Fun fact: the indoor thermal comfort regulations are based on a male’s average metabolic rate and overestimates a female’s, resulting in females being colder in the same temperature.  So make sure to tell your boss to take everyone into account!

2.    Exercise - We know that exercise can improve your concentration and has a whole host of other mental benefits (in addition to the obvious physical ones).  However, studies have shown that employees who exercise at work manage their time better and feel more productive on the days that they do.  So if you’ve got a way to exercise at work, do it.  If not, talk to us about our corporate wellness exercise programs.

3.    Take time for yourself - Instead of daydreaming of vacations you can’t take, take some time for yourself closer to home!  Mediate, get a massage, spend an evening alone binging on your favorite TV show, you name it!

This summer, let us help you beat the summer slump.  We may not be able to control your office temperature, but we absolutely can help you with exercising and taking time for yourself.

#healingshandsmiami, #therapeuticmassage, #corporatewellness, #massage, #wellness, #summer, #office, #vacation

The ROI of Corporate Wellness

Corporate wellness programs can be summed up as programs implemented by employers to increase employee satisfaction, health, and engagement.  Healthcare.gov defines a wellness program as “a program intended to improve and promote health and fitness that’s usually offered through the workplace, although insurance plans can offer them directly to their enrollees.”

There are several options for what an effective corporate wellness can include.  Incentives for healthy behavior such as cash rewards or paid time off, discounted or free gym memberships, healthier food options at work, or access to exercise classes/wellness programs at work (which is where we come in, by the way).

But are corporate wellness programs beneficial for employers?  Well, take a look at Johnson & Johnson.  They enjoy a strong return on investment from their employee wellness program; about $1.88-$3.92 saved for every dollar spent on the program through lower employee medical costs.  Meaning, there has been up to a 300% return on investment.  Those are massive returns.  

One study also showed that employees who participated in a health promotion program at work and reaped the lifestyle improvements regained an average of 10.3 hours in additional productivity annually and saved their companies an average of $353 per person per year in productivity costs compared to non-participants.

Not only are there implied savings through a workplace wellness program, but there are also associated tax benefits.  On the federal level, employee wellness programs are deductible as a business expense.  While there has been talk of implementing a federal tax credit, some states have already done so.  Massachusetts, Kentucky, and Indiana already employ a version of a tax credit for employee wellness programs.  In addition, there are even small company grants available to implement wellness programs for companies with less than 100 employees who work more than 25 hours a week!  For more detailed tax information, check out this website.

As an employer, the numbers speak for themselves: corporate wellness programs work.  Even under a triple bottom line approach, CW programs are a no-brainer as they satisfy not only financial but social concerns as well in the workplace.  As an employee, we’ve just presented you with a strong case to make to your employer to bring one of our corporate wellness programs to your company.  Take action!  And don’t forget to let us know in the comments how you’re helping your workplace stay healthy.

#healingshandsmiami, #therapeuticmassage, #corporatewellness, #massage, #wellness, #servicespotlight, #healthylifestyle, #money, #savings

Men’s Health Month

Happy Sunday!  It’s officially June, which means it’s Men’s Health Month.

The purpose of Men’s Health Month is to heighten the awareness of preventable health problems and encourage early detection and treatment of disease among men and boys.  This initiative is anchored by a congressional health program, while the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' Office on Women’s Health sponsors a women’s health week in May.  –Wait a minute…men get the entire month of June and women get a single week in May…?  That may be a little uneven, but that’s a talk for another day…just sayin’.

On average, men die younger than women, are less likely to be insured, and die at higher rates from nine of the top 10 causes of death.  In fact, significantly more men die of cancer, ischemic heart disease, and suicide.  The top cancer among men in the U.S. is Prostate cancer.  More than 170,000 men a year are diagnosed, and about 30,000 a year die from prostate cancer.  While there genetic factors that contribute to someone’s tendency to develop these conditions, there are also things that are under your control that can influence your susceptibility.

General self-care like maintaining a healthy diet and a regular physical activity regimen can go a long way to preventing heart disease, cancer, depression, and a number of other factors that lead to the top 10 causes of death.  Also important?  You guessed it, massage!  Here’s how: we’ve mentioned several times that massage has numerous health benefits like reducing blood pressure and easing depression.  These conditions are often the precursors to some of the causes of death previously mentioned like cardiac disease and suicide.  See?  It’s all interrelated when it comes to your health. 

This June, let that special man in your life (father, son, husband, mailman, etc.) know that you care about their health, and they should too (not-so-fun fact: men visit health care providers at lower rates than women).  Give the gift of health with a gift certificate for one of our massages today!

#healingshandsmiami, #therapeuticmassage, #corporatewellness, #massage, #wellness, #menshealth, #healthylifestyle, #holiday

Corporate Wellness Services and Their Effects on Employee Stress

We all know that a relaxing massage is great for lowering stress, but how great would it be to get a massage with the goal to reduce stress while at work?  Enter our corporate wellness services!  They are proven to reduce stress and are designed to be efficient and effective.  We know you’re busy, but we want to help you be relaxed and better focused while you’re busy.  Here are some highlights that demonstrate just some of the effects on employees our corporate services can bring:

Chair massage

Again, it’s no secret that massages alleviate stress.  But while at work you probably don’t have an hour to spend splurging on a massage.  Good news, studies have found that even a brief 15-minute chair massage during work hours (ahem, we have that covered) once a week can lower stress.

Mindfulness Meditation 

Evidence suggests that MBIs (mindfulness-based interventions) are an alternative method of improving workplace performance and environment.  This study found that a 6 week long mindfulness training course improved attention at work, decreased work-life conflict, and even improved job satisfaction.  This suggests that our mindfulness meditation sessions might be a great option for long-term employee satisfaction and even a tool for stress reduction!

Yoga

This study examined a group of government office workers in Great Britain and found that the group that was instructed to perform yoga exercises for 50 minutes a week experienced not only less stress, but much less back pain, greater concentration, more peace of mind, and even increased confidence.  Seems like a win-win to me!

Pilates and Zumba

This study on the relative benefits of cardiovascular and resistance exercise to reduce work place burnout reports that “after four weeks of exercise participants had greater positive well-being and personal accomplishment, and concomitantly less psychological distress, perceived stress, and emotional exhaustion.”  Pilates is a form of resistance exercise, and Zumba is a form of cardiovascular exercise.  The result?  A well-rounded exercise program that will help you feel better and more relaxed at work. 

Acupuncture

Check out this blog we wrote all about our acupuncture corporate wellness program.  One of the highlights?  You guessed it: reduced stress.

Healing Hands has a well-rounded and most importantly evidence-based corporate wellness program.  Don’t forget to talk to your employer (or employees) about implementing one or of all our corporate wellness solutions at your institution for skyrocketing productivity, and incredibly reduced stress!

#healingshandsmiami, #therapeuticmassage, #corporatewellness, #massage, #wellness, #servicespotlight, #healthylifestyle, #pilates