7 Easy Ways to Create a Zen Office Space

7 Easy Ways to Create a Zen Office Space

What do you think of when you hear the phrase “the modern workplace”? If you’re like a lot of people, it’s probably words like “ultra-connected,” “demanding,” “always on,” or “stressful.” No wonder companies experience such high turnover, low productivity, and burnout. Now imagine a workplace exemplified by the following: Peace. Calm. Tranquility. Focus. A little better, right? That’s the idea behind Zen Office spaces. Source Zen is a Buddhist philosophy that emphasizes meditation, intuition, and tranquility. Zen is also a practice that pulls you out of your routine, and trains you to live less automatically and more mindfully. More and more companies are embracing Zen principles to bring tranquility to their […]

The Pillars of an Effective Workplace Wellness Program via HBR

The Pillars of an Effective Workplace Wellness Program via HBR

Strategically integrated wellness programs have six strong pillars that simultaneously support their success, regardless of the size of the organization. Construct them well, and your institution could see the kinds of big returns that the 10 companies in our sample have garnered. Source: Harvard Business Review 1. Multilevel Leadership Creating a culture of health takes passionate, persistent, and persuasive leadership at all levels—from the C-suite to middle managers to the people who have “wellness” in their job descriptions. It’s easy to find employees who don’t participate in wellness programs. Some cite lack of time, little perceived benefit, or just a distaste for exercise. Others don’t know about available services or blame […]

What’s the Hard Return on Employee Wellness Programs? HBR

What’s the Hard Return on Employee Wellness Programs? HBR

Since 1995, the percentage of Johnson & Johnson employees who smoke has dropped by more than 2/3rds. The number who have high blood pressure or who are physically inactive also has declined—by more than 1/2. That’s great, obviously, but should it matter to managers? Well, it turns out that a comprehensive, strategically designed investment in employees’ social, mental, and physical health pays off. J&J’s leaders estimate that wellness programs have cumulatively saved the company $250 million on health care costs over the past decade; from 2002 to 2008, the return was $2.71 for every dollar spent. Source: Harvard Business Review What Is Workplace Wellness? Our extensive research on workplace wellness […]

Why Sleep is Important

We’re always on the lookout for ways to transform our lives, but sometimes we forget that — along with exercise — there’s another miracle drug within our control: sleep. If you have a few days off over the holidays, one of the best things you can possibly do with your time is work on fixing your sleep habits. Our sleep problems are so bad that the CDC refers to them as «a public health epidemic.»   While a tiny percentage of the population does just fine on little sleep, those people are incredibly rare. Almost half the population doesn’t get enough sleep: 40% of people sleep less than the recommended seven to nine hours a night (teens […]

Air Purifying Plants that Clean Your Office Air

We need fresh air to live a healthy and full life, but it’s fast becoming a luxury. Residents of many major cities around the world are faced with smog and poisonous gases from motor vehicles, fossil fuel based power plants, and factories. The good news is, there is a simple solution you can use at your office or at home to make your air much cleaner. While air purifiers might help, air purifying plants are a great and natural way to clean your air supply. In this article, you’ll learn more about air pollution, its dangers, and how to choose the best air purifying plants that suit your needs. Source The Pollutant Problem According […]

SMART Goals Will Help You Achieve Anything

SMART Goals Will Help You Achieve Anything

“When it is obvious that the goals cannot be reached, don’t adjust the goals, adjust the action steps.” — Confucius  Source Most of us don’t have the slightest clue about how to set goals in a way that will empower and embolden us rather than deter and limit us. We usually have some outlandish abstracts in our mind of what we want to achieve, but we never actually fulfill those fantasies. However, when you set goals the SMART way, you’re far more likely to follow through. If you’ve never heard of SMART goals, then this primer should get you up and running quickly. The SMART method allows you to set your goals so that […]

15 Time Management Tips for Achieving Your Goals

15 Time Management Tips for Achieving Your Goals

The truth is that time is the greatest equalizer in life. No matter who you are, your age, income, gender, race or religion, you have the same amount of time as the next person. Whether you’re filthy rich or dirt poor, your time is the same. It’s not about how much time you have. It’s about how effectively you manage your time. Source: Entrepreneur One of the most effective skills you can have in life is powerful and effective time management. If you’re not managing your time well, there’s no way you’re going to reach your goals at work and the life outside of it. Sure, you might make some progress. But your […]

17 Corporate Wellness Ideas | Nutrition & General Health

17 Corporate Wellness Ideas | Nutrition & General Health

Employee wellness programs globally, have become a staple in many corporations as a way to attract top talent, keep them happy and productive, and decrease employee turnover. More so in Greece, where the financial situation has led to increased pressure while reducing employee benefits overall. But the key to having a successful corporate wellness program is by encouraging overall wellbeing while still keeping it fun. If you can’t get your team engaged then your wellness program ideas will quickly lose steam. So make your initiatives fun, try new ideas and see what your team values the most. Source 1. PROVIDE YOUR EMPLOYEES WITH HEALTHY OFFICE SNACKS Healthy snacks aid in […]

A 3-Step Approach to Handle Flu Season @ Work

A 3-Step Approach to Handle Flu Season @ Work

The winter season in Greece has began and its marking its way with symptoms of cold and flu. Here’s how to keep your workplace healthy — or fight back when something ends up going around. Source: Inc Along with the rain and the cold, the change in time and the sorter day, your employees are probably inadvertently tracking plenty of germs into the office. That’s nasty for them and nasty for you — sick employees are (contagious) unproductive employees. You can’t make it warmer in November so what, if anything, can be done to keep your workplace as healthy as possible?Here is a sensible approach to three key areas. Prevention The […]

6 Yoga Exercises You Won’t Be Embarrassed to Do at Your Desk

6 Yoga Exercises You Won’t Be Embarrassed to Do at Your Desk

Many of us sit behind our desks and stare at computer screens for far too much of the day. Although concentrated work can be beneficial to our jobs, it can be taxing on our bodies. The following yoga exercises will help you relieve any tension you might feel after too many hours of poring over spreadsheets. The poses also provide long-term benefits with regular practice. Each pose takes fewer than two minutes to complete, and you can do the whole series in just 10 minutes—but I promise you’ll feel the effects long after. Source:  Harvard Business Review   Breathe deeply throughout the poses because sending oxygen to your muscles allows […]