Good Business
November 2009
| Workplace Stress Relief: A Top Corporate Issue for the 21st Century by, Kathleen Ammalee Rogers, BSN President, Positive Vision Network |
| Stress is an increasing fact worldwide and demands a new form of health and wellbeing education at work, at home and in our schools. |
Many modern researchers have identified stress as the number one health risk as we move forward in the 21st
century and it has clearly been linked with many of our top health concerns for adults and children: heart disease,
cancer, memory loss, diabetes, obesity, depression, anxiety and sleep disorders. Health care experts estimate that
as much as 80% of illnesses brought into doctors offices are related to stress!
And, this phenomenon is showing up clearly in the workplace. According to studies by the American Psychological
Association stress in the workplace is costing American businesses $300 billion a year in loss of productivity,
absenteeism, turnover and increased medical costs. This is a critical workplace issue.
Why is this happening? We are living in the most amazing times and in
some ways the most demanding times. We have wonderful technologies
and modern conveniences which give us easy access to endless information
and experiences. Now with our incredible technologies, we have lives
with endless opportunities! And with that comes a continuous shower of
information to assimilate and constant demands for response—cell phones,
email, texting , traffic, news media, schedules plus all the daily events of
family life and work.
As we have come to be involved with our technologies for mobility,
speed and volume of living --- we have come to drive ourselves to be like
the machines we love so much. But as stress related conditions mount,
we are reminded: (as disappointing as it may seem) we are not machines. We are actually more like plants which
must be growing in order to thrive, and, thus we need to learn new Inner Fitness skills to balance our lives and
ourselves and to flourish in this high tech age.
It is an inevitable and natural progression. Increasingly the
research shows us that our modern task is to learn how to enjoy the
fast paced expansive volume of living available to us at both work and
at home and to keep ourselves healthy and thriving. In essence, we
are catching up with ourselves after a cultural leap forward. We
are bringing ourselves back into balance.
Business leaders have a vital role in this very important process. Because individuals spend such a large portion of
their lives at work, it is a critical arena in which this public education can occur. As leaders and their companies
foster balanced, vibrant work forces with healthy Inner Fitness, they also are contributing to the growth of
successful individuals, families and communities.
Now the question is how can we do this? New Education and New Skills.
Positive Vision Network brings 30 years of professional experience in providing Inner Fitness health and wellbeing
education and mind-body coaching to work places, schools, communities and individuals. Our Workplace Stress
Relief program helps leaders and employees to understand the principles of Inner Fitness and how to stay centered
and balanced---even when the pressure is on. We coach and teach both groups and individuals:
- • Data on Stress emerging as top health issue worldwide in the 21st century.
• Anatomy and physiology of the stress response
• Signs and symptoms of excess stress. Impact on mind, body and emotions.
• Awareness of the three intelligences in dealing with stress: Mind Intelligence,
Emotional Intelligence and Body Intelligence.
• Awareness of personal styles of coping with stress.
• Practice Mind-Body skills for staying centered when stressed.
• Exploring power of positive thinking in stress relief
• Top ten strategies for stress relief at work and at home
• How being centered and positive enhances team performance
• to recognize the early Mind-Body-Emotional signs and symptoms of stress before illness occurs
• to understand their own individual styles for coping with stress
• to learn simple inner awareness skills, positive attitudes and outer behaviors skills to
stay centered, to minimize stress and to maximize health, wellbeing and effective living.
problem solving, creativity, interpersonal communications and relationship building, happiness and effectiveness in
living and working. Individuals who learn these skills are more flexible, positive and effective. This not only
improves their personal experiences, it also provides increased empathy, support and encouragement to those around
them thus creating happier and stronger work teams and families.
As a follow up to this education program, each employee can receive “take home” tools for stress relief:
- • TakeFiveMinutes Power Break Guided Imagery Download (for iPods and computers) for
getting relaxed, centered and focused at work.
• Laminated Desk Top Sheet: Signs of Stress (for Mind, Body and Emotions) and Ten Tools
for Stress Relief NOW
• Inner Peace (DVD) for end of the day Stress Relief at home and with their families. (Winner
of the 2009 Best Inspirational Short Film at the New York International Film and Video Festival.)
• Weekly eNewsletter to continue increasing employee awareness of current research and strategies
for being centered, balanced and healthy at work and at home.
• Online Personal Wellbeing Assessment Tool will allow participants to record daily signs
and symptoms of health or illness along side data recording their use of positive stress relief
tools. Participants will have access to monthly trend reports to see how the new tools
positively affect their health and wellbeing thus strengthening commitment to new habits.
| .. Stress in the workplace is costing American businesses $300 billion a year in loss of productivity, absenteeism, turnover and increased medical costs. |
| In essence, we are catching up with ourselves after a cultural leap forward. We are bringing ourselves back into balance. |
 |  |  |  |  |  |