Bloom Healing Arts Academy founder Tawn Williams

Bloom Healing Arts Academy partners with organizations worldwide to help them develop nurturing workplace cultures

At a time when the mental illness stigma is being turned on its head and people everywhere are clamoring for holistic support resources, one spiritual wellness brand is responding by unveiling a new online wellness platform.

Bloom Healing Arts Academy is a spiritual wellness company that partners with corporations to create a workplace culture of care. Bloom gathers influential instructors from around the world to teach corporate employees sustainable methods of self-healing and self-discovery.

The company’s virtual workshops and classes cover topics ranging from the basics of breathwork to group hypnotherapy, meditation, mindfulness, and how to leverage the laws of energy to find personal and professional success.

Now, the academy is rolling out a new online platform with live and interactive classes. With the platform, companies can provide their employees with access to a portal populated with an array of class options, allowing them to learn on their own time and at their own pace from their favorite instructors.

Bloom Healing Arts Academy was founded by Tawn Williams, a relationship specialist and intuitive healer with a passion for connecting heart-led instructors with anyone seeking healing from past traumas, spiritual alignment, and a deeper sense of purpose.

“Our new virtual platform extends the reach of our amazing team of instructors around the world to touch more people’s lives,” Williams said. “Our goal is to make it easy for companies everywhere to incorporate unique new wellness options they can offer their employees.”

Bloom Healing Arts Academy partners with organizations worldwide to offer employee support resources and services, including retreat planning, virtual and on-site master classes for employees, executive coaching, and more. They also offer corporate consulting services to work with human resources to help companies create authentic wellness experiences for their employees.

Learn more about Bloom Healing Arts Academy at https://www.bloomhealingarts.co. Follow the academy on Instagram at @Bloom.academy.

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Spending all day sitting down can also lead to a range of health problems. According to the British Heart Foundation (BHF), lack of exercise and movement can lead to an increased risk of diabetes, heart and circulatory disease and general poor health.

Cue the ultimate 20-minute office workout – helping you stretch out those neglected muscles. The workout was created in collaboration with celebrity personal trainer James Stirling (also known as London Fitness Guy) and personal trainer Jamie Hartnoll.

As London Fitness Guy says, “While the workout itself will burn calories and improve your fitness, it should be incorporated into the workplace alongside a general ‘health and fitness’ initiative to increase activity levels of employees throughout the day.”

The workout was commissioned by Currys PC World and Fitbit, who teamed up to help bring more movement to your working day.

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The global financial crisis, the resulting meltdown, and the subsequent disruption as financial institutions have by necessity undergone rapid cultural and structural change, have pushed citystress levels into the stratosphere.

Reuters said British banks have cut 186,111 jobs since the 2008 crisis. According to a tally of job warnings since the EU referendum, a hard Brexit could move at least 9,000 financial services jobs out of the UK. Estimates for the impact of Brexit vary but the most sobering is a warning that in total more than 230,000 jobs could be lost
Work-related stress is epidemic. Employees are soldiering on, working long hours with the spectre of long-term staffing culls. Many forward thinking employers are trying to tackle the issue responsibly, adopting comprehensive or full-service wellbeing solutions that include access to counsellors, mental health advice and stress-relieving activities like yoga or gym memberships.

The city has been praised for its’ investments in resilience training and wellness at work initiatives.

There is always room for improvement, but the focus on wellbeing is light years ahead of where it once was. There is, however, a significant taboo that still exits. Stress is a condition that carries a heavy stigma.

YouGov surveyed 20,000 people in work across the UK and found that 77 per cent of employees said they had experienced some kind of mental health problem. Tellingly, 56 per cent said their employers took no mitigating action. Similarly, in a survey among decision makers at financial institutions around 70 per cent said they would not notify their bosses if they had a problem, believing an admission of anxiety or mental health issues could damage their career prospects. Many more cases go unreported. The support systems are in place but attitudes and culture can still seem less than compassionate.

There have also been instances where businesses have had access to all the right tools i.e. the best wellbeing systems such as Employee Assistance Programmes (EAP) systems, private medical insurance, lifestyle assessments, engagement and benefits portals and wearable technologies but have lacked the knowhow to take advantage of them to make a dent on health and wellbeing levels.

It may be as simple as finding ways to improve the levels of staff engagement that could make all the difference. While never straightforward, encouraging better use of an EAP system could provide the necessary access to confidential psychiatric support and face-to-face counselling. Promoting the use of lifestyle assessments are also fantastic motivators for staff to monitor steps, exercise, calories consumed, heart rates and hours slept.

When driven from the top and with an understanding of the importance of an holistic approach to health and wellbeing, the improvements could be life changing.

In one particular case, a wealth management firm in the city decided to embed health and wellbeing within the culture of the company. This resulted in staff engagement in their health and wellbeing benefits increasing from 40 to 70 per cent. At the same time the number of people categorised as at-low-risk of health problems improving from 36 to 57 per cent. Health and wellbeing programmes can have a direct impact on a business, as happy, healthy employees are more productive.
Greater emphasis has been placed on health and wellbeing and mental health in the workplace. As work-related mental health is said to be responsible for more than 24 working days lost per case – making it one of the leading causes of work-related absence – it is not an issue businesses can afford to ignore.

It is vital that employers ensure that they have an effective strategy in place, particularly for mental health and stress. Seek independent advice if necessary. A mental health condition can be classed as a disability if it has a considerable and lasting affect on a person’s capabilities in terms of carrying out day to day activities. If an employer understands their responsibilities then the right support can be provided with the appropriate sensitivity, avoiding potential liabilities if a business got things wrong.

Firms should be showing both bravery and openness in addressing the stigmas of stress and mental health in the city. www.healthinsurancegroup.co.uk

Words by Brett Hill, Managing Director, The Health Insurance Group

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Free2Cycle, a nationwide initiative, invites businesses, from independents to multinational corporations, to invest in the health and fitness of their employees by encouraging them to cycle to work. The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) indicated that physically active workers take 27 per cent fewer sick days.​ Furthermore, ​HR Magazine​ recently published that 33 per cent of employers said that cyclists are more productive at work, while 44 per cent described those who cycle as being more efficient and 89 per cent said that those who cycle to work were more energised throughout the day.​

“As an employer myself, I believe it is a priority to invest in your number one asset – healthier, happier and more productive staff,” explains Free2Cycle’s CEO, Eric G Craig. “Sickness absence costs UK businesses an estimated £29 billion each year, a study published in ​Economic Evidence report for workplace health 2016​ suggests.

Free2Cycle aims to unlock an estimated 7 million of those employees in Britain who are not currently cycling to work but potentially could and would benefit from doing so. Improving health, wellbeing, and creating meaningful, sustainable environmental improvements are core founding principles of Free2Cycle”

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Susan Scott is business psychologist, nutritionist and author of new book – How To Have An Outstanding Career (8th May 2017, Filament Publishing, £12.99)

Increase your personal stress awareness

Recognise the symptoms. These can be physical, emotional, behavioural or psychological. Consider what might be causing you to feel the way you do and what action might be required to address the causes. If you’re finding it hard to identify the causes, keep a stress diary recording the events that caused you to feel bad and how they made you feel.

Review your diet and lifestyle with honesty

What are you drinking, smoking and eating? Has this changed recently? If yes, and you’re drinking or smoking more or relying more on sugary carbohydrate foods to get you through the energy slumps then you need to make changes as this self-medicating isn’t helping.
Balance your energy.

Stress increases our demand for certain nutrients such as vitamins C, B, zinc and protein. It’s important to eat unprocessed foods to optimise your nutrient intake. Always have something to eat by 10am to balance blood sugar and drive up energy. Having some protein along with carbs at each meal, such as chicken, salmon, cheese, really helps to balance blood sugar and give you more sustainable energy.

Have a health MOT

The stress response raises blood pressure and cholesterol, leads to imbalances in your blood sugar response and strain on the function of the liver and kidneys. Get these checked out with your GP to ensure stress doesn’t lead to ill-health.

Take some time to switch off the on-button

Take time out during the chaos of the day to be on your own and practice a relaxation technique. Choose a quiet place away from people, where you can sit or stand quietly. Taking three deep breaths is a useful technique to reduce elevated stress hormones and lower a racing heart rate.

Take regular exercise

Book an appointment in your diary for some physical exercise such as a brisk walk at the local park, a cycle ride or a swim at a local pool at least three times a week. This is one of the best ways to use up excess stress hormones but it will only happen if you schedule it into your busy working life.

Make a resolution to manage your time more effectively

If you’re disorganised, make a to-do list. If you’re a perfectionist, identify a cut off point or time allocation. Prioritise your workload and say ‘no’ if you’re in danger of over committing yourself. If you do this calmly but firmly stating the reasons why, you will not feel so guilty about it.

Deal with problems when they arise. The worst thing you can do is to let them fester. Burying your head in the sand will not make the problem go away, in fact it’s likely to become worse and the longer it goes on the more it plays on your mind, stressing you.

Switch off in the evening

But not with alcohol. Alcohol is a stimulant which upsets the sleep pattern. Digital technology is also a stimulant so have a digital sundown and switch everything off at least two hours before bed.

Don’t be afraid to ask for help

Speak in confidence to your manager or HR director. If you feel the processes are not in place for this then contact a specialist stress coach to help you identify what is really happening in your life and guide you to creating stress proofing strategies. The sooner you can overcome the stress-inducing pressures and build your resilience, the sooner you will be back working at full speed and optimising your performance.

Title: How To Have An Outstanding Career
Author: Susan Scott
Publisher: Filament Publishing
Publication date: 25/04/17
ISBN: 978-1-911425-71-7
Price: £12.99

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Recent research has shown that being inactive or not exercising could lead to an early death for office workers especially.

Andrew Ivers, Senior Marketing Manager at Bodybuilding.com says:
“We all know what it’s like to be stuck to a desk for numerous hours a day, as we begin to feel lazy or fatigued, so that’s why we’re targeting this issue and helping office workers get up on their feet.”

By making your office a friendly place for health and fitness, you’ll be able to spend more time working toward your goals. Add the following things to your workday and you might just see those inches slide off a little faster.

Prepare your meals

If you’re constantly going out for lunch instead of preparing a healthy meal at home, you probably ingest far more calories than you need. It takes 10 minutes to prepare a healthy lunch the night before work or pack leftovers from dinner. So there’s no excuse to continually make poor eating choices.

Stuff your drawer with healthy snacks

Instead of snacking on biscuits and treats in the office kitchen, fill your drawer up with healthier alternatives such as instant oats, protein bars, or fruit. The next time you have to work late, healthy eats will be within arms’ reach. Or get your company to supply healthy snacks from companies like The Office Pantry

Coffee break? Put caffeine to good use

No matter how hard you work, you need to take an occasional break to de-stress and refresh. When your coffee break comes around, take a brisk 10-15 minute walk. Not only will this torch a few calories, but it may help you clear your mind, ease stress, regain focus, and feel more energised.

Keep a water bottle on your desk

If the only fluids you tend to consume during your workday are coffee and diet soda, you need some water. Many people don’t realize they’re dehydrated. Thirst can zap your concentration, energy and performance. By keeping a water bottle on your desk, you can sip on it as the day moves along and get the water your body needs without having to think about it.

Set a timer

Instead of sitting at your desk for eight hours straight, set a timer to go off each hour. When it beeps, do something active for one or two minutes. By moving around for just two minutes every hour, you’ll feel better at the end of the day. Bring a little play to work and your brain. Your body and your boss will all thank you.

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Recent research has shown that being inactive or not exercising could lead to an early death for office workers especially.

Just a brisk walk or work-out can add extra years to your life and scientists have discovered that a 20-25 minute walk every day can help prevent you from dying prematurely.

Alternatively, weekly vigorous workouts could help prevent the likes of cancer, heart attacks, strokes and diabetes, according to some more research.

Andrew Ivers, Senior Marketing Manager at Bodybuilding.com says: “We all know what it’s like to be stuck to a desk for numerous hours a day, as we begin to feel lazy or fatigued, so that’s why we’re targeting this issue and helping office workers get up on their feet.
“We know about the dangers a lack of activity can have on our bodies, so using our expert knowledge and easily-accesible videos we plan to combat these problems by helping people get healthy, while enjoying a new fitness regime.

“Although the impact of exercise is greatest among people of an average weight, even those with a high body mass index (BMI) levels have benefited from a brisk 20-25 minute walk.

“Overall, avoiding inactivity theoretically reduces the risk of death from any cause by 7.35%, according to the the scientists.  After looking at the effects of obesity and exercise on 334,161 European men and women over a 12 year period, they discovered that people who participated in moderate levels of daily exercise were 16-30% less likely to die than those classed as ’inactive’.”

Gillian, an office worker says: “Sitting at my desk all day makes me feel like a sack of potatoes and no matter how tired or exhausted I feel, doing exercise always makes me feel energised and fresher.”

Sandra, another office worker agrees: “Spending all day at a desk makes me feel bad despite all healthy meals I’m trying to eat and the lack of physical activity is just terrible. Since I started working in an office, I feel even more tired and it clearly effects my work performance.  But doing some exercises at the desk can help with keeping mind and body in tip-top condition throughout the day.”

bodybuilding.com is an online fitness network and is home to thousands of first class articles and interactive fitness tutorials from some of the world’s top athletes and trainers, which users can download and use absolutely free.

The Bodyspace app community, is especially supportive, with its online forums and community networks – ideal for discovering new ways to help your fitness levels and encouraging each person to keep going!

Facts and Information for Office Workers

• Scientists have discovered that a 20-25-minute walk every day can help keep you fit over the long term
• This can easily be achieved if you walk to the nearest deli or supermarket to pick up a healthy and tasty lunch, whether a salad or a sandwich and a piece of fruit, or whatever takes your fancy
• Try to eat out and not at your desk – a breath of fresh air can make all the difference to your sense of freshness, health and wellbeing
• Walk to your office as much as possible – if using public transport, try to take the longest way to get to the bus stop, train, underground
• If you have to drive to work, park at the furthest end from the entrance you can find
• Don’t feel shy about standing at your desk or making the effort to walk to speak to colleagues – too often, people communicate by email to someone sitting literally a few desks away!
• Encourage the practice of standing (and walking) meetings
• Desk exercises tend to help with keeping your relaxed muscles active, helping to keep mind and body in tip-top condition throughout the day. Try rotating your ankles to get the blood flowing through the legs and other activities such as squats and leg lifts, using your desk as a prop

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The project is being spearheaded by Behaviour expert and author Jez Rose along with a team of psychologists and neuro-scientists and is endorsed by the Soil Association.

The Good Life Project is designed to overcome the problem of workplace absenteeism by trying out a range of workplace initiatives based around the natural environment to see what sort of difference they make to an employee’s feeling of wellbeing.

Rose believes many organisations are heading in the wrong direction:

“Latest figures show that the average level of workplace absence in the UK is 6.9 days per employee with minor illness remaining the most common cause of short term absence and creating a cost to the employer of £554 per employee.

“Too many organisations are moving backwards – towards hot desks and banning personalisation of working spaces and even plants from the workplace. This flies in the face of years of evidence-based research proving that a connection to our natural environment is not only important but it also makes a huge difference to individual performance and well-being.”

“Happy people are more productive and take fewer sick days, which ultimately means that if we can create environments which promote that, organisations will be more profitable too.”

Broadcaster Kate Humble said:

“I grew up in the countryside but had something of a ‘nature deficit’ when I lived and worked in London for twenty years.  I discovered that having less contact with the outdoors – Oxford Street didn’t count! – and with nature and all its seasonal changes, made me feel restless, disconnected and unhappy.

“There is plenty of anecdotal evidence that tells us having contact with nature is good for us and our sense of well-being and I would certainly back that up, but if the research this project undertakes is able to prove that, it will be to the great advantage to everyone. I wish it every success and will be intrigued and excited to read its findings.”

The research will take place over six to twelve months and The Good Life Project team are now looking for business organisations who would like to be involved in the research, nominating colleagues to become “Good Life Ambassadors”.  They would be given full training and a series of interventions to be taken back to the workplace with appropriate resources where they would champion the changes in their working environment.  The impact of each intervention will be fed back to The Good Life Project research faculty.

Interventions will include:

• Different types of wall art depicting the natural environment to measure the difference they make to stress levels within the workplace
• Creating an indoor herb garden for employees to tend to and enjoy during downtime to measure emotional impact
• Encouraging outdoor activity at lunchtimes and after work

Broadcaster and campaigner Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall endorsed the research project and said:

“The Good Life Project is an inspiring one that throws light on a very important subject. It aims to demonstrate something I and many others already believe: that health and wellbeing are intricately bound up with our surroundings, and that a closer connection to the natural environment can improve and enrich our working lives. If we are happier and healthier at work, of course that has huge benefits for the rest of our lives too, so I very much look forward to seeing results of this research and the new directions they could lead us in.”

Rob Percival from the Soil Association said:

“The Good Life Project is shining a welcome light on the relationship between workplace wellbeing and exposure to the natural world. We know the value of providing employees with healthy, fresh, seasonal food in the workplace, and we look forward to the results of this ground-breaking research, which will provide necessary insights into the additional benefits of fresh air at lunchtime and communal food growing activities. The implications for businesses could be significant.”

Jez Rose continued:

“The response so far from organisations we have approached has been better than we could have imagined.  Businesses clearly understand the value of The Good Life Project and being a part of ground-breaking research, which will benefit both employees and employers.”

To find out more and to enrol your organisation in The Good Life Project, visit www.thegoodlifeproject.info

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