Building mind-body health: Keep it simple
Small changes can make a world of difference
There may be some impressive credentials accompanying her name, but Ruth Gordon Howard, RN, MA, believes in keeping it simple. The Charlotte, NC-based wellness consultant and trainer, who is also certified by four national fitness organizations, says that creating a wellness program that successfully integrates both mind and body fitness need not be a complicated process.
"There are some basics that never change," asserts Howard, who heads a health promotion company that bears her name. "Fitness programs really work." What Howard means is that exercise programs, when done correctly, also help employees get mentally fit. "Mine is a more simple and more basic approach," she admits. "Over and over, you can tell that people's mental outlooks change when they get on a fitness program. You don't really find that people who work out regularly are `down' very often."
But not all exercise programs - or environments - are entirely conducive to relaxation and a positive mental attitude, admits Howard, who is certified by the Institute for Aerobics Research, the American College of Sports Medicine, the Aerobics & Fitness Association of America, and the American Council on Exercise. As a wellness professional, you must pay attention to important details. "A normal fitness center often has very loud rock music playing in the background," she notes. "That's not very relaxing."
Stretching after a workout is also critical to building your mental fitness, she adds. "It can make all the difference in relaxing yourself - the employee can use that time as a real stress management break," she explains. "It helps get your mind focused in a different place and is therefore a very good time to get into the mind-body connection."
Sometimes, the answer can be as simple as changing your location. "If you work in a busy, noisy place, you may just need to go outside and get in touch with your surroundings," she advises.
Programs that workThere are common elements in corporate programs that successfully integrate mind and body wellness, says Howard. For example, a number of successful campaigns offer martial arts programs. "They make you focus mentally; they have an emphasis on concentration that a lot of other activities don't have," she notes. "And yoga also helps you tune into your body in a whole different way."
A lot of big companies provide stretch breaks - "for people don't want hard-core fitness programs," Howard adds. "They warm up and take time to stretch each muscle group safely and effectively, while very relaxing music plays in the background." Massage therapy, she says, is another activity that promotes relaxation.
How to get startedIf your program currently has an emphasis on exercise and physical activities, Howard has several recommendations for promoting the mind-body connection. "I would start educating your employees about the fact that one of the major benefits of fitness is stress management; it's a great way to let go of tension," she says. You can raise employee awareness through the company newsletter, or fliers, or perhaps a short stress management seminar."
When Howard runs such seminars, she always has soft, beautiful music playing in the background when employees enter the room. "I ask them right away, 'Did you feel better when you walked in?' It proves my point immediately," she explains.
You can also begin by offering simple classes everyone can do. "Have stretch breaks at the desk, while soft music is played over the loudspeaker, or start an outdoors 'walking team,' where members are also taught proper breathing techniques," she suggests. (For more tips, see the box, above.)
Whatever you do, says Howard, help your employees achieve a better balance of mind and body health: They'll thank you for it. "The number one complaint employees have today is lack of energy - everybody is tired," she notes. "But so much of it is not physical; it's mental. People are just stressed out, and that really can make you tired. When you use your body and get your balance back mentally, it all comes together for you."
[Editor's Note: For more information, contact: The Ruth Gordon Howard Company, P.O. Box 4125, Charlotte, NC 28226. Telephone: (800) 992-7711, (704) 442-0620. Fax: (704) 442-0646. E-mail: [email protected].]
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