In February 2017, I received an email asking if I could teach a Team well-being day for The Kent and Medway NHS and Social Care Partnership Trust. Although I teach a very full programme of Pilates and Yoga courses, I said yes. I love a challenge and especially enjoy planning, writing and fulfilling bespoke programmes. The brief was a half day workshop to include: Back Care, Posture and Stress Management. Joy to my ears!
I started working on the programme and after many hours of planning and writing, the time-table was ready to teach. The team well-being day was to be held in Ashford, Kent and the sessions I would be presenting, would start at 10am and run through to 12.30pm. This is when lunch was booked, so I couldn’t run over time!
Here is an outline of the time-table:
Session 1: Posture and mobility – The Power Break designed to address posture and mobility during the working day. Yoga mobility exercises anyone can practice at home and 5 yoga asanas. This is a physical exercise session and would take 1 hour.
15-minute break and feedback
Sessions 2: Back care – Pilates moves designed to strengthen your centre (core) and back – This is a physical exercise session and would take 30 minutes.
15-minute break and feedback
Session 3: Stress Management, meditation (including chocolate meditation) and Yoga Nidra. This is a relaxing session and would take 30 minutes.
feedback and close
Each session, is followed up with detailed worksheets for the attendees to take away and continue their practice at work and at home.
The biggest challenge when presenting these workshops is keeping to the schedule and making sure sufficient time is allocated for a positive learning experience.
I could not have asked for a nicer group of people to teach. From the moment I arrived, I was made to feel welcome. Some people had been to a Yoga or Pilates class in the past and others were complete beginners.
The sessions were fun, interactive and a joy to teach. I am delighted to say the Team well-being day was a resounding success and such a positive experience for everyone.
Here is some of the feedback received from the evaluation forms:
“Each session was carefully planned out with lots of attention to detail. Pauline is a brilliant teacher, with the perfect approach to teach a class. Very welcoming and friendly and also really took an interest in each of us. She went at a steady pace which was just right for me. Throughout each session she reminded us that it was ok to go at our own pace and not to worry at all about being in sync with others. She emphasised that our bodies are our own, and we have no pressure to do all the things that was taught, just what we were able to do. This kept the sessions very relaxed and light hearted. She always took her time, and never rushed us. She made things really interesting and at the same time gave us valuable pieces of information. It was great fun and I enjoyed taking part!
I would say that I enjoyed all of her sessions, but if I had to pick my favourite, I would say that the Back Care Pilates Session was my favourite because it was fun to give myself the challenge of carrying out the moves in a way which suited my pace, yet at the same time, began to learn how my body moves and the range of my own movement. I was much more flexible, stronger and balanced than I’d first realised. It gave me a confidence boost. My first ever experience of pilates was negative as I found it much too tedious and painful, but this time round it was a pleasure to do!
I learnt a lot listening to her. She was a joy to have on our team well-being day and I wish her every success with her Yoga/Pilates business and her yoga/pilates journey.” Sarah
“Many thanks for this great intro to Yoga/Pilates & Stress Management. Whilst I enjoyed the yoga ‘taster’ my particular interest was the Pilates session. Sometime ago I was recommended by a physiotherapist to attend classes but although I talked about doing this I never seemed to find the time – you have convinced me to find the time! The Stress Management session was very relaxing (I could have easily drifted off to sleep!)” Debbie
“Very enjoyable session especially as it was the first time I had tried Yoga! I found the steps easy to follow and feel I can take away some helpful tips and knowledge. Great workshop, many thanks!” Katherine
“The workshop was a success as the team went away with exactly what they needed. We all felt very rejuvenated. The sessions were planned very thoughtfully and the pace of the workshop was also just right.” Roop
“Excellent workshop and perfect for a team wellbeing day. Everyone thoroughly enjoyed the sessions and I think we can all take things away. For me, I really enjoyed the Yoga sessions and may take this up. Meditation techniques will be very useful at work to unclutter the mind.” Angela
“I found the whole thing a very positive and beneficial experience. I managed to follow it up in the afternoon with a bit of aqua aerobics, swimming and a back/neck & shoulders massage. I felt amazing at the end of the day and was surprised to really notice how much more beautiful the world looked around me. Thank you for doing such a great job of guiding us through the sessions. All the moves were explained very clearly and each time I was concerned I was doing it wrong you seemed to know exactly what our concerns might be and did a great job of reassuring us that what we were feeling was what we should. It is unfortunate that you are based in Essex and I live in Canterbury, Kent.” Laura
To back up the value of this workshop here is the research and facts:
Stress and low back pain conditions cause absence from work and cost companies many thousands of pounds. 131 million days were lost due to sickness absences in the UK in 2013. Minor illnesses were the most common reason given for sickness absence but more days were lost to back, neck and muscle pain than any other cause.
(Ref: Office for national statistics - Sickness Absence in the Labour Market, February 2014).
Stress can hit anyone at any level of the business and recent research shows that work related stress is widespread and is not confined to particular sectors, jobs or industries. Ref: The Health and Safety Executive. Follow links for related articles: Preventing work related stress toolkit and Cortisol, Stress and your Health.
Where the job unavoidably contains spells of intensive display screen work (whether using the keyboard or input device, reading the screen, or a mixture of the two), these should be broken up by periods of non-intensive, non-display screen work. Breaks must allow users to vary their posture. Exercise routines which include blinking, stretching and focusing eyes on distant objects can be helpful.
Ref: The Health and Safety Executive:
http://www.hse.gov.uk/contact/faqs/vdubreaks.htm
"A study in the Lancet medical journal showed that physical inactivity worldwide has been labelled as "pandemic" and that regular exe rcise is just as good for you as stopping smoking, "
The BHF National Centre recommend; Policy makers should support and encourage employers to take steps to minimise sedentary behaviours in employees, including regular breaks from sitting at a computer.
If you are interested in a work based well-being event or course, please contact me to discuss your needs. This could be anything from 1 hour workshop to a one week retreat! Please send me your comments and share this blog with anyone you feel would enjoy reading it.
I look forward to hearing from you.
Pauline Ward
Business Owner and Fitness Professional
Sign up for my weekly newsletter: Subscribe
Follow on facebook: Absolute Yoga and Pilates
Website: Absolute Yoga and Pilates
Linkedin: Pauline Ward
Telephone: 07821 969405
I started working on the programme and after many hours of planning and writing, the time-table was ready to teach. The team well-being day was to be held in Ashford, Kent and the sessions I would be presenting, would start at 10am and run through to 12.30pm. This is when lunch was booked, so I couldn’t run over time!
Here is an outline of the time-table:
Session 1: Posture and mobility – The Power Break designed to address posture and mobility during the working day. Yoga mobility exercises anyone can practice at home and 5 yoga asanas. This is a physical exercise session and would take 1 hour.
15-minute break and feedback
Sessions 2: Back care – Pilates moves designed to strengthen your centre (core) and back – This is a physical exercise session and would take 30 minutes.
15-minute break and feedback
Session 3: Stress Management, meditation (including chocolate meditation) and Yoga Nidra. This is a relaxing session and would take 30 minutes.
feedback and close
Each session, is followed up with detailed worksheets for the attendees to take away and continue their practice at work and at home.
The biggest challenge when presenting these workshops is keeping to the schedule and making sure sufficient time is allocated for a positive learning experience.
I could not have asked for a nicer group of people to teach. From the moment I arrived, I was made to feel welcome. Some people had been to a Yoga or Pilates class in the past and others were complete beginners.
The sessions were fun, interactive and a joy to teach. I am delighted to say the Team well-being day was a resounding success and such a positive experience for everyone.
Here is some of the feedback received from the evaluation forms:
“Each session was carefully planned out with lots of attention to detail. Pauline is a brilliant teacher, with the perfect approach to teach a class. Very welcoming and friendly and also really took an interest in each of us. She went at a steady pace which was just right for me. Throughout each session she reminded us that it was ok to go at our own pace and not to worry at all about being in sync with others. She emphasised that our bodies are our own, and we have no pressure to do all the things that was taught, just what we were able to do. This kept the sessions very relaxed and light hearted. She always took her time, and never rushed us. She made things really interesting and at the same time gave us valuable pieces of information. It was great fun and I enjoyed taking part!
I would say that I enjoyed all of her sessions, but if I had to pick my favourite, I would say that the Back Care Pilates Session was my favourite because it was fun to give myself the challenge of carrying out the moves in a way which suited my pace, yet at the same time, began to learn how my body moves and the range of my own movement. I was much more flexible, stronger and balanced than I’d first realised. It gave me a confidence boost. My first ever experience of pilates was negative as I found it much too tedious and painful, but this time round it was a pleasure to do!
I learnt a lot listening to her. She was a joy to have on our team well-being day and I wish her every success with her Yoga/Pilates business and her yoga/pilates journey.” Sarah
“Many thanks for this great intro to Yoga/Pilates & Stress Management. Whilst I enjoyed the yoga ‘taster’ my particular interest was the Pilates session. Sometime ago I was recommended by a physiotherapist to attend classes but although I talked about doing this I never seemed to find the time – you have convinced me to find the time! The Stress Management session was very relaxing (I could have easily drifted off to sleep!)” Debbie
“Very enjoyable session especially as it was the first time I had tried Yoga! I found the steps easy to follow and feel I can take away some helpful tips and knowledge. Great workshop, many thanks!” Katherine
“The workshop was a success as the team went away with exactly what they needed. We all felt very rejuvenated. The sessions were planned very thoughtfully and the pace of the workshop was also just right.” Roop
“Excellent workshop and perfect for a team wellbeing day. Everyone thoroughly enjoyed the sessions and I think we can all take things away. For me, I really enjoyed the Yoga sessions and may take this up. Meditation techniques will be very useful at work to unclutter the mind.” Angela
“I found the whole thing a very positive and beneficial experience. I managed to follow it up in the afternoon with a bit of aqua aerobics, swimming and a back/neck & shoulders massage. I felt amazing at the end of the day and was surprised to really notice how much more beautiful the world looked around me. Thank you for doing such a great job of guiding us through the sessions. All the moves were explained very clearly and each time I was concerned I was doing it wrong you seemed to know exactly what our concerns might be and did a great job of reassuring us that what we were feeling was what we should. It is unfortunate that you are based in Essex and I live in Canterbury, Kent.” Laura
To back up the value of this workshop here is the research and facts:
Stress and low back pain conditions cause absence from work and cost companies many thousands of pounds. 131 million days were lost due to sickness absences in the UK in 2013. Minor illnesses were the most common reason given for sickness absence but more days were lost to back, neck and muscle pain than any other cause.
(Ref: Office for national statistics - Sickness Absence in the Labour Market, February 2014).
Stress can hit anyone at any level of the business and recent research shows that work related stress is widespread and is not confined to particular sectors, jobs or industries. Ref: The Health and Safety Executive. Follow links for related articles: Preventing work related stress toolkit and Cortisol, Stress and your Health.
Where the job unavoidably contains spells of intensive display screen work (whether using the keyboard or input device, reading the screen, or a mixture of the two), these should be broken up by periods of non-intensive, non-display screen work. Breaks must allow users to vary their posture. Exercise routines which include blinking, stretching and focusing eyes on distant objects can be helpful.
Ref: The Health and Safety Executive:
http://www.hse.gov.uk/contact/faqs/vdubreaks.htm
"A study in the Lancet medical journal showed that physical inactivity worldwide has been labelled as "pandemic" and that regular exe rcise is just as good for you as stopping smoking, "
The BHF National Centre recommend; Policy makers should support and encourage employers to take steps to minimise sedentary behaviours in employees, including regular breaks from sitting at a computer.
If you are interested in a work based well-being event or course, please contact me to discuss your needs. This could be anything from 1 hour workshop to a one week retreat! Please send me your comments and share this blog with anyone you feel would enjoy reading it.
I look forward to hearing from you.
Pauline Ward
Business Owner and Fitness Professional
Sign up for my weekly newsletter: Subscribe
Follow on facebook: Absolute Yoga and Pilates
Website: Absolute Yoga and Pilates
Linkedin: Pauline Ward
Telephone: 07821 969405
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