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Archive - Archive 2004 - July 2013

Mixing business with yoga at Nature Seychelles |17 October 2011

Mixing business with yoga at Nature Seychelles

This wrist exercise can reduce strain on the wrists

Corporate wellness programmes have been shown to improve productivity, increase employee satisfaction, reduce tardiness and absenteeism, increase company loyalty and teamwork, and decrease stress, sickness and exhaustion.

Nature Seychelles provides a free wellness programme to its Mahe based staff as part of its  incentive package.

Although a non-governmental organisation, Nature Seychelles has pursued its path to excellence by following closely the best principles in corporate culture. 

We have found that successful organisations emphasise a work/life balance and improve their bottom line by creating a positive environment for all of their staff members.

Our wellness programme is made up of fitness, meditation and yoga classes.

Yoga has in fact become popular with many corporate organisations because yoga enhances good health, and healthy, happy employees mean healthy businesses. Yoga has become the next big thing for managers; organisations like Google have on site yoga and business schools are adding yoga to the traditional MBA.

At Nature Seychelles we are fortunate to have Robin Hanson as a member of staff. Robin is a British Wheel of Yoga practitioner and an environmentalist and leads our wellness programme. He has fashioned classes suitable for everyone whether at beginner or advanced level.

Apart from the classes, Robin has introduced simple exercises that can be done anywhere, even at a desk. These include wrist exercises that are good for relieving strain on wrists particularly for computer users, breathing techniques for relaxation and energising throughout the day and a general awareness of posture and seating position while in the office. Staff say they have benefitted enormously from the exercises.

Exercising in nature at Nature Seychelles

"Most of us in the Mahe office are not field staff and we spend a lot of time behind a desk. And although our office is in a nice location, its really refreshing to be able to spend one and a half hours purposely exercising in nature, taking in the sounds and the smells," says one.

"Mostly I have found it as a good de-stressing exercise after work. It has helped me build core muscles and loosen stiff joints," says another.

"I was not very fond of some of the poses and I could feel resistance every time Robin asked us to do them. My downward dog was not up to par and I didn't want to stand on my head - that's what feet are for, I reckon. But now those poses are my favourites. And it's amazing what they have done for me in terms of fitness."

In addition to staff, the classes have an enthusiastic following and are held four days in a week. Classes will also begin for the vulnerable in society under a new project.

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