Corporate T’ai Chi & Qigong - An Ultimate
Ergonomics & Wellness Program
by Bill Douglas, Founder of World Tai Chi & Qigong Day
Copyright 2005
WORD COUNT: 550
Corporations all over the world are integrating the powerful health and personal growth tools of T’ai Chi into the fabric of the workplace. Why? Because T’ai Chi can save companies big money, is very applicable to the office, can lessen workplace injury, reduce stress, and boost performance.
Many companies will pay for a T’ai Chi program through their Wellness Department offerings, making it well worth your time to suggest it to your company’s Wellness Director. You can help your company understand how sponsoring T’ai Chi classes is in their best interest as well as yours, by relaying the following information.
One of corporate American’s highest unnecessary production costs is in lost productivity due to employee stress. U.S. business loses $300 billion per year due to stress (that’s over $7,500 per employee, per year), which may be why the Occupational Safety and Hazard Administration (OSHA) has declared stress a workplace hazard. Furthermore, not only can T’ai Chi reduce very common forms of workplace health risks such as providing Carpal Tunnel prevention movements, and reducing chronic pain and lower back problems, but T’ai Chi is the most effective balance conditioning exercise in the world, meaning it can reduce workplace accidents.
Beyond that T’ai Chi & Qigong may boost that all-important “creative potential,” that can mean the difference between a company just “shuffling along” and “blasting into the hyperspace of success.” One great idea can mean years of benefit. In fact, Einstein once wrote, “imagination is more important than knowledge.” Research shows that chronic stress cannot only reduce our creativity and resilience in the face of challenge, but that it may actually shrink parts of the brain. Therefore the deeply restful “alpha state” that Qigong relaxation therapy produces, can physically and mentally enhance our cognitive function and therefore our creative ability.
Lastly, and perhaps most importantly, is that T’ai Chi can reduce office politics. Most companies are painfully aware that the machinations of office politics are a severe drain on productivity. Since office political maneuverings are often rooted in fear and control issues, the more relaxed and at ease we are with ourselves, the more at ease we will be with coworkers, rather than reading our fear into office relationships.
Many major companies use T’ai Chi as a highly effective workplace wellness tool, and no wonder, when you consider the following. It requires no equipment, no special clothing, can be done in normal business attire, provides a cardiovascular workout, a stress cleansing, a regenerating freshness, a euphoric endorphin release, and all WITHOUT BREAKING A SWEAT in a gentle 20-minute exercise anyone can do!
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Bill Douglas is the Tai Chi Expert at DrWeil.com, Founder of World T'ai Chi & Qigong Day (held in 60 nations each year), and has authored and co-authored several books including a #1 best selling Tai Chi book The Complete Idiot’s Guide to T’ai Chi & Qigong. Bill’s been a Tai Chi source for The Wall Street Journal, New York Times, etc. Bill is the author of the ebook, How to be a Successful Tai Chi Teacher (Namasta University Publishing). You can learn more about Tai Chi & Qigong, search a worldwide teachers directory, and also contact Bill Douglas at http://www.worldtaichiday.org
