No Barrier to Entry in Office Yoga
One big thing our clients appreciate is that there is no barrier to entry in Office Yoga. The hardest part is simply showing up. Once you have arrived, we take it from there by making everything easily accessible. We’ll meet you where you’re at, physically and mentally.
The no barriers benefit in Office Yoga
I learned the power of accessibility in my early work at UC Berkeley. I ran a wellness program for faculty and staff on campus. The program was based on BJ Fogg’s methodology of tiny habits. This method takes a stretch goal–some seemingly unattainable way of being or doing something–and breaks it into tiny, achievable steps, proposing that sooner or later, you’ll get where you’re going.
This method was wildly successful. One client wanted to adjust her food intake to lose weight by eating more salad and fewer tacos. She started by putting one–one!– piece of spinach in her taco.
Another client wanted to run 3-4x/week in the mornings before work. It was hard for him to wake up early, so he went to bed in his running clothes to shave off the 10 min it took shuffling around for his running clothes! I watched my clients lose weight and adopt other healthy habits, and how they achieved these goals with this simple methodology.
Here are 6 ways we’ve adapted so there’s no barrier to entry in Office Yoga.
Ten years later, I continue to use this methodology in Office Yoga. We understand that corporate spaces are not designed to be yoga studios and that many of the employees we work with have never done yoga before. There are obstacles to practicing yoga, but Office Yoga does everything we can to smooth the road to success.
No barrier to entry in Office Spaces.
I designed the Desk Yoga™ practice to fit the office space–your office space. Classes can be held in the boardroom, conference room, office kitchen, home office, and even the dining room table! Check out some of the innovative ways to practice that we’ve pioneered.
The Time Zone Tango.
One of our clients (Twitter) has over 6,000 employees in 12 countries and 17 time zones. We did our research and found the most popular times that would translate across the world. For those who can’t make it, we have an on-demand option that can be viewed 24/7.
No Parking, No Problem.
Never again worry about rushing out of the office to fight the traffic! You also don’t have to worry about finding or paying for parking. Whether you’re onsite or online, your favorite evening class is happening right there in your board room and living room. Tune in, turn in, and practice.
No clothes necessary.
Well, wear something, but don’t worry about splurging on a new pair of Lululemon pants. You have enough to think about when you’re coming into work, and bringing an extra set of clothes is on the bottom of your list. I get it. Desk Yoga lets you practice in whatever you’re wearing.
For those working from home, “athleisure” wear is right on target. Stay in your favorite video chat outfit; blouse on top, pajamas on the bottom…
Office Yoga for Every Body.
Many employees come in as beginners, (although we do get the occasional yoga master coming along for the ride). When we teach in person, it’s easy to offer variations and modifications to accommodate all levels. Teaching virtually, however, makes it a little more challenging, especially when the cameras are off. To accommodate our practitioners, we teach a tier-leveled class. When doing a pose, you can choose option A, option B, or option C, whatever works best for you. We also provide alignment cues for those with cameras on, to keep them engaged and their practice evolving.
Eliminating the barrier to entry in Office Yoga has been a key to our success. The practice of yoga has its own inherent challenges, and showing up shouldn’t be one of them.
Office Yoga offers virtual meditation, desk yoga, and office yoga flow classes to large corporations, B Corps, and individuals. You’re welcome to join us; we would love to have you!