Wellbeing in terms of both physical health, as well as mental health and social activities are still incredibly relevant topics of conversation. The post-pandemic landscape has piqued people’s interest in taking on new skills, joining new groups for social aspects, and improving physical wellbeing.
40% of UK adults say the pandemic has made their wellbeing worse, and two thirds (65%) of adults and more than two thirds (68%) of young people with mental health problems say their mental health has gotten worse since the first national lockdown.
Companies are also concerned for employees’ wellbeing, as working from home with little or no movement can affect people’s mental health. Incorporating movement throughout the workday is essential in order to maximise one’s energy and performance as well as reduce the significant health consequences associated with sitting or standing without moving for several hours at a time.
Participation in regular physical activity can increase our self-esteem and can reduce stress and anxiety. It also plays a role in preventing the development of mental health problems and in improving the quality of life of people experiencing mental health problems.
And this doesn’t necessarily mean traditional activities such as sports, gym training, etc. A study conducted by UCLA in 2021 reported that free-flowing dance produced positive mental health benefits among participants. It was based on a survey of 1,000 dancers across the world who had depression, anxiety, or a history of trauma.
Karen Lucia, a London-based Health & Movement Coach and EFT Practitioner, has noticed a shift in companies looking for team workshops, as a way to unblock personal barriers and also create a team flow through movement and dance. Her free-flowing dance workshops offer business teams the opportunity to work on elements that improve their personal and group skills, such as flexibility, self-expression, creativity, etc. “We allow our minds to dance with the flow. We leave our bodies free enough to flow and follow their own moves, based on your headspace and your energy waves”, says the coach.
Corporate wellness activities play a big role in bringing teams together, whilst employees can still enjoy the individual benefits of it. “Our participants leave the workshop knowing so much more about themselves and what they can do for the collective”, reveals Katia.
Business leaders have a unique opportunity to improve workforce performance by creating initiatives that promote movement, aiming to optimise their most important asset: a healthy and productive, high-performing workforce.
About Karen Lucia:
Karen Lucia is a Health & Movement Coach and EFT Practitioner helping Londoners awaken their expression and connect to themselves and others through dance and mindful movement.
Karen offers workshops in London guiding people through movement patterns that allow them to move however they feel, need and want to. You won’t learn a set piece of choreography: being mindful of your movement, you can create your own choreography of emotions.
The sessions are tailored to women and anyone that wants to connect to their female energy, and use dance and movement as a tool for awakening expression, connecting to themselves, their emotion and the others in the group.
As movement can mobilise you to find better solutions for issues that you face in your personal or professional life, your family or community, Karen also offers in-company workshops for small groups.
Learn more about the workshops at https://www.karenlucia.com/.
