Metrostress | Corporate Stress Relief in Manchester

Stress in the workplace to rise – European poll

admin — Tue, 10 Apr 2012 14:30:03 +0000

Call for the Stressbusters

It’s not just a British phenomenon, rising work related stress is Europe wide.
Work related stress is one of the biggest health and safety problems in Europe today. This results in not just personal ill health but also economic performance of the companies they work in. These facts must be addressed to maintain or improve economic competitiveness.

See this article for more information.

Well done David Walliams

admin — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 15:48:36 +0000

Swimming the length of the Thames after already taking on the Channel. That man is an inspiration. Not only for the tremendous fund-raising but for the actual physical feat itself.
He gives a lot of credit to his trainer, Professor Greg Whyte, who was also closely involved with the Gary Barlow’s (and friends) climb of Kilimanjaro and James Cracknell’s cross continent challenge in 2008.
Greg is also a firm supporter of the Proto-col range of nutritional products, see this link.
You can use these products yourself to work with a healthy diet to make up for deficiencies in everyday foods. Click through to the nutrition page on the metrostress web site for more information.

Reduce your work dress stress

admin — Sun, 22 Jan 2012 16:56:27 +0000

Stress-less Work Dressing
The alarm goes off, you press snoooooze … and you wake up to see your bus sailing past. Your wardrobe is empty but your floordrobe is full. The odds of you getting ready for work on time are slim, the odds of you projecting a professional work image are even less. Sound familiar? Here are The Wardrobe Angel’s Top 10 failsafe tips for stress-free work dressing:

Suits you, Sir. Knowing what suits your body shape will automatically make dressing for work less stressful. Research your shape online or call in a professional.
Separate your work wardrobe from your casual wardrobe. Instead of dealing with your whole wardrobe you are dealing with a small section so it’s more manageable. Some items are great dual purpose items (a suit jacket can be worn with jeans and flats for a great weekend outfit) but keep the majority separate.
Increase your wardrobe wearability. You will be surprised how many outfits you can create out of what you already own. Tops especially can be worn two or three ways you just need to use accessories such as belts and tights to create different looks. Invest in a simple shift dress –this can be layered up or down and is great when you are feeling bloated.
Plan your outfits weekly. Sounds geeky? It can be done during the Corrie ad break. A couple minutes planning will set you up for the week. And once you’ve got into the routine of planning ahead you will find it takes less and less time each time you do it.
Love your shoes monthly. Worn down heels not only look scruffy but the exposed metal could damage your spine: without the rubber there is no shock absorber. Make a monthly date with your shoedrobe and a cobbler.
Kill the accessories. Dangling and jangling accessories are a distraction and a definite no-no for the office environment. Lose these from your work wardrobe, save yourself time when getting dressed and spend the money saved on statement jewellery instead.
Iron Maiden. Pressed clothes exude professionalism. If your idea of ironing is using the ironing board as a place to hang your coat then a professional maid service is just the thing for you. If you fancy a go with the iron then using starch spray will keep those creases at bay.
Dry-clean only. Many dry cleaners offer a bag & drop service which is a great time saving device.
Loose Change. Change out of your work clothes as soon as you get home. Hang them up. Use re-fresher spray or wash them as necessary. Always let them air before you put them away.
Break glass in case of emergency. Always have another option. Mine is my little black dress which I can wear umpteen ways. You always need a back-up in case you spill coffee down your front, get deodorant down your side, or find a rip down your back.

When you make these tips a habit, they are no longer a chore.
Until next time…The Wardrobe Angel x
T: 07542825740
E: info@wardrobeangel.co.uk
Twitter me up: @wardrobe_angel

Stress and Nutrition

admin — Tue, 01 Nov 2011 12:20:16 +0000

So far we have been concentrating on physical therapy and how it can help keep stress levels down. Now we can offer an amazing nutritional range of products, based on Collagen. Green Magic contains 17 nutrient dense supper foods with less than 12 cals per serving. This amazing product also helps detox the body and major factor in reducing stress. Katy Livingston, the Modern Pentathlete on Team GB is a fervent advocate of Green Magic.

Click here for more information

Fag breaks or health breaks

admin — Tue, 09 Aug 2011 10:22:54 +0000

Whilst talking to a prospective corporate client about using our “stress busting” services,, they were intimating that under then current economic climate the employees would have to pay for the treatment and take it in their lunch break. First of all I questioned the commitment to staff welfare if this was the case, not even contribution in time or subsidy from the employer.

Then the situation re: fag breaks came up and I was informed that employees are allowed a number of breaks in teh working day to “light up!” So, it would appear that breaks to “damage their health” were catered for in work time but not “de-stress breaks” to help reduce stress and enhance health. Makes one think!

Comments welcome or invites to come in and discuss with your HR managers/directors. They could even try in out FREE OF CHARGE.

Bringing Massage Therapy into the Workplace – Evidence

admin — Thu, 28 Jul 2011 15:54:39 +0000

Massage therapists hoping to gain employers as clients have plenty of evidence to support their campaign. As the leading cause of disability worldwide, depression reduces the productivity of employees, increases the frequency of worker absences and can lead to premature retirement. Because massage therapy has been shown to reduce the physiological markers of stress and depression, companies recruiting massage professionals for their workers will have several advantages over those who do not.

Some of the evidence is described below:

• A study conducted by the Touch Research Institutes at the University of Miami School of Medicine in Florida, found that massage eases anxiety and depression, as well as leg and back pain, in depressed pregnant women.

• A study conducted at the Duquesne University School of Nursing in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania found that a 20-minute back massage enhanced mood and reduced stress in the spouses of cancer patients.

See rest of article

Stress takes its toll on health in the workplace

admin — Thu, 21 Jul 2011 09:41:27 +0000

Published on Wednesday 20 July 2011 15:38

Every year 600,000 new people sign up for incapacity benefits and 1.4 million people aged 50-59 are already retired due to ill-health.

According to the 2010 CIPD Survey for Sickness Absence management, chronic pain and depression account for two-thirds of the long-term absences, with musculoskeletal injuries, back pain and stress accounting for most of the rest. When it comes to short-term absence, the most common causes are minor illnesses and then musculoskeletal injuries, back pain and stress.

Over a third of employers report that stress-related absence has increased over the past year, yet what is not widely recognised is that stress can also trigger all the above conditions….

…Try to spend at least 10 minutes each day without any distraction at all, preferably in a quiet, peaceful place….

Click here for full article.

A day in the life of metrostress at Irwell Valley Housing Association

admin — Mon, 18 Jul 2011 10:13:52 +0000

It’s the most valuable use of 20 minutes of my time every month.
The positives after a Metro Stress massage is the feeling of being re-charged, stress free and able to focus again and has to be experienced to be believed!
I look forward to these sessions immensely and the positive feelings it generates afterwards.
A deeply satisfying, relaxing de-stressing experience.
No better way to get back that “feel good” factor in 20 minutes!
If this doesn’t help you feel relaxed, de-stressed, re-focused or re-energised then you’re already dead!
Murray Cobban
Supported Housing Officer

Bill’s worked with our colleagues at Irwell Valley for a number of years and has been a constant ‘stress releaser’ for all of us! He is consistent, reliable and a very good listener [if that’s what you need at any time in your life]… or if you just want a nice relaxing massage then he’s your man.
Lynne Shaw
PA to the Chief Executive at Irwell Valley
I really look forward to having a massage, as I am a stressed person and I find it really does relax my muscles, I wish I could have one everyday.
Sarah McFarland
Finance Assistant

I really look forward to my massages with Bill – it can be all systems go but when get on that table all my stresses melt away!! I leave the room feeling relaxed and ready for anything!!
Anne-Marie Clayton-Scott
Supported Services Manager

One of the highlights of my work at Irwell Valley is the absolute superb massage we periodically receive as part of our Colleague benefits. Both Bill and Chris are experts in their field and contribute greatly to my wellbeing both in my work and private life.
When asked by IVHA which benefits are most important to us and which we do not want to lose I always say Massage and Life Alignment.
Sandra Pounder
Support Worker

Both Bill and Jill and friendly, warm, and welcoming people who put you immediately at ease. The massage is never less than wonderful and really lifts your mood as well as easing aches and pains.
Kate Rose
Sales & Leasehold Officer

Is your workplace making you unwell?

admin — Tue, 12 Jul 2011 14:15:13 +0000

With work-related illnesses on the rise, employers need to offer employees practical, financial help on the road to recovery. Peter Crush reports
Are you well?” So familiar is this polite conversation opener, it almost goes unnoticed. But for such a simple question, wellness still leaves the worlds of academia and psychology pretty much stumped. Is wellness a measure of our “happiness” (which the government is now attempting to survey) or is it a physical rather than a mental state – or both?

What is increasingly accepted is the role long hours in the workplace can play in illness. “The workplace is a scary place,” says Cary Cooper, professor of organisational psychology and health, Lancaster University Management School, and co-author of Well-being, published in April. “The growing long-hours culture is symptomatic of unmanageable workloads, and the stresses and strains of this are directly linked to medical problems that need not have, but will now create, long-term absence.” for more click here

I Need to Lose Weight and Fast – Should I Join a Gym?

admin — Wed, 06 Jul 2011 15:27:45 +0000

Lots of people are stressed because of weight problems.
Reasons You May Want to Join a Gym
Motivation. Everyone at the gym is there for one reason—to exercise. Being around people who share the same objective can motivate you to dig your heels in and get your workouts done. If going to the gym will encourage you to exercise regularly, then I say go for it!
No Distractions at Home. There is always something to do or someone who needs you at home. These distractions can easily take priority (in your mind) over exercising. When you do most of your workouts at the gym, the dishes, dinner, phone calls, laundry and anything else you “need” to do will just have to wait.
Access to Exercise Equipment and Fitness Classes. You don’t need much exercise equipment to get a good workout. However, doing the same old exercise videos and running on the same old treadmill can bore you to pieces. When you opt to workout in a gym, you have access to tons of equipment and a variety of fitness classes, so you rarely get bored.
Click Here! for more information