Welcome to this New Year issue. Does the New Year seem old already?

In this month's newsletter
Thought For The Day
Did You Know?
30-Second Stress Buster
News And Offers

Thought For The Day
“Stress is like the surf: it keeps crashing down on us until we learn to ride it.”

Did You Know?
People have always said constant stress ages us, but now it's official and no longer simply folklore.
According to a recent article in Time magazine, a new study reported on by Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences says chronic stress can damage the DNA of the immune-system cells "in a way that speeds up the aging process."
Elissa Epel, a psychologist at the University of California, San Francisco, and her colleague Elizabeth Blackburn, a biochemist, worked with a team of psychologists and biologists to perform the study. Looking at parts of the DNA in cells that wear out with age, they found that the most stressed participants had “cells that looked 10 years older than their chronological age."
So the next time we look at ourselves in the mirror, instead of reaching for the anti-wrinkle cream, perhaps we should reach for some stress relief instead?

30-Second Stress Buster Exercise
Do you feel tension in your forehead or clench your jaw? These two quick routines have often been claimed to not only reduce tension in the facial muscles, but also increase circulation, and thus reduce wrinkles in the long term. They are known as facial gymnastics: -

• Inhale: and raise your eyebrows as much as you can.
• Exhale: and draw them together in a deep frown.
• Repeat a few more times, pushing the eyebrows higher and lower each time
• Inhale: close your eyes and place your fingertips of both hands on the centre of your forehead.
• Exhale: stroke the fingers out to the edges of the temples, wiping away any last tension.
• Repeat a few more, times and then feel the muscles of your forehead relaxing and spreading out.
• Now smile, and take the corners of your mouth as wide as you can: imagine or say out loud the letter sound “eeeee”.
• Then perse your lips and imagine, or say out loud, the sound “oouu” as in “you”.
• Repeat a few more times, stretching and squeezing the muscles more each time.
• Then relax, and if you haven’t burst out laughing, or caused the office to laugh yet, feel how much more relaxed, plump and well nourished the cells / muscles of the face feel. Notice how much of the pent up tension in the face and jaw has melted away. If you have been laughing, then enjoy the rejuvenating effect that has had on you too!

• We are pleased to announce, that in response to demands for a more male skewed class, we are now able to offer martial arts classes in the workplace. These classes focus on poise, power and mastering the energies that tend to unbalance us. Participants learn how to control and manage frustrations and anger, developing strength, flexibility, patience, resolve and determination. Call or email us for more information info@zenatwork.com.au
  
  
• Sydneysiders can get a free head, neck and shoulder massage at one of lour unchtime promotions during week commencing 7th February. We will be giving complimentary massages to customers at cafes in the following centres during that week: The Colonial Building and Chiefly Plaza, The Met Centre and Wynyard Arcade, Australia Square and The MLC Centre.
  
  
• If you are in HR or Accounting, watch your industry newsletters and magazines for articles about ZEN AT WORK. The ATMA ran an article on us in their latest issue, and some of the HR magazines will be featuring us shortly.

• If you found this email useful, please pass it on to a friend, or send them a link to our website: www.zenatwork.com.au, so that they can subscribe too.

• Let us know if you would prefer to receive this email in plain text, rather than html.
• Let us know what you like, or would like to see improved, regarding this newsletter. The best suggestion each month will receive two hours worth of free massage for the team or office. Please contact us at info@zenatwork.com.au