Study finds yoga can help beat job burnout

According to researchers, meditation, breathing exercises, correct postures, low-fat non spicy diet, and techniques used in yoga help to achieve calm, slower respiration, and aid in relaxation that reduces the tensions of the workplace.

Role of yoga in job burnouts assessed
In a bid to evaluate the role of yoga in eliminating job burnout, a study was conducted by Hasmikh Adhia, IAS officer and Principal Secretary, Education, Government of Gujarat and two other researchers, HR Nagendra and B Mahadevan.

For the purpose of the study, they recruited 84 executives of Grasim Industries Ltd, an important company of Aditya Birla Group, for a period of one month.

The participants were split into two equal groups. One group was assigned to 30 hours of yoga practice, comprising asanas for 75 minutes daily.

They also received 25 hours of theory lectures on the philosophy of yoga.

The regimen of the second group focused on physical exercise. This group was asked to perform 30 hours of vigorous workouts.

In addition, they were lectured on success factors of life based on modern theory.

At the onset of the study, all the participants were questioned on their levels of stress.

Other factors such as blood pressure, body mass index (BMI), blood sugar, and weight were also taken into account.

At the end of the trial period, all the tests were repeated for comparison to the initial measurements.

Findings of the study
The results were promising. A large section of the yoga group reported a marked improvement in their stress levels at the end of the month as opposed to the control group assigned to physical therapy.

"Stress, when measured, showed statistically significant drop for managers in the yoga group, while ironically in the physical exercise group, stress increased as their working schedule became more hectic due to additional exercise," Adhia said.

The study is published in the quarterly magazine of Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad (IIM-A), 'Vikalpa.'

A little about job burnout
Job burnout is a special type of job stress when one feels irritable, overworked, and underappreciated.

It can be classified into three categories exhaustion, cynicism, and inefficiency.

Burnout is debilitating psychological condition, a state of physical, emotional or mental exhaustion combined with doubts about ones competence at work.

This can have dire consequences on the organization’s effectiveness and an individual’s health which suffers as stress mounts.

To cure burnout one can take a vacation, stop working overtime, find more time to relax or do things he enjoys.