A study published on Occupational Medicine, apart of Oxford Academic, revealed that a daily Yoga regimen, at workplaces or in a business environment, helps with the stress, physical issues, and general mood swings. One of the many positive points about the study was that none of the participants showed any signs of negative symptoms or deterioration on the regime. Do you need more persuasion? Every entrepreneur, big or small, must practice relaxation techniques of some sort, in order to release stress, negative emotions and to understand the art of letting go of things. If you are a businessman or woman reading this, it is time to make it happen.

Here are 9 Reasons why you need Yoga and meditation in your life:

1. Stress Management

Work equals stress and you cannot run away from this fact. Neither, can you run away from work or completely avoid it. So, will you continue to live a draining life? No, add a good dose of Yoga & meditation in your life. Many studies prove that practicing Yoga & meditation have a calming effect on the brain and improves the gut functionality.

The Gut-Brain axis is no longer a hidden fact and therefore, it is important for you to maintain this healthy relationship. As this axis is balanced, the mood swings go away and the stress levels come down. You will notice a significant change in your mindset, as you continue to target your gut as well as the brain through calming Yogic poses and a couple of minutes of meditation.

2. Happy Hormones 

The gut flora of a human being is responsible for releasing neurotransmitters, such as Dopamine, Serotonin, and Endorphin, to name a few. When there is any blockage in the pathway to the brain, meaning hindrance in the normal flow of these happy hormones, symptoms of Depression, Anxiety, and Panic attacks are felt and experienced. Apart from eating healthy foods, Yoga & meditation can also help in alleviating many of these painful symptoms and sometimes the cause as well.

The life of an entrepreneur can be hectic and full of stress, instances of cruel jet-lag owing to travel, and general sickness due to constant change in weather, place or even working conditions. As a human, you are supposed to feel healthy and happy. Include at least 30 minute of Yoga or meditation in your regimen for experiencing this bliss.

3. Anger Management

It is common to feel exasperated or frustrated in a demanding work environment. As a boss, you might not like someone at work, unhappy with someone’s performance or simply experience anger over a recurring work issue. Remember, that anger is your biggest enemy and its trap has the power to destroy your kingdom in no time.

Wondering how Yoga can help you with this issue? Angry or stressed, infuriated or simply impatient, Yoga & meditation is one of the simplest tools to fix things up naturally. A scientific study involved a Mindfulness Program for Youth but also covered people working in strenuous work environments. At the end of the program, the participants revealed of having less physical aggression, reduced psychological problems and more.

4. Meta-Cognitive Processing

What is Meta-Cognitive Processing? It is nothing but a collection of human behavior patterns that comprises planning, monitoring, and evaluating a person, situation or both. The art of mindfulness meditation or Yoga or both in a proper way and pattern, can help a person manage the cognitive processing effectively.

A follow-up study on the subject revealed many important points that the general masses can benefit from: Meditation helps with symptoms of Depression (you can very well be a successful entrepreneur and be depressed at the same time). Reduced negative distress pertinent to mood disturbances. Help with handling triggers linked to patterns of aggression and anger.

5. Emotional Healing

Every one of us goes through emotional upheaval or a heartbreaking moment once in our lifetime. Entrepreneurs are vulnerable and comparatively even more susceptible to life-changing instances in life, such as failed ventures, ups & downs in personal relationships, lack of time for family, tiring team members, and bad diet (yes, diet regulates your emotions too).

Considering these examples, it makes a lot of sense to include some sort of relaxation technique to combat the results of these situations. Yoga & meditation, together, can help you fight your demons, face your fears, and teach you to express your emotions (or, opinions) in the best possible way. Remember, it is the mind-body-spirit connection that makes the difference to your life.

6. Obesity

Do you know the number one reason behind most cases of heart diseases and Diabetes? Yes, it is the sugar-ridden potbelly, which is also a possible outcome of a sedentary lifestyle. A healthy body has a different context to different people, which is why the majority of people are susceptible to falling for a wrong sense of health & well-being. For once, a potbelly is not a sign of a prosperous healthy-eating individual.

A diet high in sugar and a stressful life can be a damaging combination laying devastating effects on your life. If you do not have enough time for gym or any other form of exercise, then you can consider meditating or simply chanting “Om” with your eyes closed for 15 minutes or so. Apart from this, you can try some easy and relaxing Yoga poses that targets the belly area and helps you detox as well.

7. Belief System

Yoga re-adjusts your belief system or at least helps you in doing so. Why is your belief system so important for entrepreneurial success? Imagine running an empire or even a small business without a vision, morals, or protocols. Will you be able to sustain without a spiritual connection to your work or a moral system? Absolutely not.

Your spirituality shall help you in maintaining the correct mind-body-spirit connection for a calmer disposition, heal your emotional issues, and thereby help you in recuperating from any trauma. If left unhealed, your conjured up negative emotions can affect your belief system and make you vulnerable to changes, incorrect decisions, and awful devastating transaction.

8. Ego & Sense of Ignorance

Ego is your biggest enemy but also a pure form of emotion. Why pure? Simply because it stems from your sense of ignorance, jealousy, sadness, or even extravagancy. All these emotions are very much ‘human’ and a pre-cursor to the devastative egotistical behavioral pattern. As a businessperson, ego can be a poison that will slowly eat away your peace, cordial relationships with your partners, and your own team.

Yoga and meditation helps you in finding the blind spots in your working patterns, protocols, and even real-life relationships. Meditation, for instance, activates the happy part of your Central Nervous System and helps you in attending to the distressed situation with ease and patience.

9. State of Doing Nothing

If you stay stressed or in work mode 24×7, it is impossible for you to recognize the importance of doing absolutely nothing or in simpler words, relaxing. Poses like Child Pose or Balasana, Corpse Poseor Savasana are some of the poses that teach the importance of letting go, living in the moment, relaxing while you have time in-hand and maintaining the correct sleep pattern.

You do not have to be a full-fledged Yogi to practice these poses. All you have to do is set aside a couple of minutes a day for relaxation or lying down on a couch doing nothing, feeling nothing, and experiencing nothing. It is very important for new-age entrepreneurs and businessmen to realize the importance of enjoying the moment and taking a snooze or two for a while.