Office Chair Massage Keeps Costs Low, Spirits High

September 5th, 2010 by admin


With the economy struggling, and public outrage at a peak over lavish corporate expenditures, some companies are still treating their employees well. They’re doing it cheaply, right from the office by hiring massage therapists to come to their businesses and provide employees with chair massage at or near their workstations.

”The massages we provide are not the type of luxury that you might find at a resort spa,” said Alana Eve Burman, president and founder of JoyLife Therapeutics, a provider of corporate massage across the U.S. and worldwide. “The cost is much lower, and employees get a significant stress relief and morale boost.”

And these are stressful times. With corporate revenue and earnings down sharply over this prolonged recession, times have rarely been worse for corporate expenditures on employees. However, companies are finding that office massage can be a cost-effective way to reward employees and de-stress the work environment.

“We need a way to reward our employees, to show them that they are worthwhile, even if the amount of money we can spend on them to do this has been reduced,” said Diana Cortijo with World Bank, the international financing and development institution and a recent recipient of office massage. “Chair massage offers us a low-price way to bring the luxury of massage to our employees.” 

Office massage, in addition to being low-cost, is also low-maintenance for companies. Generally, therapists provide their own transportation to the business, and bring their own massage chair and supplies. They then perform massage on employees on-site, with the employees fully clothed in an ergonomically relaxed, seated position. Most on-site massage happens at an impromptu station, often setup in an unused meeting room in the office. 

“It really takes the stress out,” said Helene Mangones of Graf Repetti & Co, LLP, another recent office massage recipient and New York based accountanting firm. “All of a sudden bigger projects seem easier to tackle. And the stress that builds up during the day is relieved, allowing for an easier finish to the day, and even the current week and month.”

This stress reduction could ultimately lead to increases in productivity and a rise in profits. Stress is one of the leading causes of lowered productivity in the workplace. One estimate puts direct stress-related costs to businesses in the US at $300 billion annually. Studies by the Touch Research Institute at the University of Miami have shown stress reduction, mood and immune system benefits from massage therapy. 

“We notice that things can get a little stressed, especially given the current economic environment,” Cortijo, of World Bank, said. “Office massage helps keep our workers’ minds and bodies fresh, and doesn’t stretch our budget to do it.”

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An Exotic Form of Relaxation

August 22nd, 2010 by admin

Massage Marrakech is about treating yourself to an exotic from of relaxation. The hammams that offer these massage services have long been a testament to this old age tradition that the people of Morocco and most Middle Eastern countries have to offer. There is one particular hammam in Marrakech that I know of that’s been around since the 1500’s and who claims to have served such notable personalities in history such as Florence Nightingale.

These bath houses are huge contributors to Marrakech tourism and is certainly one of the reasons people visit Marrakech today. That is of course aside from the Souks and Riads as well as the appeal of adventure travel that this small and ancient country in the African continent has to offer. Marrakech is a place full of wonders and each visit never ceases to amaze me.

I’ve been to Marrakech in Morocco twice and on both occasions, I made sure that I visited these hammams and indulged myself in this hygienic and relaxing ritual; massage included. Aside from your basic scrubbing and bath, these hammams also offer their own kind of massage. For those who aren’t familiar on how these Marrakech bathhouses operate, let me tell you a little bit of history how all these started.

A hammam or bath house was started by the Romans and later on refined by the Ottomans into the Turkish bath that it is famous for today. It was commonly patronized by the people in these areas including Marrakech since their houses lacked indoor plumbing. These ancient structures have evolved into a place of relaxation and a venue for the men and women to socialize aside from just places to clean themselves.

These traditions can still be experienced in many natural hot springs of Turkey, Tunisia, Spain, and Morocco. Before the massage, the procedure starts with a warm-up phase in a steam bath to ensure that the body and skin are well-supplied with blood after which you will be rubbed with black soap made of eucalyptus which is left on your body for around 15 minutes. There were basically three interior rooms that you will be led into.

First is the hot room for sweating in the steam, bathing and is where a traditional full body peeling is then carried out with a “Kese” (pronounced as keys), a glove made of raw silk, loofah or goat’s wool. This is rubbed over the entire body to remove dead skin cells. You would be surprised to see your dead skin literally fall off while you are being scrubbed meticulously.

The second room is the warm room for sitting and for the massage on the floor or on a marble slab. This is where you will be given a massage using fragrant Argan oil derived from the Argan tree which is endemic to the area. The Massage itself soothes your knotted muscles and I would swear it feels like your being run over by a friendly steam roller!

The masseur, whose name I now can’t recall, was exceptional! He told me he had been training on the job since he was a boy. It’s undeniable that he had no formal education in physiology or physiotherapy but he definitely knew which muscles to squeeze, what to bend and stretch without pain while I lay face down on the marble slab. I guess you could attribute that to years of experience in giving a massage.

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Sensual Massage Tips – Tips for Intimate Massage

August 10th, 2010 by admin


Partners in intimacy must rub each other the right way.  Intimacy should not be a timed event.  An idea approach to enhanced foreplay is through erotically sensual massage to heighten and arouse the erotic senses for a tour de force in a sexual encounter.  The primary aspect, among sensual massage tips, is to realize and comprehend that such an arousing and intimate experience is to be languorous, lengthy and erotic in nature.  An expansive amount of intimate contact and nudity is inclusive of such a level of eroticism. 

Preparation, among the initial sensual massage tips, incorporates a few accessories to accommodate the erotically sensual massage.  Enhance and supply the setting for where intimacy will take place with the following items, as sensual massage tips – appealing scented candles, incense of a conducive fragrance, CD player, CDs of a romantic variety, clean towels, a clean flat sheet and massage oil of a variety that suits both partners.

Sensual massage tips, in regards to setting the mood and tone, should be adequately arranged.  The first tips, among such, are to lock the door, close the blinds or curtains, and turn off cellular phones, phones and pagers, all, in order to provide an uninterrupted environment.  Secondly, within these initial tips, is to prepare the surface, be it a bed, sofa, or actual massage table, for the massage, by providing rolled towels for the purposes of neck and knee rests.  Another option, in this same vein, is to implement extra pillows, slipped into clean cases that will laundry easily. 

For the third tip, amid such preparations, is to spread the clean flat sheet over the massage surface, again, whether it is a bed, sofa or massage table, in order to guard against stains from the massage oil.  In the progression of sensual massage tips, flood the room with sensually enhanced lighting.  Eliminate the use of glaring lights.  Use sheer fabrics to drape over accent or floor lamps to set a passionate mood.  Place and light the candles. 

Set out and light the incense. Should one not wish to incorporate incense into the scene, a room freshening spray is an acceptable alternative.  Conveniently set out cool water for purposes of hydration.  Within handy reach, also set out the massage oil, along with a couple of extra towels for wiping.  Prepare and set up the CD player, with the CDs ready to play.  Lastly, among these preparations in this sequence of sensual massage tips, both partners should shower; shave, as appropriate, and trim nails. 

For the following sensual massage tips is to begin with each partner communicating, intimately and passionately, about the erotic connotation of this type of massage.  As a prequel in sensual massage tips to the actual commencement of the massage, being by kissing, touching each other’s face, and gazing into each other’s eyes, all, in order to establish the connecting process.  Proceed then to climbing atop the surface on where the sensually erotic massage will occur.  At this point, the rolled towels and pillows should be arranged to comfortably accommodate each partner. 

Amid the preliminary sensual massage tips is to engage in gently and softly stroking one another’s bodies, or, with one partner stroking the other’s body, with only the fingertips.  Begin at the back, then slowly progress upwards to the shoulders, and on down along the arms, then to the buttocks, further down to the thighs, and, eventually, all the way to the calves.  Lightness of stroke is the key in this beginning phase of the massage.

Now it is at the point that the sensual massage tips incorporate the usage of the selected massage oil.  A partner, or both partners, if it’s a mutual massage, will pour approximately two tablespoons of the oil into the palm of a hand, and then rub both hands together, in order to evenly distribute the oil, as well as to warm it, for the purpose of massaging.  Again, begin at the back, using long and deep stroking. 

At this point, it is necessary for the partner or partners involved to inquire of each other as to the intensity of strokes, to determine if such stroking is too hard or too soft.  It is important to keep the hands in contact with the other partner at all times throughout this stroking process.  Among enhanced sensual massage tips calculate your time amid each and every stroke, and develop a sensitive and rhythmic manner.  Vary the stroking, from glidingly long strokes to deep and short strokes. 

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