STOP. RELAX. BREATHE.

Increasing worker productivity sounds mighty desirable. Mighty lofty, too.

But Tevis Gale says she knows her services help do the job, especially as the “24/7-ization of the workplace” edges ever closer to stressing out the American work force.

The former AOL employee and current work-life satisfaction guru brings yoga and other on-site stress busters to workplaces.

“We create employees who thrive,” said Gale, owner of Balance Integration Corp. in New York City. “All our programming is intended to unleash employee productivity, and happiness, at the risk of sounding corny.”

With less than 27 percent of U.S. employees in a recent Gallup poll viewing themselves as “truly engaged” at work, Gale says a “national crisis” is looming.

“If we can help people feel better and think better, no matter where they are in the company chain, they’re going to start to feel better and start contributing a lot better, and then the entire company starts to work better,” said Gale, a former U.S. Army Reservist who holds a master’s degree in business administration.

Gale spent 13 years working in marketing and business development for Fortune 500 companies including International Business Machines Corp., Coca-Cola Co. and General Motors Corp., going out on her own to launch Balance Integration in 2002.

She signed up AOL as her first customer after saying in her exit interview that stress drags on productivity and she wanted to help “corporate people be able to enjoy work instead of just stressing until they’re about to drop.”

Balance Integration has grown to a staff of 15 directors and support staffers, plus 60 fitness and yoga teachers and a network of about 200 freelance instructors. Its customers include large companies such as Yahoo Inc., Google Inc., Disney Publishing Worldwide, Bear Stearns Cos. and Deutsche Bank AG.

Fees are “several hundred dollars and up,” Gale said, depending on what services are provided. These can include a one-time workshop, wellness newsletter and on-site classes. The company has expanded, with locations in Denver, Los Angeles and San Francisco.

“You can go to Harvard Business School and learn how to be a fantastic businessperson, but no one ever teaches people how to better manage themselves through the course of a workday,” Gale said. “It’s all about learning techniques so that if a curveball comes your way, you know how to calm yourself in the midst of everyday chaos.”

Linda Blank, who takes yoga from a Balance Integration fitness pro at the Manhattan offices of Yahoo, said she felt much better after pulling “out of the craziness of the workday” to take the classes.

“They asked if there was anything special that I needed taken care of and I said, ‘Two tension knots in my shoulder,’” said Blank, a Yahoo marketing associate. “I left the yoga class, and an hour later they were gone.”

Blank said she was able to get back to work, unencumbered.

“The tension of the day is gone, and you can just do whatever needs to be done,” said Blank, who usually takes the on-site yoga classes at the end of her workday twice a week.

Jeannay Murphy, who works for Disney Publishing in Manhattan, said the on-site exercise helps her feel less “annoyed” during her daily commute. She, too, takes yoga classes after her shift ends.

“I just feel less stressed and I’m able to concentrate better,” she said.

EASY STEPS TO RELIEVE STRESS AT WORK

Step 1: Take a few deep breaths, allowing your rib cage and belly to expand as you inhale. Exhale slowly.

Step 2: Seek a change in venue. Getting away from your work station, even for a walk to the water cooler, can help you collect your thoughts and refocus on the task at hand.

Step 3: Laugh. Read one of your favorite jokes or simply laugh aloud.

Step 4: Play with a stress-relieving toy or game such as a miniature basketball hoop, dart board, foam stress ball or punching bag.

Step 5: Close your eyes and listen to soothing music.

Step 6: Visualize yourself relaxing at your favorite vacation spot or completing a presentation with ease.

EHOW.COM

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Find links to resources for stress relief at stresshelpguide.com