| London, definitely the most populous city in the | | | | at the same time? Do you send them weightlifting, |
| European Union, is a quiet, relaxed, and friendly place | | | | known to be very good for stress, maybe dancing |
| with many open areas full of fresh air and green | | | | classes, known to be a good relaxer, martial arts |
| spaces. London, they say, is for lovers, an ancient city | | | | training, perhaps, improve their overall fitness levels, no |
| whose history greets you at every turn, ancient | | | | doubt, and stress counselling is these days widely |
| landmarks scattered throughout the city, but that's not | | | | available. But what about the playing together as a |
| the London we want to talk about today. | | | | team angle? |
| We want to talk about London the largest and capital | | | | This might explain the growing craze for paintball. It |
| city of the United Kingdom, the leading foreign | | | | could be the obvious answer, getting people out of the |
| exchange market centre in the world. Attracting as it is | | | | office and often too into the fresh air. This is perhaps |
| a tide of hedge fund assets London is also the capital | | | | why so many paintball venues are springing up in and |
| of credit card fraud --I'm told that's official. London is | | | | around London and the city in particular. There's the |
| the only actual exporter of financial services Of the | | | | Paintball Centre in Worship St EC2, right in the |
| three big financial capitals, . | | | | crowded heart of the City, in every sense of the word. |
| London is also the principal business centre for Europe | | | | Other paintball companies have sites still local in a |
| and provides the best opportunities for those wishing | | | | sense but as far afield as Harrow, Enfield, Staines, |
| to become involved in international business. London is | | | | Ealing, Potters Bar and as close to the heart as the |
| the world's top destination for air travellers. London is a | | | | City itself and Westminster. Westminster, eh? Handy |
| vibrant, bustling, multi-cultural city. London too is | | | | for the Civil Service! Don't forget too the very |
| important because of the large size of its gold market. | | | | impressive venue at Canary Wharf, London's largest |
| That means big bucks get earned in London, and | | | | indoor venue. Greater London offers facilities at |
| where you get the big bucks, you get the big stress. | | | | Billericay in Essex and Cobham in Surrey, where the |
| Now stress is not the demon it's often made out to be. | | | | A3 meets the M25. This is just outside London and is |
| Stress is a feeling that's created when we react to | | | | easily accessed from the city. |
| particular events. Stress is your response to any | | | | Plus of course there's the marketing potential. Have |
| physical, emotional or intellectual demands. The | | | | your home team line up against your major clients' |
| importance of challenge in our work lives is probably | | | | personnel. Mix and match, try having your office |
| what people are referring to when they say "a little bit | | | | personnel and theirs team up against your field |
| of stress is good for you. But that's not what they get | | | | operatives. What could be a better way of teaching |
| in The City. There, it's endemic, and frighteningly, chronic | | | | everyone to work together? |
| job stress is a known risk factor for heart disease. | | | | Perhaps this is the reason paintball is so popular for |
| So what do you do if you're a team leader in the city | | | | corporate days out, playing paintball can make a good |
| and you want a way to relax your wound up team, | | | | team better! |
| keep them healthy, and promote teamwork and spirit | | | | |