20/10/2010
City workers turn to the ukulele for stress relief
by Joseph Jeffries
Workers in high-pressure City jobs are turning to the ukulele to help them beat stress and anxiety, according to The London Evening Standard.
Until fairly recently, the idea of high-flying financial workers playing the small, four-stringed instrument may have been laughed at. However, the 'uke' has grown in popularity in recent times, particularly after it was revealed that billionaires such as Bill Gates and Warren Buffet had taken up the instrument.
The pressures of financial sector jobs are well known, and it would appear that the ukulele is mounting a serious challenge to pastimes such as golf and jogging as the stress-relieving activity of choice.
George Hincliffe, a co-creator of the Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain, said that his group had enjoyed a surge in the number of people contacting them for tuition.
"We've seen a massive growth in the number of City firms asking for lessons, both group and one-to-ones," Mr Hinchliffe told The Guardian.
Mr Hinchliffe said that most of the requests for lessons were coming from workers for whom money is not an issue, but who want to improve other areas of their life. He added that the ukulele was easy to learn and an excellent outlet for those looking to release built-up stress.
"Typically, most of the demand is coming from those who can afford the new Porsche or the new speedboat but who are not too happy with the way the rest of their life is going," Mr Hinchliffe explained.
"For those who are very career-orientated, the ukulele is a great release. It's easy to get pretty good at it very quickly, and that means it encourages playfulness instead of competitiveness," he added.
Bus drivers suspended for : Next → ← Previous : Council challenge parents