[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]As kids we live led by our needs and desires. When we are hungry, we ask our parents for food. When we want to play we do so.
But little by little we are educated to repress our instincts. We learn that we have to finish the homework before we can play. We are taught to wait for the class to finish to go to the bathroom.
Later, as adults, we find ourselves working nonstop, without time to go to the bathroom, having a quick sandwich at our desk and returning home too exhausted to play with our kids or dedicate time to a hobby.
We go to work even though we do not feel well, because it is just a cold, and we cannot afford to miss work. We know we should rest but have so many things to do. Actually we might be trapped in such a cycle of workload and responsibilities that we have learned to ignore the feeling of hunger, thirst or tiredness.
Do you go to #work even if you do not feel good? Do you work nonstop without taking a #break to eat, drink or #rest? This will take a toll on your #body and #wellbeing Share on X
Our body calls our attention
Our bodies let us know about their needs. The most basic ones are the feeling of thirst, hunger or need to go to the bathroom for example. But tensions, contractions or pain are signals that something is not okay. A headache, sore throat, strained back are signals that our bodies send us.
Do you pay attention to your body?
Are connected with your body? Do you pay attention to the signals it sends you? If we become more aware and pay attention, we will notice when we need a rest, physical activity, certain food etc. Our organism is very smart. It asks us for more sleep if we need it. Our body makes us crave certain food when it lacks some nutrients. It even makes us restless when we need movement and physical activity.
Moreover, discomfort and pain tell us that something is wrong. They signal that our body has some problem we should pay attention to.
Our #body does not only let us know about #basicneeds but also in the shape of #discomfort and #pain when something is wrong. Pay attention Share on X
Learn to interpret your body’s signals
If we want to take care of ourselves, we need to learn to interpret the signs appropriately. Headache, tense neck or back, sore throat… Do you ignore those signs thinking that it is no big deal or do you remedy it?
When I talk about remedy I do not mean just taking a pill and continuing with the same rhythm of work and obligations. I suggest you analyse what has caused the discomfort. You might just have catched a cold due to the weather. But your defences might be low. A muscle tension can be due to a lengthy bad posture. However, stress also has a say and can make us tense our muscles.
Therefore, I suggest to not only pay attention to the signs but also consider the possible causes.
When your #body calls your attention with #discomfort or #pain, do not only #remedy it. Analyse the #causes and your #paceoflife Share on X
Review your sense of responsibility
It is important to be a responsible person. However, I suggest you check your scale of responsibility. Due to believing that you cannot miss work, do you expose your colleagues to catching your cold or flu? Do you not think it is better for one person to be off work some day than several being off sick? Besides, have you noticed that you perform worse when you do not feel well?
Or maybe your sense of responsibility leads you to overloading yourself with obligations and commitments. That in turn can cause a feeling of overwhelm and not coping.
So, check which obligations you consider unavoidable. Is it really that bad to miss a commitment or at least postpone it? Is the deadline for some issue really immovable? Sometimes we put ourselves under a lot of pressure. Not feeling well can then be a good opportunity to check our priorities. Is your health or that meeting more important? Is your well-being or attending that event worth more? Review your sense of responsibility and priorities, and practice your skills of delegating responsibilities and tasks.
Do you think you cannot miss #work even when you do not feel good? Do you tend to #overload yourself with #commitments and #obligations? Check your sense of #responsibility Share on X
Get rid of the sense of guilt
You might feel guilty for not going to work, not doing a certain tasks, not honouring a commitment. Where work is concerned, consider that nobody is indispensable and that your boss and colleagues can survive some days without you (same as when you are on holidays). If necessary (and you can), call to give indications to the person covering for you or helping out with some issue that cannot wait.
Thinking of outstanding tasks, consider their deadline. Are they really urgent or can they wait? Are there self-imposed deadlines you may change? If something cannot wait, who can do it for you?
But above all do not feel guilty for giving priority to your health and well-being. We only have one body and life. If we do not take care of ourselves, nobody else will do so for us.
Get rid of the FOMO syndrome
I have mentioned the FOMO syndrome before. This acronym stands for “Fear of missing out” and is usually related with being hooked on social media. However, we can perfectly apply it to other things in our life.
Do you feel you will miss out on something if you stay at home? What important thing can you miss if you do not go to that event, meeting, conference or whatever? Is it more important than your health?
Do you feel #guilty if you miss #work because your off #sick? Or do you think you will #miss something? Get rid of the #senseofguilt and #FOMOsyndrome Share on X
Take care of yourself
This means watching that you eat in a balanced way and naturally. Try to avoid processed products whose list of ingredients seems an enigma. The more natural the food, the more nutrients, vitamins and minerals it will contain.
The second pillar is physical activity. Those of us who work in offices spend many hours sitting. In order to compensate get up often to stretch and move. Moreover, look for physical activities that are fun. That way you will feel less lazy even after a busy day.
Last but not least also take care of your mental and emotional well-being. Worries, feeling overwhelmed or anxiety can make us sick. Tensions, headaches or stomach aches are just a few examples of physiological symptoms which can be caused by stress.
Do not ignore your body’s signals. If you do not feel well, it is particularly important that you rest and provide your body with the nutrients it needs.
So, take care of your body. That way you will enjoy life more and perform better.
Nurture your #health and #wellbeing. You only have one #body and nobody else will take care of it for you. Share on X
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