Introduction
Do you ever ask yourself the question whether you are still happy at work? Your body signal’s can tell you more as it has probably known that for a long time. Everyone has headaches, but if you always get it for that one meeting, then there is more going on. If you learn to listen better to physical signals, you discover that your body is wiser than you realize.
Not feeling good?
Palpitations and sweaty palms for an exciting presentation, that doesn’t sound illogical. If that also happens on a normal office day, then it is time to listen to your body signals. Your body often responds to situations before you realize it. Why wouldn’t you use that knowledge of your heart and lower abdomen?
Listen to body signs
I would like to make a stand here for listening to your body signs. Our body is so wise, but most people are no longer used to listening to it and, indeed, to act on it. We live so much in our head, in our ratio, that we seem to have forgotten that there is more. Read on and find out how it works and if you really are happy at work.
Not so happy at work? May I suggest a wonderful alternative? Please check out the last paragraph and become your own boss!
Suppressing emotions
We are so used to ignoring the signals from our body that, if we are in pain somewhere, we take a paracetamol and just continue with what we were doing. If an emotion arises, we push it away, because that doesn’t fit right there.
However, if there are signals from your body, your body wants to tell you something. Maybe that one little jolt wants to tell you that you should take it easy. Maybe that emotion wants to tell you that there are still some unprocessed issues waiting for you. By suppressing the signals and emotions, you often make things worse.
Aches and emotions
When your body hurts somewhere, that is a signal. If you do not rest at such a moment, but continue in the highest gear, your body cannot start to clear up the cause of the pain. Your immune system only works from rest.
Working hard
Because you create a lot of adrenaline, when you are working so hard, you often do not feel what is going on in your body. Your body shields the signals, so to speak, so that you can continue. But the signal is there. When you take a break, you will feel that you are in pain. Once you feel that, do not go even harder, but get more rest so that your body can recover.
Suppressing emotions dangerous
The same goes for emotions. If you suppress emotions, they will come back extra hard later. An emotion wants to be felt. As soon as it is felt and processed, it dissolves. So do not avoid your emotions, but allow them. Investigate why you feel that way. Often emotions have to do with your own beliefs about something, or is it something you are processing. View where your emotion comes from and then release it.
Body wisdom
A psychologist wrote a book called: Inside you know everything – Handbook for body wisdom. It distinguishes three zones with which we perceive the world. With the zone of the head we look ahead and we work purposefully. The zone of the heart helps us to feel what we and others need. With the third zone, that of the abdomen, we observe very sensibly whether something is tasty or fine, also related to previous experiences.
Imagine what happens if you systematically ignore the last two observation systems, and trust and respond primarily to your head. It seems tough to ignore your headache and keep going, but then stress or even a burnout lurk.
Responding to stimuli at work
Listening to the signals from our body is therefore much more important than we think. We see ourselves as thinking creatures; we have brought the technology to a great height. But physically not much has changed in us. In fact we still walk around like wild animals in the jungle. There are all sorts of incentives, and we have responses to that.
Be aware
We do not realize with our head, but our body has often responded to the situation for a long time. That goes through the two nervous systems that we have: the parasympathetic, which regulates rest and relaxation, and the sympathetic, which is related to fleeing or fighting. We scan every situation in our body: is there danger, do I have to do something? Or is it safe and can I survive here?
In the jungle?
Our body may be in the jungle, but the danger is no longer a tiger with long teeth. That is why we take that body less seriously. The modern dangers are, for example, a poor assessment of a manager, an exciting presentation, or an overly full agenda. Not immediately life threatening, but stressful.
Fight or flight?
Our body still responds with a fight or flight response. With a sudden rise in adrenaline. In addition, imagine that we have to process much more incentives than twenty years ago, while our parasympathetic nervous system of rest and relaxation is the same. Your body has known for a long time whether you are happy in your work. That way you listen better to physical signals.
Tightened shoulders
In short: the balance is lost. We sometimes do not even notice if we are typing with cramped shoulders, or are preparing an important meeting with increased breathing.
It makes sense to practice, and to use the knowledge of your body to your advantage. What do you notice in your chest or abdomen when you think of a certain assignment? And if you have doubts about something: at which option do you feel your throat tighten, or most of the room in your chest?
Men and women
Maybe it’s surprising, but it is noticed that men can feel very unwell. Women are more socialized and then they are busy with what their head needs. But there is nothing as earthly as that body. Everyone can do it. The only thing that is needed is the willingness to listen to your body.
Final thoughts
When you want to know whether you are happy in your work, listen to the signs that your body gives. Have a headache at work on a regular basis? Your body is protesting and giving a signal that something is not right. You better find out what it is. Not listening to your body can mean a decreasing health, both mentally and physically. No place of work is worth it to let your be adversely affected, it might be irreversible sometimes. So …
Change your life here!
Taking action is the operational word here. Find the cause and do something about it, even if you would have to leave that company. Who knows something good might arise from it, like for example start becoming your own boss. This is nowadays very much possible with the aid of the internet. Want to see how this could work? Read here my review on the world’s best internet business support program. A chance of a life time!
Wooow, this is perfect. I am definitely listening more to my body from henceforth. I especially like the classification of the bosy’s Zones. The Head, the Heart and the Abdomen. Everytime i look at Body language i do this with myself as subject and others as objects, never consciously thought of observing my own body to improve my work flow. Thanks so much really enlightening
I am glad I could be of help. Every body should be made aware of this!
This is very true. Our bodies give us all sorts of signals that most rarely listen to. People today spend most of their time in an uptight state that’s ultimately bad for their health. I used to be that way, back when I had a regular job. I run my own business now and enjoy what I do, so that kind of stress is mostly a thing of the past with me. I like the way you broke it down, mentioning the tight shoulders, palpitations and the fight-or-flight response. Thanks for sharing!
One of the negative sides of being in the rat race is that it is a race where people tend to take too little time for themselves, ignoring the signals. Finding out too late that their health is effected. I am trying to give a warning here to prevent this from happening at any time.
I love the post and the info given ,But I’m v1very baffled and very paranoid when it comes to working under a boss. I really appreciate the features highlighted and explained and ’m still not totally convinced that working for yourself is the best you can offer yourself. I am glad I took the bold step to be self boss. Thank you for the amazing write up, hope to get more of your post.
Not all people will be able to work for themselves as it take discipline to keep yourself at work, make your own schedule and make all the decisions. Some people will need guidance all of their life, some do not.
Wow! I really like this post. Its golden! Such a detailed and insightful post.
I have been enlightened way beyond my imaginations. I never realised how carefree I have been with my body just to create a living. I’m a typical workaholic who believes work is the sure dose to riches. Sometimes, I do work for more than 20hours per day or less. I do have limited relaxation and doesn’t entertain any form of laziness. I haven’t been conscious of my body reactions. Thank you so much for this post…I’m well enlightened.
I guess you are one of the lucky ones who love what they are doing. And yes, constant hard work for yourself (not for the boss) might be the way to riches or in any case a decent full-time income.
Thanks for asking this question are you happy at work? And listening to body signal. Been happy at work depends on the work you are doing but am sure you can’t be working for someone and you will be happy no matter how much your boss is paying you,you are just building someone else dream and doing this your body will always give you negative signal because you always over work it. But the good news is that there is an opportunity online to quit the job and work for yourself
i hope many follow the link because it really the best place to start building your business online and get paid for what you like doing best.
For some lucky ones among us, work is very satisfying because they form a match with the boss and the work requested. I estimate this percentage to be 10. For a great majority, work is a necessary thing and for some a constant struggle. Especially the last category have to be on the lookout for their body signs.
Well said Jerry, I agree entirely with everything in this post. I can relate to this and this has helped me to stay healthy. I hardly use drugs because I have learned over the years to listen to my body signals. Whenever I try suppressing the signal from my body and emotion, but at the end of the day, I always regret my action. i encourage everyone to learn to listen and pay more attention to the signal from their body.
You exactly underwrite the intention of this article and we all should take time to listen to our bodies.
Hi Jerry,
I made it a point of duty not to ignore my emotions for anything, because my emotions are the abstract me. I have quit a few jobs in my short blue collar and white collar job careers because of small discomforts I feel here and there.
Finally coming to a conclusion that no job will perfectly satisfy me and leave me unperturbed, I decided to be my own boss and started my online business, with no risks of bossy discomforts.
I can fully relate to that and hope that you have really found the activities that you want to do. It would be something like becoming your own boss, working from home or even anywhere with a laptop and internet connection, when you want it and of course making good money in the process.
I love your article based around listening to our bodies, I wish that I had taken this type of advice on board some years ago and not pushed myself too hard resulting in bad health. It really is so important to listen and slow down if we see signs from our bodies that we should not ignore. Thank you for writing this
Fintan
Thanks and sorry to hear that you left it maybe too late, I hope you can still fully recover. This perfectly illustrates the intention of my article that people always should listen to the signs and take immediate action.
Hi Jerry,
Interesting post on the body’s reaction to boss-related stress. I currently work at a job where I have a great direct supervisor but also need to report to 5 (that’s right 5!) other people, so in reality I have essentially 6 bosses who all have a huge mix of personalities. This definitely leads to a ton of stress.
I believe the answer in the long term is to eventually become your own boss, as you mentioned. However, for those of us who are still employees, do you have any recommendations on dealing with boss-related stress in the meantime?
Thanks in advance for your response.
I have been in a situation where there were some 5 or 6 bosses were involved, more chiefs than Indians so to speak. This will never work in the end, not for you, not for them as they may give conflicting orders. My website is full of recommendations what to do with certain types of bosses. You can search for psychopath, micro-manager, asshole, almost any kind. You can also find some in the top menu under the boss’s tricks. The common denominator is: take action!
Interesting article. Most people don’t pay attention to our body and we don’t give the necessary time it needs when something is wrong. Unfortunately many times this is due to the crazy way of life many of us have nowadays but I agree that in order to stay healthy the body needs it’s time to recover from time to time. Good rest will increase productivity and most people will have to go with this mindset in order to be able to perform the best at work.
That’s it and a good manager will understand this concept. But it starts with ourselves, we should be taking the action as out body reacts.
This sounds so exciting and adventurous. I feel tickled by the theme. What an amazingly talented writer you are!
I’ve really enjoyed reading this article as you’ve provided us with lots of valuable information. I have been having a tough time with my boss at work and the challenge is getting tougher on daily basis. Thanks for the eye opener and i will surely implement everything you have stated here.
Sorry to hear that Tracy, however, you know there are always ways out of most situations, if one was only looking for them. This website gives many ways out, I have described many types of bosses and how to deal with them effectively. My main purpose is that people stay out of trouble and especially take care of their health. Let me know if I can help you with your boss.