A new column by burnout counselor Mariëlle Beentjes about the overload of information and stimuli that comes our way every day and about how you can quickly get into a more positive state from stress.
Out of your mind, into your body! From stress quickly into a more positive state (by: Marielle Beentjes)
This often feels good: checking off obligations in your flow, keeping your appointments, finishing and replenishing your to-do list, and ‘handling’ your family, your friends and your home. In your company, or if you manage a team, for example, your head is always on. And when you don’t provide a non-stop flow of activities yourself, your screen (*telephone, laptop, television, smartwatch) is always within reach to keep overloading you with knowledge and choices… We usually find these stimuli very normal. But what does your body actually think of that?
Something very strange
Less than ten thousand years ago you lived in a cave. You were connected to nature, you only ate natural self-sought food, you lived in a well-organized tribe according to the rhythm of the seasons and of day and night. You had no Wi-Fi. You did not travel through town and country. There were no deadlines, no shops, and no mountains of stuff you thought you had to have. There was no chronic stress. The amount of information that came your way was in tune with your natural capabilities. Your brain could do what it was programmed to do: take care of the basic needs of eating, drinking, safety, relaxation and reproduction. In 2023, something very strange is going on. The environment has evolved to modern times, but you still have the genes of the primeval man. It is estimated that our genes change only half a percent per million years, so do the math… As Richard de Leth of Oersterk says: people have Stone Age genes in a Science Fiction environment.
Constant stress
And then what happens? For your brain, every stimulus requires a fight, flight or freeze response, just like in prehistoric times, when there could be an immediate danger and you had to respond alertly. You could literally be eaten so it made sense that you produced adrenaline to be able to run away quickly. For your body, the current information overload is like a continuous stress situation (in which it also produces the same stress hormones as it used to need). It would be normal to relax again after a stressful moment, in which all senses are on edge, so that your body can recover. But that doesn’t happen or doesn’t happen enough for most people. They don’t switch back in time. They no longer feel what feels good and what doesn’t, they experience their emotions less consciously, their lives are increasingly hectic and superficial and they don’t know any better. They are ‘a head on a stick’ that must function on autopilot. Until…
The first alarm bells
Is this recognizable to you? Are you slowly becoming aware that something is not right? These are often the first signs of being overworked when you notice that your body is no longer doing what you would like: you cannot concentrate properly, your memory works less well, you are moody and easily upset, you sleep badly while you are doing this. are tired…
Slowing down in time and listening to your body is really necessary. I want to emphasize this again because I often see this with my clients and it is so disastrous if you don’t. Many people I coach live ‘in their heads’ until the physical ailments take over from their will to continue – and then it’s often too late. Then overwork and even a burnout knock on your door.
If you want to get out of your head and into your body today to deal with stress, start with this:
- Clear your calendar. And really as empty as possible. Just say no, if only for a while. Give your body time to recover from stress.
- Put your screens away. Promise yourself ’empty time’ for a while and get rid of all stimuli.
- Go outside. Go for a walk, bike ride or just sit on a park bench. And use your senses. Feel the sunlight, hear the sounds of nature, smell the fresh air.
- Get quiet. Take several mini breaks every day and do nothing for a while. Connect with yourself. Close your eyes and try to feel how your body feels. What does your body want to tell you? What emotion do you feel? And why?
- Do breathing exercises to stay even more ‘in the moment’ and to clear your head. You can also just start following your breathing with your attention (with your eyes closed) and do nothing else. That may be challenging enough in the beginning.
Working on a new skill?
You will probably consider this emptiness to be beneficial. But it’s also not crazy if you run into yourself extra now. Everything you struggle with, your shortcomings, your doubts, your desires… when you’re quiet, they often ask for extra attention. To get rid of stress, you will have to process your fears and acknowledge your wishes. And it is not strange to ask for help with this. This reflection is a new skill for many people, one that you didn’t learn at school or from your parents or friends. Do you want guidance in this to really move forward? Then is Currentz there for you.
