How to get your mind and body in sync
Are your mind and body in sync?
There is no separation of body and mind.
If you are physically unwell, your mind will not work effectively.
If you are having negative thoughts, your body will not work effectively.
To be most effective and productive in your work you need to have both your mind and body in sync so whenever one of them is adversely affecting the other, try these top tips to get back on track.
When your mind is out of sync
Someone has made a negative comment to you and you are now feeling drained and lethargic. You have no energy and your body does not want to move. In fact, all it wants to do is to curl up under the duvet and hide in the dark.
Then you get a phone call. Your child or loved one has been involved in a serious accident. Your mindset changes in a nanosecond. You now have a sense of urgency and a heightened awareness that springs your body into action. You have all the energy you need to run as far as you need to be with your child or loved one.
The phone call could be to tell you that you have won the lottery. You are suddenly full of excitement, surprise, happiness and anticipation and you can’t wait to jump up and tell your friends and family. Your mind is buzzing with ideas of what you are going to do and your body is literally jumping with joy.
But when we are stuck in a negative mindset, these physical scenarios rarely occur so it is up to us to create an environment to get us unstuck and back in the right frame of mind.
How to get back into a positive mindset
Turn negative thoughts into positives.
One effective way to do this is to use a self-talk diary. When you find yourself having negative thoughts, write them down. Now look at this statement and think about how you can turn it into a positive.
Let’s say someone has been negative to you about your business or has cancelled their contract with you. You could decide that is a good thing as you simply weren’t a right fit for each other and would have become emotionally drained by having to work with them in the future. Alternatively, you could use their comments to improve your business and make future clients happier which you would have failed to do without these comments.
If you would a FREE copy of my self-talk diary template to download and use, drop me an email at co*****@an********.com
Use affirmations daily
Create a list of positive affirmations and repeat them to yourself regularly throughout the day. This will start to slowly create a positive mindset and help your self-belief.
Talk to your mentor or another positive person
Just the art of talking to someone about how you are feeling and sharing your feelings can help you feel a sense of relief and be ready to take on the world once again.
Meditate
Mediation can gently calm and relax the mind. There are many apps for meditation that focus on dealing with different feelings such as self-confidence, anxiety, depression etc so do your research ad find one that is good for you.
Listen to music
Music can uplift us, energise us, calm us and excite us. You can be feeling low and then an upbeat tune comes on the radio and your mood can lift instantly. Create a list of your favourite tunes to turn on when you need a boost.
When your body is out of sync
When you eat and drink unhealthily so your body becomes bloated, all your mind can focus on is the feeling of your clothes being too tight, the queasiness and the extra rolls of fat gathering on your body. Your body feels uncomfortable and so does your mind and you simply do not function so effectively on whatever you are working on.
If you have a broken bone, your mind will be distracted by the pain and discomfort. You may have reams of ideas and be raring to get going, but the distraction of the pain will constantly dull your thought process.
Obviously, if you have a broken bone or serious disease, you are going to need medical attention to help with the pain and until that is sorted it is going to be difficult to do anything else.
However, with other physical symptoms, where your body just doesn’t want to get going, there are a few things you can do to help get yourself up and about again.
Look after your body
The first thing is to look after your body in the first place. Eat healthily and get enough exercise. Just a 20-minute walk each day is better than slouching on the sofa without a break.
Get enough rest
Constantly working 16 hours a day and until the early hours of the morning is not going to help. You will simply end up both physically and mentally exhausted. Set yourself working hours and stick to them.
Change your working environment
Sometimes it can really be this simple. If you have backache, move to a more comfortable chair or buy a new ergonomic one. If you have a broken or sprained ankle, move somewhere where you can rest it comfortably whilst you work. If you are feeling nauseous, move outside if you can and work in the fresh air.
Self-care
Get regular medical check-ups and take time out to have a massage to keep aches and pains at bay. Just a little preventive care now can save long-term damage and illness further down the line.
The power of music
As mentioned previously, music is incredibly powerful on the mind which reflects our physical ability. If you run, you will already know how listening to music can make you feel stronger and hence run faster and with more ease. Music can distract us from our physical feelings of discomfort and can reduce stress, so find some uplifting songs and create a playlist for when your body is feeling lethargic.
Do you have any top tips of your own to get your mind and body in sync? Share them in the comments box below.
