If there was one constant theme in Bianca’s life, it was constantly pushing herself to meet others’ expectations. She became an accountant because her grandfather told her that it was a good job. At work, Bianca (not her real name) also pushed herself to meet others’ ideals. “They paid me well enough to be able to get blood from a stone. I let my company suck me into that hole.” Years of working towards others’ ideals eventually took a toll on Bianca’s mental and physical health. “Management was ruthless,” she shared. “It got to a point where there was no work-life balance, I was coming home, working all night, yelling at my kids…the stress just seeped into my family life. I ended up having anxiety issues. My health went down[hill].”
To Reduce the Strain of Overwork, Learn to Listen to Your Body
Teaching themselves to notice bodily strain helped participants in a two-year study better navigate the demands and expectations of their jobs.
November 16, 2021
Image Source/Getty Images
Summary.
Can learning how to engage with your body differently help with symptoms of overwork? Research on two groups of people taking yoga teacher training shows that learning how to “let go” during training also helped participants do the same in their work lives. Further, this “third space” of training with others provided a much-needed space to unpack and manage harmful work norms. The lesson: seek out communities beyond work and home that counter the trends of excessive striving and all-encompassing work schedules, and that bring awareness to your body.
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Accelerate your career with Harvard ManageMentor®. HBR Learning’s online leadership training helps you hone your skills with courses like Stress Management. Earn badges to share on LinkedIn and your resume. Access more than 40 courses trusted by Fortune 500 companies.
How to build resilience at work.