One thing that I have learned from over 20 years working as a trainer, coach and teacher in various disciplines including business, physical fitness, mental health and, most recently, as a student of psychotherapy is that there are very few one- size- fits-all solutions to the problems and challenges we encounter as human beings. This is particularly true when it comes to our personal health and wellbeing. We have access to more health and wellbeing resources than ever before, both in-person and on-line, yet our collective well-being appears to be in decline. In fact, in its third annual report (May 2019) The Practitioners Health Matters Programme (PHMP) reported a 60% increase in the number of health professionals seeking help for depression, stress and burnout.

So, as a healthcare professional, if you feel that the odds are stacked against you when it comes to managing stress and achieving that elusive state of “wellbeing”,  I can assure you that you are not alone.

The bad news is that there is unlikely to be a ready-made template that provides all the solutions to your individual needs, the good news is, that if you can trust your intuition and begin to pay attention to the things that actually benefit you physically and mentally, many of the answers lie within.
As I mentioned previously, there is no shortage of advice around how to improve wellbeing, manage stress and prevent burnout; there are many parts to this puzzle with things such as nutrition, rest and relaxation, meditation, connection with loved ones and professional supports all playing important roles. 

I would like to keep it simple in this article so I am just going to focus on one stress management tool which is arguably the easiest for most of us to access, the old reliable wellbeing tool that is Exercise! 

All Movement Counts
I am aware that we have all heard about the benefits of exercise for stress management and it’s positive impact on physical and mental health. But, there’s more; physical activity is the single most effective tool we have, in the moment, for completing the stress cycle, preventing overwhelm and future burnout. Long after a stressful event or encounter has passed, the body can still hold onto to the stress. This unprocessed stress can build up over time. Think of the many times that you have put your head on the pillow at night and that difficult conversation you had earlier in the day or the aggressively worded email you received starts to replay itself on a loop in your mind. Even though you may have dealt with the source or cause of the stress ( the stressor) at the time, you did not facilitate the release of the actual stress from your body, it is still on high alert, afraid that the threat will return at any moment.

Movement, exercise or physical activity signals to the body that it is safe, that the stressor or threat has been dealt with and we can move on with our day without fear. Even short bouts of physical movement can help us to “shake off” the negative effects of those micro stressors we face everyday. All movement counts when it comes to releasing stress from the body; a short walk around the building, a quick stretch between clients, dancing like no-one is watching to your favourite song!  If, however, you find that longer or higher intensity exercise works better for you then go for it, join that spinning or cross fit class, go for a run, swim or hike. Or mix and match both approaches to suit your needs. 

Intuitive Movement
Just bear in mind that the type of exercise or movement we choose in times of stress may need to be different to other exercise or movement goals in our lives, such as getting physically fitter or stronger or weight loss. This is when that primal intuition comes into play. The goal is to encourage the body to let go of stress, using movement to calm the nervous system and to gently revive our energy. In times of stress it may not be helpful to rev up our adrenal systems even more, possibly adding fuel the fire.  This calming process tends to work best if we choose exercise or movement based upon internal motivators such as how it makes us feel as opposed to external influences such as how it will make us look. It can also be helpful to view our exercise choices through the lens of our unique needs, strengths and challenges, bearing in mind that these will vary from day to day, month to month, season to season and year to year depending on life circumstances.

Disciplines such as yoga and tai chi have this intuitive approach at the heart of their movement sequences, but most types of physical activity can come from a place of intuition, depending on the individual.

The added bonus is that exercising intuitively is not just beneficial for managing stress, it can have many other overall health benefits too, such as improved sleep and mood, reduced anxiety, increased memory and concentration, increased energy, improvements in postureand balance and reduction in chronic pain for some people. 

Block out the “white noise”
Connecting with our internal motivation for exercise is easier said than done in a world where we are constantly bombarded with often conflicting messages about how to best optimise our physical and mental health, as well as societal pressure to be human-doers rather than human-beings.

So, here are some tips to help you to pay attention to your body’s signals and needs and connect with your internal motivation when it comes to making more intuitive exercise choices. 

Do a quick head to toe bodyscan
Is your body tired, sore, tight, energised? Choose your movement accordingly. 

Wear comfortable clothes
If you can move freely throughout your day you are more likely to incorporate micro-exercise, such as a lunchtime stroll or standing stretches, into your daily routine

Make it enjoyable
The last thing any of us need is another chore added to our to-do-lists. Research shows that we are more likely to stick with exercise in the long term if we enjoy it. 

Get to know yourself
Are you introverted or extroverted?, what activities did you enjoy when you were younger?, are you naturally energetic or do you tend to get tired easily? All of these things will impact the type of movement that works best for you.

Focus on how you feel
Pay attention to how your exercise choices affect your energy, mood and stress levels.

Be open-minded
Try something new. It could be great and if its not you are still moving your body!

Try to pay less attention to the inner critic
Avoid all-or-nothing thinking and remind yourself that all movement counts. Trust yourself and your choices and try to limit those “should have” “could have” statements that we can all subject ourselves to at times.

Listening to your body just might be one of the greatest gifts you give yourself.