ML Coaching
You're constantly under pressure, rushing from one appointment to the next, chasing one deadline after another, and overtime is just part of a normal workday for you? Your job demands a lot from you, you carry a lot of responsibility, which leaves little time to relax?
If you're exposed to a lot of pressure at work over a long period, or even permanently, that means stress for your body. It's important that you actively relieve stress, otherwise your physical and mental health can suffer badly. In fact, the higher your professional standing tends to be, the higher the likelihood that your health markers decline.
In this post, I'll show you how exercise, mental training and a healthy diet can help you relieve stress and actively protect your health.
Chronic stress can lead to exhaustion and burnout
Are you exposed to constant stress and pressure because your job demands so much of you? In a senior position as a manager or executive, you carry a lot of responsibility, so it's no wonder your schedule is packed and you barely have time to relax.
But if you're carrying a lot of responsibility and pressure not just at work but also privately, under pressure to cover monthly fixed costs, which aren't insignificant given your family's lifestyle, that means double the stress. During my time as a banker, I saw that there's a certain link between a higher professional position and rising living costs. Your lifestyle simply gets more expensive.
Maybe you've also gotten used to a constant state of stress, and everything's running fine. But you shouldn't underestimate the constant pressure and inner tension. If you're chronically stressed, your body is put into a permanent state of alarm, which can lead to exhaustion.
Chronic stress also increases your risk of suffering a heart attack. But psychological stress symptoms can appear too, like inner tension, trouble concentrating, digestive issues and sleep problems. And when physical, mental and emotional exhaustion come together, that's what's described as burnout.
Relieve stress before it's too late
Burnout is exactly what can happen if you don't do anything about chronic stress exposure and actively relieve stress. If you become physically and mentally ill, you won't be able to hold onto your professional position anymore. How would your living costs be covered then?
You pay for your whole family's lifestyle with your job, right? How would the house, the car and your children's education get paid for if you lost your job? How would your family react? And what would happen next? Would that possibly mean moving into a small rental apartment? Maybe a divorce?
Have I woken you up? Then now's the time to change something. The responsibility you carry probably won't let you just quit your job, and the pressure of a senior professional position won't lessen either, but what you can do is become more resilient to the chronic stress you're exposed to.
Release happiness hormones through exercise and actively relieve stress
After a long, exhausting workday, you might barely be able to wait to put your feet up and relax on the couch, but that won't help you against chronic stress. To break down the stress hormones adrenaline, cortisol, noradrenaline and insulin that your body releases under tension and stress, you need to move.
Regular exercise will help you clear your head, switch off from work completely, and relieve stress. Through movement, your body produces hormones like serotonin and endorphins (happiness hormones) that neutralize stress hormones. So after a workout, you won't just feel more relaxed, you'll feel happier too - ideal!
If you train regularly, your brain's blood and oxygen supply gets stimulated too. So you're training your mental fitness at the same time.
Missing the motivation you need for exercise? No problem, I'd be happy to show you fitness exercises in personal training or online coaching that you'll actually enjoy, that are guaranteed to release happiness hormones, and that will help you actively relieve stress.
Managing stress with a healthy diet
On a stressful workday, do you tend to reach for ready-made snacks from the bakery, chocolate bars and sugary premade smoothies? Foods like these won't supply you with the important nutrients that can support your body under elevated stress.
What matters is that you eat foods that boost your performance and make you more resilient to stress. Complex carbohydrates and unsaturated fatty acids, found for example in whole-grain products, nuts and fruit, are especially good brain food.
I'd be happy to put together an individual nutrition plan tailored to your needs, that optimally supports you on a packed workday and makes you more resilient to stress.
Withstanding pressure with mental strength
If you also build mental strength and have stress management strategies in place, you're optimally equipped against stress and pressure. In coaching, I'll show you how to stand up to challenges by building inner strength.
Demanding jobs call for sustained concentration - your nerves absolutely cannot get in the way! When the deadline is closing in and the presentation needs to get finished fast, you need to stay calm and still give it everything. Mental training can teach you that.
In personal coaching in Zurich, or also completely location-independent in online fitness coaching, for example via Skype or WhatsApp, I'll show you simple relaxation exercises you can use at the office, on your way to work, or right before falling asleep.
Want to actively relieve stress and become more resilient to pressure?
In a free 15-minute phone consultation, we can discuss how to work exercise, the right nutrition and mental training into your daily work routine, and whether individual personal training or online fitness coaching is the better fit for you.