Connectivity
by Marta Borkova, PT, DPT
The world is becoming darker, literally. As we ‘fall’ towards winter, each day the daylight hours shorten and the darkness of night lengthens. For industrial athletes, like much of the modern workforce, this season equates to getting up in the dark, coming home from work in the dark, and juggling work and life responsibilities with the materialistic demands of the holiday season. For many people, the amount of stress we feel climbs steadily throughout the fall and peaks in December, potentially diminishing our physical and emotional well-being. There is an antidote to the darkness and inherent stress of the season, though: human connection.
Wired For Connection
Human beings are literally “wired for connection:” parts of our brain associated with reward and pleasure are activated when we interact positively with others. Beyond this intrinsic reward, relationships create the web that holds us and sustains us in the communities in which we operate: our families, our friend groups, our work communities, and ultimately our society. People who have strong relationship networks feel less stressed, are better able to overcome challenges, and have better mental health–in this season and all the others.
Creating Connection
So how is an industrial athlete, who is physically tired at the end of the day and strapped for time, able to create strong and healthy relationship networks? Here are a few ideas:
Start with the self. This may sound counterintuitive, aren’t we talking about connecting with others? But a healthy relationship with yourself is the foundation of healthy relationships with others. Many relationships are strained because we expect others to give us the care, attention, boundaries and respect that we haven’t given ourselves.
Befriend someone. Like many adults who spend most of their waking hours at work, industrial athletes have the greatest chance of making a friend in the workplace. This leads to greater job engagement and satisfaction (otherwise known as FUN). Having a friend at work is even linked to increased safety on the job! While we may make ourselves vulnerable by “putting ourselves out there,” the rewards are worth the effort. Simple gestures such as showing someone genuine interest in how they are doing, gratitude for help they gave you, or appreciation for a contribution they made, can be the seeds that gradually grow into friendships.
Volunteer. Volunteering is a great way to meet like-minded people and to create relationships centered around common goals and interests. Industrial athletes who are too busy to participate in formal volunteering with an organization still have plenty of informal opportunities in their workplaces and communities. Think of what you are passionate about, what you are good at, and what you think the world needs. Find an area where those three categories overlap, and that is a good direction to put forth your volunteering energy.
Marta Borkova, PT, DPT || Marta Borkova is a Physical Therapist in Spokane, WA. In and out of the clinic she loves exploring the themes of holistic health and wellness, and sharing what she’s learned. When she’s not onsite providing injury prevention services, she spends most of her time trying to keep up with her two little boys!
Be sure to check out our other blogs for further injury prevention education and tips for the industrial athlete from Work Right NW!