Overworked.
Constantly Overworked, Females. And in general society…
Do we possess the entitlement to feel offended? In the culture of constant busyness and productivity, exhaustion is considered outdated. It implies that one should always be engaged in activities, supporting others, and performing tasks. Our schedules are packed to the point of overflowing. We may talk about being hurt, but we are discouraged from slowing down or deviating from our current trajectory.
Indeed, what is the purpose of participating in a relentless race? Is it for the sake of luck, success, promotion, or acquiring more? Or is it not a race at all, but rather an escape from pausing, taking a momentary break, finding stillness and silence, allowing our thoughts to subside and connecting with our physical sensations? The harm we experience today is not just a metaphorical concept but a tangible reality. We resemble hamsters endlessly running on a wheel, reaching a stage where we can no longer define our boundaries, as the risk of stepping outside our limits is ruled out.
When was the last time you truly experienced being present in your body? What does it even mean to be aware? Where in your body did you feel those sensations? Have you permitted yourself to rest? Or do you find yourself checking work emails and engaging in secondary tasks? Even in the evenings, after returning home, the to-do list remains overwhelming. Taking care of the household, children, dinner, and laundry... You continue accomplishing everything while complaining about the extent of your capacity. In the morning, you activate yourself without allowing sufficient time for rejuvenation, as even the longest sleep cannot restore a body and brain overwhelmed throughout the day.
After years of living in this manner, you've become desensitized to the symptoms. Your body has become ill. This is the only way to justify claiming a moment of rest.
In our relentless pursuit of more, speed, and improvement, we have lost the concept of "enough." We disregard factors such as our age, health, and energy levels, believing that a fast-paced life or work rhythm indicates inadequacy, decline, or subpar quality. We even console ourselves with the notion of "rest on weekends, during vacations, or in retirement," which has long lost its relevance. Weekends are spent working or catching up on household chores, family matters, and social obligations. We bring our work laptops and cell phones on vacations, just in case we are deemed indispensable. Not working even during retirement has become a luxury only a few can afford.
While stress may often go unrecognized, ignoring its impact leads to various psychosomatic symptoms. Dr. Lyle H. Miller and Dr. Alma Dell Smith, stress researchers and authors of the book "The Stress Solution," compare stress to a musical instrument dependent on the tension of its strings. If the tension is too weak, the sound will be dull, but if it's too strong, the strings will break. Similarly, we usually keep our strings too tightly wound, which leads to constant performance. When we surpass our tolerance threshold, we descend into a dark abyss of depression, crisis, or severe illness. It's akin to a string that has snapped.
Nonetheless, the mechanism allows for adjustment and adaptation. It serves as a signal, warning us, protecting us, and assisting in maintaining our energy levels and personal rhythm. It shields us from reaching unsustainable heights and compels us to rest, thereby enabling the replenishment of our energy reserves.
According to Recall Healing/Total Biology, addressing the following aspects can aid in finding balance:
Direction: Feeling uncertain about which path to take, unsure about the future of one's life.
Lost roads: Feeling lost amidst the complexity, unable to make decisions.
Separation from the herd (family, friends, organizations): Straying from the familiar group can be perceived as a threat. Losing our way in nature is akin to facing potential death. Stopping serves the purpose of survival, preventing us from surpassing the "herd."
Fatigue can serve as a reminder to slow down, to listen to ourselves. It prompts us to pause amidst the chaos, observe our surroundings, and reflect upon our current state. We must ask ourselves: Is this truly what I desire? Is this the life I want to lead? We must confront the issues that truly trouble us. Are we emotionally fragile, or have we simply been so engrossed in constant action that we have lost touch with our emotions and cannot stand up when faced with their effects?
AR
