Being mentally and emotionally exhausted can lead to significant physical fatigue. Symptoms include; difficulty getting out of bed, impaired concentration, short term memory loss and a lack of motivation. To avoid energy drain it’s important to decrease being ‘lopsided’ by engaging both the scientific and artistic aspects of the mind. Keeping a healthy balance minimises exhaustion. Just as hopping on one leg is exhausting, so too is being too much one problem solving type or another, artist or scientist.
Do you lean on the side of feeling (artist) or thinking (scientist)?
Are you an artist? Do you get caught up in how things feel? Feeling types determine solutions by whether it ‘feels right’. They judge a situation based on how contented, excited, joyful and happy they feel or not. When things go out of kilter, they get caught up in emotional states, which can be sadness, disappointment, anger, frustration, over-excitement, etc.
Are you a scientist? When things become difficult, thinking types fixate on; something that was said, reasoning, rationalising or going over and over situations from an analytical perspective. They look for patterns and evidence, strategise, plan and play out scenarios from different angles in their mind. They’ll do a pro’s and con’s lists based on facts and logic.
Being too much of either one can cause lack of awareness of the other part of ourselves and lead to getting stuck in a loop of distress, anxiety and fatigue, because it’s difficult to problem solve from a fixed state of mind.
Let Leonardo da Vinci be your muse…
Leonardo was both an artist and a scientist. He could connect with his feelings and see the beauty in things, yet, he also dealt with reality, creating picture perfect drawings of anatomy, long before digital imaging. He explored, gathered facts and allowed himself to engage both parts of his mind. If you feel tired and lopsided, look for balance in the other part of you. So if you’re an artist, engage your scientific mind or vice versa to decrease the mental/emotional fatigue and find your balance again. Problem solving is much easier when it occurs from a balanced and holistic perspective. Start saving energy by stopping the mental merry-go-round.
In summary:
- Physical fatigue can be from mental/emotional exhaustion
- Discover whether you’re a scientist or an artist
- Engage both aspects of your mind to problem solve, get out of mental/emotional loops and save energy
“He who loves practice without theory is like the sailor who boards ship without a rudder and compass and never knows where he may cast.” Leonardo da Vinci
About the authors: Bare Hands is run by allied health professionals committed to helping women embrace positive change by providing access to practical education. To find out more give us a call, email us or visit www.barehands.com.au
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