Enjoying work and exercise

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It seems like a lot of people say that it's stressful for them when they put a lot of effort into their work. A lot of people seem to also feel the same about exercising. When I do some kind of strenuous activity though it sometimes helps to get out some of my frustration and anxiety. It also can put me in a better mood.

Is anyone else like this?

Last edited by slw1990 on 08 Feb 2017, 10:29 pm, edited 2 times in total.

It depends on whether or not I work with my natural rhythm. It's hard for me to focus intensely on one task, doing it quickly, etc, and make small talk to people. And it's hard for me to schedule something like exercise into a night and not have it disrupt a burst of energy for reading, music, socializing, or something else, so I do it when I'm in a good mood and free.

Yes, it's also harder for me doing these things while socializing. Usually when I do these things I just want to space out and day dream.

It can also be stressful if there is some kind of deadline involving the work.

Total agreement. If the work is engaging, that is more enjoyable than trying to stay entertained. I have always done better when I've had useful exercise incorporated into my daily routine. Bicycle commuting is great - on a busy day, I ride harder and farther automatically, burning off the adrenalin in a healthy way. Wood heat works well if you do it all yourself in each season. There was one Rock 'n' Roll star who stayed fit by doing all his own equipment moving. There was also a busboy in 'Vegas who made a sport of clearing a table as fast as possible without breakage. Before long, people were going there just to watch him, the other busboy was let go, and he had his wages triple. My best friend worked in sawmills for years. He was coordinated enough to start turning a log before it had stopped, so at the end of his shift his pile of boards was a bit higher than average. That got him promoted over older men, and let him quit and get re-hired anytime.

OK. I think I'm going to try to exercise....

Walking is my exercise. I have 33,000 steps today.

Very soon some will likely be saying it's stressful to push out a crap when sitting on the toilet.

The stress of putting in effort is certainly preferable to the stress of being homeless/penniless due to putting in no effort...





Yes.

We are beings with a physical body, not just heads in jars. I think it is good not to forget the physical nature of our existence.

I think better when I walk.

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We are beings with a physical body, not just heads in jars. I think it is good not to forget the physical nature of our existence.[/quote]

Sir Ken Robinson has a delightful TED talk where he remarks that to an intellectual, the body is a way of getting the head to meetings.
I'm off to ride my bike indoors. The scenery here is pretty boring even when it isn't white, so watching a movie instead of the road isn't too bad. This town is so small that walking around it wasn't really enough exercise and I had to learn to waste energy, after conserving it had been my life.
I lost a lot of fitness in my 60s, and now need to add stretching and weights to the aerobics to feel younger.

I would say the body is a way of getting the head as far away from meetings as possible

That's my problem. I don't enjoy work or exercise. It's too repetitive. I'd like more money but can't face working more days, and I enjoy my food and I'm putting on weight but I can't motivate myself to exercise. I get agoraphobic sometimes, so I don't always feel like going outdoors, and there's no room for exercise equipment in my house, and going to the gym is too expensive and also you have to keep it up.

Repetition can be meditative, although the work environment is often not otherwise conducive to contemplation. For your situation, I think your best hope might be dancercize. The benefits are not easy to notice in daily life, but can show up on a mood chart record. One guy who was rarely conscientious about his New Year's vow to go to the gym was quite discouraged with his progress until he mowed his lawn that spring. He finished in 45 minutes with energy to spare. In the fall, it had taken two hours and left him exhausted.