create space within your schedule for
activities that allow your body and mind
the opportunity to be nurtured and release
tension.
calm mental environment for processing
thoughts and ideas, without the pressure of
needing to provide immediate responses
or solutions.
When it comes to the idea of touch and
leadership, many of our thoughts to
this point have been based on how an
effective leader might use appropriate
expressions of touch to build team morale
and productivity. It is also important,
however, to consider the ways in which
the leader themselves, can benefit from
experiencing mindful expressions of touch.
Several articles have been written to
highlight the overall benefits of massage
and bodywork, but it’s also worthwhile to
look at a few of the specific (and perhaps
less obvious) ways that business leaders
can benefit from the practice of receiving
this form of compassionate touch.
Mental Clarity
It’s no secret that a business executive
who can approach situations with mental
clarity will be better equipped to handle
the daily ups and downs of leadership.
The great news here is that relaxation
during a massage doesn’t only apply
the actual muscles that are worked
on, it also relates to your overall mental
and emotional state. When you receive
a massage treatment, you will often
experience a deep relaxation of both
body and mind, because your body
is hard-wired to respond positively to
physical touch. The responses on a
physiological level help to decrease
the activity of your sympathetic nervous
system (fight or flight), while allowing you
to relax into a more restful state, both
during and after the massage (via the
parasympathetic system.)
During the massage, your body has an
opportunity to release physical tension,
increasing the secretion of your “happy”
hormones (dopamine & oxytocin) and
adopt a more nourishing quality of
breath – all of which can nurture a more
Better Sleep
Whether it is a project that needs
completion, or anxious thoughts about
something happening within your business,
most people who are in positions of
leadership have had some experience
with a decreased amount or quality
of sleep. Massage treatments are one
great way to deliberately schedule some
down time, so that you can re-train your
body to respond to the needs of your
parasympathetic nervous system. The
relaxation and release of mental tension,