Healthy Magazine: Sophrology, Should I try it?
"Sophrology aims to help us find peace and develop a positive outlook"
The Rise of Sophrology – European Spa Magazine
Sophrology in European Spa Magazine, you can read the full article here!
"The rise of Sophrology BeSophro's European-style dynamic meditation has found a wider market during pandemic"
Sophrology in The Telegraph - Why Sophrology is the path to wellbeing we all need right now
Sophrology in The Telegraph today, you can read the full article here!
Why Sophrology is the path to wellbeing we all need right now
Now is the Time to Prepare Your Future
Now is the Time to Prepare Your Future
Needless to say, 2020 was a tough year globally, dominated by the devastating effects of the Covid-19 pandemic with many of us having experienced loss, fear, stress and uncertainty. And while 2021 isn’t exactly a clean slate, it is a chance to reflect on our blessings, on how strong and resilient we’ve been and about what we really want to bring into the new year with us.
2020 has taught us that the way we think about time no longer fits with the way life is, for example waiting for things to happen, start or end. We have learned that uncertainty is here to stay and the way to cope with it is to find and rely on our inner strength and creativity to make things happen.
You can prepare your future by following a Sophrology blueprint, and it could look like this: let go of the past à embrace the present moment à set up your intention and personal goals à align with your life values à make things happen. There are many Sophrology exercises that can help you make things happen in 2021, including the Clearing Breath and ‘Futurization Exercise’. Let’s discuss all of these and show you how you can live every day with intention.
Letting Go of the Past
If you think about an event as soon as you have experienced it, it already belongs to the past and it is so easy to carry stuff with us that we can no longer influence or make good use of to move forward.
We can therefore reflect on past experiences we still hold on to, especially the ones that upset us or that we hope to make peace with and consciously decide to let them go. You could use a symbolic act such as writing a letter or throwing a stone in a river, or anything else that will let your body and mind know that you have decided to move on and no longer want to hold on to your past.
A breathing exercise like the Sophrology Clearing Breath is a great way to start. With eyes closed, you breathe in and focus on one region of your body starting from the head and face, gently tensing it and relaxing it on the out breath.
Embrace the Present Moment
All we have is the present moment and more than ever it is the happiest place to keep our attention on! In the present moment uncertainty no longer negatively impacts us and we can experience the aliveness of every experience without feeding our anxiety. Those of you who are familiar with Sophrology know that all the exercises that taught you to be aware of sensations in your body and your breath through movement will be really useful to help you feel grounded and enjoy life as it is now.
The Power of Intention
Your intention is what sets things into motion, it starts a whole chain of events that culminate in you achieving your goals.
There is a lot of power in intention, the ability to visualise a better future and the commitment to follow through with action. The power of intention was popularised by self-development author and speaker Dr Wayne Dyer. The concept is deeply rooted in gratitude, kindness and support for others. It is related to our state of being – the more relaxed, at peace and grounded we are, the more we feel connected to the energy that’s all around us. Things start to fall into place, people react more positively to us, we find ways to solve problems that seemed unsurmountable before.
When we act according to our intention, we can experience joy and a sense of purpose. Intention is a great catalyst for positive change and it relies on individual action and not external factors. No matter what is going on in the world, we keep on and we keep going to fulfil our life’s mission. It’s about being the best you can be and allowing life to flow. For some of us, this may sound like such an unattainable experience and while it does require work, it is something that everyone can live by, starting with setting personal goals. How do you want to live your life in 2021? Would you like to be more aware of your health, find more head space in your daily life, spend more quality time with your loved ones, find your life partner or develop a new business or creative idea?
Personal Goals Aligned with Your Values
Setting personal goals can give us the motivation to take action. Goals feel “right” when they align with our life’s values, such as family, love, freedom, health, justice, nature, independence, joy. Working towards something that will help us achieve what we believe in feels natural and unproblematic, it gives us the energy and strength to persevere, and helps us to find joy and fulfilment in everyday activities.
You can set goals for any area of your life, from work to family, and you can make your goals as simple or as ambitious as you like. It might be a good idea to start with something small and achievable, because achieving that goal can give you a boost of confidence and the motivation to continue to bigger things. Goals make it easier to move into action.
Check in with yourself and what you truly want in life, what makes your heart sing and what makes your mind buzz with excitement.
Sophrology is a wonderful way to connect with your inner self, find a sense of calm and discover what you truly want in life so you can create a better future for yourself.
Finding Values with Sophrology
One of the most practical ways to discover what our true values are is to practise some form of mindfulness. Our consciousness will reveal what our innermost values are, and we can then visualise how to set things in motion based on them.
Sophrology is a unique mindfulness practice and a mental well-being technique that allows you to achieve a state of balance. Your mind, body and emotions are positively engaged, empowering you to be in control of your experiences, overcome anxious thoughts and stressful worries, and create the energy that empowers you to confidently identify your values, reach for your goals and stay connected to your true self, no matter what situation you find yourself in. We work on our values in Level 4 of Sophrology.
The Sophrology practice won’t tell you exactly what your values are, but instead give you the tools to explore what is meaningful to you, what makes you happy and guides you in your daily life. In other words, values are our inner check if our goals are aligned with what is important for you.
As long as we stay true to our values, nothing can dent our confidence and that’s what the power of intention is all about, it’s what makes us focused and determined to go on each day.
Futurization
You have set your intention, worked on a plan with your goals in mind and discovered what your life values are. The next step is to put all of this into action. This is where the Futurization Exercise can really make a difference in helping you gain clarity on how to put your intention into practice.
The Sophrology Futurization Exercise is a useful tool to create a mental picture of what your future could look like and help you unlock these inner strengths, setting on your path towards taking positive action.
It is a visualisation exercise in which you see yourself having experienced your future, a future you have designed using all your senses and paying attention to all the details. You build a picture on your inner screen looking at the people around you, what you are doing, which emotions you feel. Notice the sensations in your body as you do this visualisation exercise.
For example, you may want to get a new job next year. You can build an image in your mind of how your new place of work looks like, the interactions with your colleagues, see yourself succeeding and getting acknowledged for your achievements. The more vivid the picture the better, as that will give you the motivation to make things happen.
You then take a moment to pause. Integration pauses are essential to embody the positive changes from the session. It’s also essential to work at the pace that suits you as there is no rush when it comes to self-development, it takes time to process new discoveries.
Futurization exercises empower us to build resilience towards an uncertain future, but also teach us to be flexible, face challenges and to remain calm even if we don’t achieve all our goals or if we need to change our plans. Keeping a non-judgemental attitude is one of the main pillars of Sophrology: we don’t judge ourselves if we fail or if we succeed. What’s important is that we build a positive mindset and open ourselves to new opportunities, regardless of what life throws our way.
The mind starts to settle and instead of focusing on your anxieties or tension you start enjoying a sense of calm. New ideas may come to the surface at this stage.
Through a regular practice you can better identify who you truly are, what is important to you and what your priorities are. You then begin to develop a renewed energy that you emanate outwards. This is because when you fully embody your life’s values you exude them and live them in every action. This type of radiant energy is recognised by others, who respond to you more positively: they want to spend time with you and listen to what you have to say.
By practising Sophrology you allow anxieties and worries to wash away by reconnecting with your breath and your body, focusing on the present moment and building the foundations for a better future.
Do you want to learn how to practise Sophrology? Our online course is a great place to start.
You Magazine – The Superpower we all need to tap into right now
Thank you Daily Mail Online and YOU Magazine for your feature of Sophrology.
As the article says, Sophrology is considered a staple part of self-care in Continental Europe and Switzerland. Check out the articles in The Sunday Daily Mail and YOU Magazine
Thank you Susannah Taylor for trying Sophrology with us and sharing your experience.
"Our bodies and minds are currently on a runaway train of digital stimulation at a time when many of us are suffering from the fallout of Covid-19. With so much confusion and fear, sophrology could well be the answer to bringing us back to the greatest, most empowering device we own – ourselves."
The Secret to Successful Mindfulness
The Secret to Successful Mindfulness
We often hear about mindfulness, a specific state of mind characterised by a sense of calm and how effective it can be to reduce stress, gain more focus and clarity, live a healthier and happier life.
Mindfulness, with its focus on the present moment, can aid us in challenging situations to find a moment of peace, access our inner strength and then get back to action with more energy.
This sounds very promising, right? Even though mindfulness has been linked with health benefits (see for example this study published in the Journal of Complementary and Integrative Medicine on the stress-reducing effects of meditation) including more clarity, better focus and more positivity, not everybody uses it in daily life. One of the reasons is that just like going to the gym to get fitter, practising mindfulness requires time and commitment.
Mindfulness For Stress Management
When clients come to me for stress management they often mention they don’t have time to meditate or they can’t sit still for an hour to “empty their mind”. We have many commitments and are exposed to various sources of stress, so that’s understandable.
While we are too busy being busy we might miss out on the power of letting go, which is one of the by-products of mindfulness. In other words, we miss out on experiencing joy in life because we feel obligated to keep going, filling up our schedules without planning some downtime, holding on to negative or limiting thoughts (e.g. “That’s the way it is”, “There’s nothing I can do about it”) and generally feeling exhausted and dissatisfied. Slowing down actually creates more time for ourselves.
As a Sophrology practitioner, I always explain to my clients that letting go is important because it helps us grow, it allows us to disregard that doesn’t serve us and our values, and it helps us connect with our own infinite potential.
If we don’t listen to our body when it’s too tired we might enter a cycle of tension, sleeplessness and tiredness that can become chronic. We exhaust our energy instead of replenishing it through mindfulness and other healthy lifestyle choices.
A mindfulness practice can help clear the debris of all unnecessary thoughts that can cloud our thinking, regulate our sleep and start the day afresh. Through mindfulness, we might discover something we hadn’t thought about, tap into our creativity and problem-solving skills and work to create a better, more positive future.
So, what is the secret to successful mindfulness?
Successful Mindfulness
What does successful mindfulness look like? Even though it’s difficult to picture something intangible like mindfulness, a successful mindfulness practice is effortless and brings results quickly. This usually happens after a few consecutive days or weeks of practising regularly: the mind and body recognise the positive sensations deriving from slowing down and we enter a state of calm. Successful mindfulness is about the way we feel: after a good session we feel lighter and calmer.
It might take a while to build up a routine, setting time aside to meditate and keep track of progress. Being consistent is key and in the course of a few weeks you will notice positive changes: mindfulness can also help us to make a conscious decision to eat healthy, reduce stimulants like coffee and sugar, and exercise.
You can build a mindfulness routine by listening to a guided audio session every day. Through repetition you can work through a sequence you have memorised. Just like we check our phones automatically for notifications, we can check in with ourselves to connect with our mind and body to enjoy a few restful moments.
Notably, Arianna Huffington described how getting burnout was her wake up call to a more holistic lifestyle. She often explains in talks and articles that not only does mindfulness help in daily life, but it also has a positive impact in the workplace. By prioritising health, getting a full night’s sleep, finishing work on time, both employers and employees can make better decisions and increase productivity. Huffington calls sleep the best performance enhancer. She has been an advocate for practising Sophrology as a modern way to meditate, suitable for busy people from CEOs to top athletes.
A traditional mindfulness session can take an hour but Sophrology is a more modern alternative, suitable for busy people. Sophrology is a dynamic relaxation technique that combines elements of eastern traditions like yoga and Zen Buddhism but also western approaches like psychology.
Compared to mindfulness, Sophrology can help achieve a sense of relaxation in a relatively short time frame by using breathing, visualisation and gentle movement. By synchronising breath and movement, the mind is completely focused, leaving no space for stress and worries.
A Sophrology practice can last between 10 and 15 minutes and it generally includes a body scan, exercises where you tense and release muscles in sync with your breathing, visualisation and, notably, integration pauses. An integration pause is a time interval between exercises to stop, let go, take stock of what is going on in the body, listen to sensations and get in touch with your inner self. Integration pauses are powerful mindfulness moments allowing the mind to settle and can be instrumental in discovering new ideas and new perspectives.
This is why Sophrology can be a good solution for busy, restless people, but of course, it can be suitable for anybody at any level of stress, any walk of life or any age. One of the key messages in Sophrology is having a non-judgemental attitude: there’s nothing to succeed at, so it’s perfectly fine if you only manage to spend five minutes quietly to regroup. You can actually pick one Sophrology exercise in isolation and just practise that for a few minutes if that’s all the time you have.
How To Build A Holistic Lifestyle Around Mindfulness And Well-being
We inhabit our body but we are not just our body, our outer shell. We may live in our heads but we are not our mind. Our mind and body are connected and the awareness of this connection is what makes us who we are.
When we realise that we can use our breath to connect with our inner self we can listen to what our body needs and we ease our mind from worry. A sense of awareness makes us act quickly when we feel that something is not right, either in our body or in our mind. We don’t ignore constant pain but seek advice on how to manage it and find its root cause. We can build a more holistic lifestyle by noticing the sensations in our body, choose healthy foods that nourish us instead of eating to soothe anxiety or even skipping meals and exercise to raise our energy.
Accessing green spaces can also help to have mindfulness moments and lead a more balanced lifestyle. If you tend to get too distracted, especially by social media, spending time in nature is a great way to meditate. A mindful walk in a park can bring similar calming benefits as sitting in a quiet room.
Journaling is a rewarding way to see how far we’ve come and how we are processing our emotions. Looking back at problems that afflicted us months before may seem more manageable now and we can acknowledge how we overcame them. Writing down the way we feel can help us to reach our inner calm. We can also use journaling to express our gratitude for what we have, it helps put things in perspective and build a more positive attitude towards life.
A holistic lifestyle takes into account our values and having a sense of purpose. It has less to do with intellectualising or rationalising everything that happens in our life, but rather with focusing on the present moment, feeling in touch with our body and staying true with what we believe in. If our key values are vitality, energy, creativity, connection, then we will do anything to keep our energy up with every choice we make.
Tsjimme's Story: “How I learned to trust my body again”
One day, while browsing through her local library, Tsjimme, a singer struggling with blepharospasm, came across “The Life-Changing Power of Sophrology”. Drawn to the book due to her interest in breathwork, crucial to her singing, she began a journey that has profoundly impacted her life.
In this Q&A session, Tsjimme shares how Sophrology has helped her reconnect with her body, mind, and soul, and why it has become an essential part of managing her condition. Through her story, we see the transformative power of Sophrology in helping people trust their bodies again and live with more balance and peace.
What is the main struggle you experience on a daily basis?
The main struggle is to open my eyes in the morning and at night, or when I am out of energy so I’ve had to live a quiet life. Since 2005, I’ve been prescribed botulinum toxin injections by a neurologist, which helped a lot in the beginning but are very painful. I’ve stopped taking them now for 7 months so I really need to connect with my body. This means that my body, mind, soul and breath have to function as one whole. I am still learning to deal with this disorder but I am making progress. It seems very technical what I’m doing and trying.
How did you hear of Sophrology?
I learned of Sophrology when I looked at new books in the urban library and the book of Dominique Antiglio caught my attention. I am a singer so I look at books about breath and ways of breathing. Breathing for a singer is like the bow for a violin or cello player. I started reading and soon I bought the book for myself to do the exercises, to connect my breath with my whole being in body, mind and soul. I then started with the online Sophrology course Relax, Reset and Overcome Stress led by Dominique in her warm and trusting voice.
When you practised Sophrology for the first time, how did you feel?
Exercises from Sophrology felt very natural from the beginning. I liked that I didn’t have to put pressure on myself and to do more than is healthy for me. Because it is partly physical, I get to develop my body-awareness more through Sophrology. It helps me to stay within my possibilities and abilities.
Breath is energy and by doing these exercises, I am getting more aware of what I need to do to function in the best possible way. The exercises with the visualisations are (for me) the most difficult ones, but it is a positive approach so practising and rehearsing is paying off!
How long have you been practising Sophrology and what are the benefits you have experienced?
I have been doing the exercises for one year now. I live a more quiet life now and I am better connected to my body. It is necessary for me to practice Sophrology every day, but in a very friendly way.
Do you think Sophrology can help other people suffering from dystonia?
I think that many diseases benefit from Sophrology and especially with these forms of Dystonia, you are forced to take care of yourself as much as possible. In the beginning it was a tough battle with muscles, and to find out what is wrong and what causes your type of dystonia, what doctor to see, where to find someone who knows enough about this movement disorder. Dystonia causes fear because your body is failing you and the muscles react unexpectedly but you are forced to listen to yourself to try to get back as many functions as possible. This takes a lot of time, so you have to be patient and in these busy times where many people have to do everything, this also has an impact on your health and life so staying relaxed is not easy.
Sophrology helps to get to know yourself better and learn to trust your body again with the possibilities you have! At the point I came into contact with Sophrology through the book, I wish it had come my way sooner. Sophrology opens ways for me to believe in my quest and what makes my condition better. Sophrology makes you aware of body functions in a relaxed and friendly way and the exercises are not difficult to do. For me it is very much about this sentence of Dominique: “There is nothing to achieve” It is even a way to be in harmony with yourself by carefully listening to your own body, soul and mind.
The Life-Changing Power of Sophrology is available on Amazon in English, Spanish and Dutch on Amazon.
“Sophrology Tools to Control My Anxiety Independently”
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Samantha Langer has Anxiety Disorder but instead of letting anxiety rule her life, she has found a way to understand her anxiety more and take control over it. Samantha found us through a simple Google search and after her first visit to the BeSophro clinic, it was clear that she was meant to find us. Thank you, Samantha, for taking the time to speak with me.
D: How did you first find out about Sophrology?
S: I first heard about Sophrology 3-4 years ago when I was referred by a psychologist for my anxiety and hypochondria. I was then re-introduced to Sophrology again recently when I was close to burning out in January and was having heart palpitations and my hypochondria was heightened. It was really interesting that my cardiologists referred me to a Sophrologist instead of a psychologist to help me control and manage my anxiety.
D: What were you hoping Sophrology could help you with?
S: When I first heard about Sophrology I didn’t know what it was but when I started to read about it, I understood more and hoped the unique technique which focusses on the mind and body connection would help me to control and manage my anxiety.
I can go for long periods of time without any symptoms but when I do it is powerful to have a tool like Sophrology that I can rely on to help me manage that anxiety immediately and on my own without needing to rely on an external practitioner. It is also really helpful for me to know I have someone to talk to who understands what anxiety is and can put my feelings into words, like Sophie did during the Sophrology session. When we talked about anxiety, she really explained to me how the body reacts and why the body reacts which really really helped me so that when it happens, I understand that anxiety is normal, and I am not the only one who suffers from it.
D: How did you discover BeSophro?
S: Last January I was close to burning out and had really bad anxiety, panic attacks and insomnia - it was too much for me to handle. I hadn’t suffered with symptoms for a few months and needed to know what was going on as I thought it was all behind me. I now understand the symptoms happen if there are changes in my life, if I’m going through a stressful period, or I’m under a lot of pressure or just because I have anxiety disorder. I thought of Sophrology because I thought I didn’t need a psychologist, I just needed someone to help me to calm down when things spiral out of control. I just googled that I was looking for a French Sophrologist and found BeSophro!
The moment I booked an appointment I felt so reassured by the fact that I could see somebody, and I was really lucky because of a cancellation I was able to see Sophie the next day. The clinic was near my house and really good value, it’s more expensive than in France because we can refund it via our health insurance, but I didn’t really care about the money I just needed something to help me get through this and I needed to express myself in my mother tongue and it really helped me.
D: What attracted you to the practice of Sophrology?
S: I love the fact that it’s so natural. During the practice the focus is completely on the body and how the body is reacting as opposed to having to think and express my thoughts and feelings as I would in a psychology session or a session with a therapist. For me this method just feels really direct and immediate. When I had my first session with Sophie we didn’t have to talk about my childhood or my past I just expressed what I was feeling in the present moment and she understood my needs. I needed to calm down, relax and find a way to manage my anxiety and to help me sleep better again. In my experience when you are suffering from a panic attack you have an immediate need to have some kind of help to control it. For me seeing a sophrologist has been more effective than seeing a psychologist because talk therapy can take a long time to have a breakthrough whereas I saw results immediately after my first Sophrology session.
I know that when I come out of my Sophrology session, I will feel happy, relaxed and most importantly I know that I can get help and I have the tools to control my anxiety which is deeply empowering. I know that if I’m under pressure and I feel I am about to have another anxiety phase or another panic attack I can book a session and feel confident it is going to make me feel better about myself.
D: How long have you practised Sophrology for?
S: I’ve practised for a few years now but if I’m honest I don’t practise on a daily basis. I’m really bad at doing that because I always have a lot of things to do but during lockdown, I really tried to practise at least 3 or 4 times a week especially before going to bed because I really struggled to go to sleep during lockdown. I try to do a session online or use the recording I have with Sophie. I booked a session with Sophie recently before my final exam and it really helped me to talk with her, we had a long session and I felt so much better after it.
D: Do you think Sophrology has helped you and how?
S: It has helped me so so much. I can’t explain how much but it really improved the way I see my anxiety disorder. I know I have it and I’m not ashamed of saying it. I’m not scared anymore. A few years ago, I was really a hypochondriac but nowadays I feel much more in control and understand that the worst thing that can happen is for mind to run away with itself, but I have a toolkit to help me with that.
The worst thing about anxiety is the feeling that we can’t control how our mind and body react, so we are always scared about losing control. Just to know that I have a simple practice I can use to calm my mind and body whenever I need it and be in a peaceful and quiet moment just feels so good – it has changed my life!
I know I should force myself to practice more regularly and to have at least one session per month and not wait until it goes bad again.
D: What are the sensations you experience during a Sophrology session?
S: I really like the reassurance I get from the session. I don’t know anybody else who suffers with anxiety and when you have anxiety, the worst thing, apart from feeling that your mind and body are out of control, is to feel that you are the only one who has it. So, it feels really good to talk to someone who understands my feelings.
I love the feeling after a session when I am really calm, relaxed, feel understood, and know that I have that control over my body again. After a session I recognise that I love my body and I take care of myself and now everything is going to be ok.
D: What is your favourite exercise in Sophrology?
S: I don’t have a favourite exercise. I know that I love the body scan because it always makes me want to fall asleep which is quite something as I struggle to fall to sleep, so if I feel like that in the middle of the day then it must mean I am really very relaxed! I also like the breathing exercises combined with gentle stretching, tensing and relaxing as well as the positive visualisation around a happy place.
D: Anything else you want to share?
S: If I was relying on hypnosis or psychology, I would be dependent on someone else externally and every time I needed to manage my anxiety, I would feel the need to go to a session which would add to my anxiety if I wasn’t able to see someone exactly when I needed. Sophrology is different, the more Sophrology sessions I have the more I feel that I am able to manage and control my anxiety myself, I am not dependent on anyone else and I can do exactly what my mind and body need to regain a state of balance. This sense of independence helps to make me feel more in control too which is very empowering.
Sophrology gives me the reassurance I need, I know it helps me each time I practise, and I have complete confidence in it. For me I like the fact that during the session Sophie just asks me how I am and how my mind and body feel today, it doesn’t go deeper into feelings or having to talk about my past instead we stay in the present during the session. This is what I really like because sometimes you don’t need to dig too much to find an effective solution.
Suffering with anxiety can feel very lonely and it is not something that every therapist I have seen in the past really ‘gets’ especially when I layer in the effects of my hypochondria. For me it was such a breakthrough to meet with someone who completely understood the impact of anxiety on the body, for them to say ok just so you know when you have these thoughts your body is going to go into fight or flight mode and this response is completely normal. Once you understand this you can then start to look at solutions to control it. This was such a relief for me to hear, what I wasn’t looking for was for someone to say this is because of what happened in your past without offering solutions to manage it. I want to have solutions; I want to be able to live with anxiety and I want to try to overcome it. I feel I can do this with my Sophrology tool kit – the practice really has been life-changing for me.
Try Sophrology out for yourself with our online course, Relax, Reset and Overcome Stress.
Please don’t hesitate to share your experience of the practice through BeSophro’s social media, I am always happy to hear from my readers!
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Preventing Burnout when Working from Home
At the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic, working from home started as a necessity for keeping safe. But as months pass and we near the end of the year, it’s clear working from home is not just a health precaution and is here to stay, as multinational companies such as Twitter are allowing employees the option to be based at home permanently.
While working from home has many advantages, the challenges are undeniable as the boundaries of work and play blur and merge into one physical space. Many find themselves juggling more responsibilities with families sharing the same space for a prolonged period of time.
Besides the family balancing act, interacting with colleagues through screens is just not the same. Surveys about remote working often quote loneliness as one of the main disadvantages of working from home. Bloomberg for example mentions that camaraderie and social interactions with colleagues both during and after work are what employees miss the most about the workplace. Lack of face-to-face interaction can have a negative effect on work performance and overall wellness, and people who thrive on being recognised for their work contributions may not feel valued in online meetings and emails.
It is also quite easy to fall into the trap of working longer hours, taking fewer breaks from the computer and checking emails and work messages before bed. Even the dreaded commute serves a purpose: it represents the clear delineation of going from your home to your workplace, giving you time to put on your work persona and get into the work head space and prepare yourself mentally for the day.
Here are some strategies to help you cope with the challenges of working from home.
Keeping Boundaries
Managing both space and time is important in maintaining personal boundaries, so you don’t get overwhelmed trying to juggle your home and work life in one physical space.
Have a dedicated space in your home or, if there isn’t enough space, try clearing all work documents from your desk or kitchen table at the end of your work shift. The act of cleaning up all your work materials signals that you’re “closing shop” and just like your commute back home, it creates a clear delineation between home and work hours.
Changing out of your home clothes to get into the zone also helps. Harvard Business Review advises to change into work clothes in the morning and, if possible, to go for a walk before starting work. Keeping a regular exercise routine is a great way to manage stress. OutwitTrade recommends to leave your most difficult work for when you know you work the best, set a clear and achievable daily target, among other tips.
Planning a schedule for the whole week is also helpful in allowing you to allocate regular breaks, times for online meetings and times for uninterrupted, concentrated work. The schedule must also take into account keeping evenings and weekends for rest and relaxation as this undivided time to rest is essential to preventing burnout. Remember just because you are in your own personal space, does not mean you no longer need any personal time.
Those with caring responsibilities can block out time to concentrate on family duties but they need to communicate and align this schedule with their employer (or with employees if you are a business owner). Managing expectations and being clear about when you are able to meet deadlines can help reduce stress.
It’s OK to Say No
Even when it feels uneasy, you are allowed to say no to requests if your workload becomes unmanageable or if you know your productivity will suffer. Being able to say no is a way to say yes to ourselves, to preserve our energy and be able to meet our commitments without feeling guilty or overwhelmed.
This principle stands for both work colleagues and family members. For example, you might be working in a shared area such as the kitchen or the living room and family members interrupt your work because they want to chat, or your children need to borrow your laptop for their homework. It’s best to explain your time boundaries clearly, setting exact times when you will take breaks or finish your workday. This is as much for them as it is for you because without clear work/family lines, neither your work nor family will be able to get your full attention.
You may also be receiving too many invitations to Zoom meetings while simultaneously juggling pressing deadlines. Having too many Zoom meetings can severely affect productivity whether it be because of time efficiency or being too drained after consecutive long calls. It might help to schedule blocks of time in your diary to rest after Zoom meetings and build in some alone time (including away from children if you have caring responsibilities) to do some quiet work that requires thinking and planning.
Being on camera is also an added source of stress: unlike face-to-face meetings, online video calls have a performance element which many people find draining. Not everybody feels comfortable in front of a camera and this can trigger feelings of anxiety so it’s a good idea to offer alternative ways to contribute to meetings including leaving voice notes.
Ask for Help
If the workload starts to become too heavy, it’s time to speak with colleagues and employers and ask to either share it or repurpose or postpone some of the tasks. Prioritising important tasks over non-essential ones and negotiating blocks of time without interruptions is the key to get things done without feeling overwhelmed. The pressure to feel always available can lead to burnout so communicating clearly is essential.
Forbes reported that 37% of 1,500 people interviewed in a mental health survey in the States admitted to working longer hours since the start of the pandemic and 40% experienced burnout during the pandemic.
Switching Off
One of the factors that can raise stress levels, diminish sleep quality and cause fatigue during the day is spending too much time staring at a screen, especially in the evening. Light from screens can disrupt hormone levels, particularly melatonin which is responsible for sleep. A healthy bedtime routine can include switching off devices an hour before sleep, reading a book, listening to podcasts and meditating. Some people go so far as to declare their bedrooms “gadget free zones”.
Picture in your mind what your ideal working day looks like. This looks different for everyone, but what is usually common amongst most is the desire to have a break in the day to rest, relax and refocus. It can be useful to spend even just 10-15 minutes every day to calm your mind and body, re-energise yourself, and address any tension that may be building up through simple relaxation exercises, like Sophrology.
Sophrology is a great way to reach a state of calm quickly and effectively using abdominal breathing in conjunction with tensing and releasing the muscles in the body. Sophrology is a mental wellbeing practice combining breathing, visualisation, meditation and gentle movement to allow mind and body to calm down.
Here is a simple exercise called ‘Tense/Release’ that you can do when you feel the tension mounting. You can choose to do it either standing up or sitting down. Close your eyes and focus on your breathing. Allow your tummy to expand as you breathe in and to go back to its initial position as you breathe out. Scan your body for any areas of tension, starting from your head, taking all the time you need.
As you identify the tension in your body, begin to release it by lifting your arms in front of your body clenching your fists as you breathe in. Clench all the muscles in your body and then lower your arms relaxing all the muscles as you breathe out. With your eyes still closed notice all the sensations in your body and repeat for as many times as you need. Before you open your eyes again, stretch and move your body gently to go back to your usual state of consciousness.
The more you practice the easier it gets to enter a state of deep relaxation that lets you feel both rested and energised.
Remember, one of the best ways to prevent burnout is to prioritise yourself and to regularly check and acknowledge the way you feel, processing emotions as they appear instead of bottling them up or ignoring them. Do you feel irritable? Take a few moments to breathe slowly and find out where this emotion is coming from and where it is manifesting in the body, perhaps as muscle tension around the temples or in the shoulders. Sophrology is a way of letting go of tension without judging your emotions, perceptions and sensations.
Looking after your mental and emotional health is a worthy investment and with simple and quick practices like Sophrology it’s easy to integrate this into your daily routine.
You Magazine – How to be kind to your mind
An ONS survey found that almost 40% of British adults felt high level of anxiety during lockdown. And now that there is news of going back into it, how do we navigate the waters again? Daily Mail Online and YOU Magazine have featured my advice on the power of saying no and quitting the cycle of overcommitting. Check out the full article for other ways to battle anxiety. Click here
Dominique Antiglio in The Tot - Being Mama
Thank you The Tot for this lovely article about my personal Sophrology journey and the importance of my practice to my transition into motherhood. I find it especially relevant now that we’re all spending more time at home with our families, and thinking about what truly matters in life. Let’s remember, “Life is about learning and evolving and every crisis is an opportunity to grow.”
Read the article here
Facing the Future at Work
Resilience is our ability to deal with everyday stresses, bounce back from setbacks and perform at the best of our abilities. It is a great asset to have at work because it enables us to find ways to overcome difficulties, to meet important deadlines, and perform even in stressful conditions, including unexpected factors such as when a pandemic affects our lives.
We discussed re-entry anxiety in our previous article Sophrology in Thrive Global – How to Deal with Covid-19 Re-Entry Anxiety, and how hard it was for many of us to come out of the first lockdown and face the world again with all the fears and anxieties the pandemic can bring. The uncertainty about what will happen in the coming weeks and months, people losing their jobs, altered working patterns including working from home or social distancing can really take a toll on our mental health and challenge our life balance. A lot of professional plans and hopes have to be postponed for many and therefore we need to find way to navigate these unprecedented times.
COMMUNICATION IS KEY
Many thrive when working as part of a team so working remotely can feel like the loneliest place in the world without being able to randomly pop into a colleague’s office or check in on how someone is doing over lunch break. This is why both leaders and employees of organisations need to make an effort to stay in touch with colleagues, now more than ever. Creating open communications in the workplace and sharing concerns and suggestions for improvements can create safer and healthier work environments. Understanding the challenges people are going through is key in finding positive solutions to ensure everyone feels supported and therefore happy and performing well. We shouldn’t be afraid to share how we feel and ask for support when needed as everyone is going through a lot of change at the moment.
ACKNOWLEDGING THE PRESSURE
A lot of us are used to working very hard and in auto-pilot, continuously allowing the pressure to pile on so it takes a certain amount of self-awareness and courage to acknowledge when we are struggling and can no longer face the present and more so, the future with serenity. When unacknowledged, stress and pressure can have a detrimental effect on our health. One of the first steps of using our resilience is simply to recognise that we all go through different emotions, both positive and negative, and that connecting with them isn’t threatening. Once we let ourselves feel uncomfortable emotion or tension, we’re already halfway towards positive change, learning or an emotional shift. We then have options like talking to a friend, a colleague, a boss or asking for help from a therapist or doctor.
RESILIENCE IS A MUSCLE
Think of resilience as one of the muscles in our body: the more we use it, the stronger and better it gets
Resilience gives us the ability to cope with work and life challenges and respond constructively even when everything around us feels unfamiliar and uncertain. It’s our capacity to find within us new mental, physical, emotional resources to bounce back or overcome a difficulty. Resilience helps us adapt and maintain a flexible and creative attitude towards changes we find ourselves facing.
We build resilience by looking after ourselves, acknowledging the stress we are under and figuring out how we as an individual or a group can best face and solve the sources of stress. For those who don’t know how to understand and acknowledge what is truly happening within, the body is the easiest way to start. Our body, mind and emotions are so closely connected that they react in sync. Just pause for a moment while sitting in your chair at work or on your commute, check if you can feel tension in your neck or shoulder, see how your tummy feels, is it tense or relaxed, listen to your breath, is it shallow or comfortable? One crucial way to look after ourselves is to notice when we start experiencing stress in our bodies and find a way to release this before tension escalates. Practising relaxation techniques, looking after your sleep, alongside other positive lifestyle choices such as eating healthily and staying connected is vital to keeping stress under control. When stress is under control, we have more energy and are able to think more clearly, which contributes to connecting with and building resilience.
SOPHROLOGY FOR STRESS MANAGEMENT
What if the tension in our bodies unknowingly persists and we feel overwhelmed and unable to face our future? With Sophrology we learn to choose how to best use our mental energy by working on the mind/body connection. When we worry, we create negative scenarios in our heads, we imagine what could go wrong which may cause anxiety, or difficulties in our daily life.
Sophrology is an increasingly popular mental wellbeing practice using breathing, gentle movement and visualisation. You can practice just a few minutes a day and over a few days or weeks, you begin to feel a shift in your inner state and perception. You will be able to access the powerful resources you have within you, notably helping you sleep better, think more clearly, boost your energy and change your outlook on the future.
You can start with this very simple Sophrology exercise: when you start feeling anxious, shift your focus to your breathing. Inhale slowly through your nose expanding your belly, hold for a couple of seconds and then exhale slowly through the mouth deflating your belly. Your mind will be so busy concentrating on this exercise that it will not process any other thoughts. Deep breathing is one of the building blocks of Sophrology and together with visualisation and gentle movement it creates a sense of calm and balance. It can be done anytime and anywhere when you need a moment of calm.
CREATE YOUR OWN FUTURE
Sophrology teaches us to become more in tune with our bodies and to be able to observe our sensations in the present moment, to be grounded in the here and now so we can maximise our experiences.
But what do we do with our fears about the future? It’s only natural to worry about the future especially in the times like we live in. The good news is that we can teach our brain to recognise that the future doesn’t have to be a cause of anxiety but rather a source of hope. We can also choose not to be passive but to take an active role in shaping our own future and the way we perceive it.
A Sophrology tool that can help with this is ‘Futurization’: we use our creative mind to visualise overcoming difficult situations, being connected to our inner resources of confidence, calm or positivity. We teach our brain to project itself in successful moments which in turn starts to rewire our physiology and promote resilience.
Seeing yourself in the future having already solved the problems you are currently facing has a strong influence on body, mind and emotion and during the practice people learn to recognise those new possibilities and can start to build on them in their daily experiences.
This helps us reframe our thinking to build a better future and take a different perspective in the way we see our work, our relationship or purpose. If we look at the positive contributions we make or are able to stay connected to what we truly value through our work, we are more likely to forge a positive path ahead.
Gaining a holistic view of our jobs, focusing on the present moment and preparing for our future, allows us to perform at work then leave the day’s work behind instead of thinking about what happened, what we could have done better or fretting about a future event.
Living in the present means “travelling light”- we don’t carry excess baggage (such as recurring disruptive thoughts, regrets, anxieties) and our mental clarity allows us to adapt better to situations. Being able to access a sense of calm any time we need it also means being able to use our creativity to find solutions to problems.
ACTION PLAN FOR THE FUTURE AT WORK
Apart from open communication, taking an active part in tackling stress for both employers and employees is key to building resilience. When we ignore early signs of stress, we are more likely to develop exhaustion which may affect performance and set us on a never-ending loop of stress. The Center for Workplace Mental Health from the American Psychiatric Association Foundation highlights the importance for employers to have measures in place to support employees’ mental and physical health.
As employees, we can take ownership of our situation, acknowledging when we are struggling, then discuss this if possible with co-workers (for example, asking for help to share the workload) and take action.
As a collective, we can all discuss what can make us better equipped to do our job with our employer, even changing corporate culture to create new processes. Employers need to understand the struggles their employees face as well as their own. This can also include having access to mental health support or to the necessary infrastructure for working from home on a permanent basis.
Sophrology can help us feel more grounded, resilient and focused as we go through these transitions. Guided body awareness and visualisation exercises are shared in the book The Life-Changing Power of Sophrology and in online practice sessions and courses available via the BeSophro app to help you create a better, more positive future.
Natural Health – Supercharging Your Day
Read Dominique’s tips and techniques for supercharging your day and boosting the immune system in Natural Health Magazine. The November issue is now out.
Speak from the Body: Sophrology For Stress And Life Changes With Dominique Antiglio
Thank you, Avni Trivedi, for inviting me onto your podcast ‘Speak from the Body’. We spoke about Sophrology for Stress and Life Changes which you can listen to here. Avni is a wonderful osteopath notably specialised in supporting women through pregnancy. I met Avni years ago and followed her podcast for a while which I find profound and really worth listening to! Enjoy the episode!
Stress & Anxiety During Pregnancy | The Transition to Motherhood
Pregnancy is a major life event that comes with a mix of joys and fears. Giving birth to your first child and becoming a mother is a milestone full of excitement, wonder, happiness, and change. While the happiness of meeting and holding your child for the first time is incomparable, the transition from being responsible just for you to becoming pregnant and a new mother is a big shift that can create stress and anxiety for any woman, even the most organised and adaptable of us!
A lot of attention is rightfully placed on pregnant women’s physical health, but we need to also be aware of their mental and emotional health too. Expecting mothers are now having an especially stressful time with the restrictions and social distancing measures in place for COVID 19 and the uncertainty of its implications to pregnancy and children.
According to a study on Journal of Affective Disorders, pregnancy is a time of increased vulnerability for the development of anxiety and depression, especially if there is a lack of social support, adverse events in life and high perceived stress. The right support for a woman’s emotional health before and after labour can make a difference when it comes to perinatal anxiety.
Managing Emotions During Pregnancy
Mothers-to-be often complain of tiredness, trouble sleeping and general fatigue, which can then carry on after the birth of the baby. These can be a physical effect of pregnancy and giving birth, then suddenly caring for a new-born 24/7, but it can also be the manifestation of stress in the body. Becoming more familiar with the inner workings of the body and learning how to “read” its signals can make a big difference in managing stress and emotions and supporting the health of both mother and baby.
Generally speaking, pregnant women are advised to look after themselves through movement, good nutrition and rest. Relaxation techniques such as breathing and guided meditation can be useful to become more aware of the body, to lower the intensity of labour pains and have a less stressful childbirth experience. Body awareness also helps to differentiate between different types of food cravings – sometimes food can become a crutch to deal with boredom or stress instead of indicating a nutrient deficiency.
A positive mindset can also go a long way when mentally preparing for birth and transitioning into motherhood. Fear can be the manifestation of our feelings about the unknown. We tend to imagine the worst possible scenario, but if we learn to build a positive picture in our mind of what could happen then we can better prepare ourselves for the future filled with hope, even if the details are still uncertain.
Athletes and professional sportspeople use Sophrology visualisation techniques to prepare before competitions, rehearsing their every move in their mind and body, so when it comes to the performance, the body is more relaxed and prepared, and everything feels like it has been done successfully before. This mental state is called being “in the flow”, when things fall into place and there are no fears or anxieties attached to an event.
How Sophrology Can Help Manage Stress and Anxiety during Pregnancy
Developed in the 1960s, Sophrology is a dynamic form of meditation with relaxation techniques that uniquely combine visualisation, breathwork, and gentle movement. It is a blend of different disciplines and methods, from ancient Eastern traditions to modern science. The Founder of Sophrology, Professor Alfonso Caycedo, trained as a neuropsychiatrist and spent his life exploring ways of achieving balance in body and mind through a combination of different practices.
It has been practised in Continental Europe for four decades and in France and Switzerland, women have been using Sophrology for years to prepare for pregnancy and birth. It is known to be so effective that it is even reimbursed by the Swiss and French health insurances.
Over the years pregnant women have used different techniques for birth preparation, for example, hypnobirthing, to help manage pain and anxiety during labour. Hypnosis techniques are based on achieving a sense of relaxation through suggestion, in an altered state of consciousness similar to being asleep or under local anaesthesia or mild sedation.
Sophrology operates differently from hypnosis, even though it draws some elements from it. During a Sophrology session, you are completely aware of your surroundings and in an active state of consciousness. It allows you to easily reap the benefits of meditation while performing movements, change your breathing patterns, follow guided visualisations and are in complete control of your mind and body. It also stimulates your creativity, confidence and positive outlook on events.
Sophrology For Birth Preparation
Sophrology for birth preparation supports women with all aspects of their pregnancy, from dealing with the physiological changes in their body to managing emotions such as anxiety. When looking for solutions on how to stop feeling anxious, Sophrology can help. Sophrology can provide support and reassurance during and after pregnancy when the responsibilities of motherhood and sheer exhaustion become overwhelming.
Using breathing exercises and gentle movement together with visualisation, Sophrology is a quick and adaptable way to help women deal with some of the discomforts of pregnancy such as nausea, fatigue and sleep problems, and also creates a better bond between mother and baby, both before and after birth.
Breathing exercises have a number of beneficial effects on the body: studies found that slow, deep breathing can help lower heart rate and blood pressure, regulating the autonomic nervous system and decreasing stress levels.
A Relaxed and Aware State
Achieving a sense of relaxation allows a woman to experience childbirth with decreased levels of stress and discomfort, and feel empowered and in tune with her body.
With a regular Sophrology practice, an expectant mother can visualise a successful birth, seeing herself being able to cope with anything that happens during labour, without worrying excessively and instead, simply living the experience. The technique can be used both in natural births and medically-assisted births, with epidural injections and Caesareans.
Some women may feel terrified about giving birth for the first time and may be playing worst-case scenarios in their heads. They may feel they are not up to the challenge and fear complications. Through Sophrology relaxation exercises, they learn how to feel more empowered and serene, acknowledging that labour is a natural event with many positive emotions attached to it.
Pregnant women who practise Sophrology regularly become more confident in their abilities and can trust their body to cope with the physical strain during labour and also recover at their own pace afterwards. Recuperation is just as important in Sophrology as the main event of giving birth.
After the birth, Sophrology can help with lack of sleep, normalising sleeping patterns and recovering energy spent nursing. A more relaxed and balanced mother can take better care of her baby.
If you are planning to have a baby or are already pregnant, Sophrology offers useful tools to take you through all the steps before, during and after pregnancy. One of the resources you need most during pregnancy is the adaptability to cope with many physical and emotional changes and Sophrology has many exercises fit to help with that.
Once Sophrology becomes part of your daily life, you will find other challenges and events less daunting – Sophrology is an asset you can use in any situation to feel calm and centred.
Sophrology in Evening Standard – An alternative way to get sleep schedules back on track
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Thank you, Evening Standard, for featuring Sophrology as an alternative way to get sleep schedules back on track.
Read the article below or click here.
Our Sleep Like a Pro 5-day online series is just £12 and you will discover simple techniques to learn how to let go of any stress and tension that will help you sleep quickly and soundly through the night. Sophrology can be introduced to your bedtime routine with just 10-minute practices per day to prepare you for deep sleep and support your overall health.
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Sophrology in Bella Magazine – Do you have re-entry Anxiety?
If you're struggling with re-entry anxiety, I've shared some tips to deal with the stress of returning to the 'new' normal with Bella magazine which is out on stands this August.
Sophrology in The Independent - Struggling with post-lockdown anxiety?
Thank you, Independent, for including Sophrology & Dominique’s book “The Life-Changing Power of Sophrology” in your recommendations for mindfulness products to help with re-entry anxiety after lockdown.
Sophrology in Top Sante – solutions against re-entry anxiety and tips to re-entering our new ‘normal’
Thank you Top Santé for letting me share my solutions against re-entry anxiety and tips to re-entering our new 'normal'
"One of the best ways to keep anxiety at bay is to make the effort to stay in the present moment. The reason being that this anxiety focuses on the unknown and uncertainty. To help you stay in the present moment, try practising sophrology, which is a form of dynamic meditation that uses calming breathing techniques, movement, visualisation and grounding."
Read about it here
