Integrated body and mind perspectives at work

Symposium Integrated Body and Mind Perspectives at Work.Karen van Dam, Open University of the Netherlands, Annet de Lange, HAN Applied University, Open University of the Netherlands, University of Stavanger Hylco Nyp, HAN Applied University.E: karen.vandam@ou.nl; annet.delange@han.nl; eric.oostdijk@han.nl State of the art Workers can experience over-activation when they are not able to fully recover to baseline levels. Over-activation can result in sleep problems, and physical and mental health complaints. Already, research has shown the importance of recovery processes, using Conservation of Resources Theory (Hobfoll, 1989) and the Effort-Recovery Model (Meijman & Mulder, 1998) as theoretical frameworks. While these frameworks focus on the role of (de)activation, they overlook the importance of employees’ body-mind integration and the techniques for accomplishing this. New perspective / contributionsOur symposium takes a new and inspiring perspective toward recovery and employee well-being by explaining the role of Body-Mind Integration techniques. Since Descartes statement ‘cogito ergo sum’, the Western world has believed that mind and body are separate entities. Recent neuroscientific research (Damascio, 1994) has proven that this is not the case, showing that body and mind are an integrated whole. Most people are not aware of this integration. While they possibly realize that their stomach aches are the result of stress-related thoughts, they do not know that bodily states can heavily influence the contents and processes of the brain.Practical implicationsThis symposium focuses on several body-related techniques to reach body-mind integration, deactivate, and increase well-being. We will explain how these techniques can help to fully recover from physical and mental arousal from work, and involve the audience by practicing techniques that can be easily used at work and at home.