You sit down for your fifth meeting of the day. Your neck’s stiff. Your lower back’s aching. You’re tired: mentally and physically. You tell yourself to focus, to stay present, to lead with empathy.
But your body is pulling focus. You’re uncomfortable. Your attention slips. You find yourself zoning out or getting snappy.
Sound familiar?
You’re not alone. And you’re not failing.
You might be experiencing low physical wellbeing, and it’s undermining your ability to lead inclusively.
What Is Physical Wellbeing at Work?
Physical wellbeing refers to the presence (or absence) of things like:
- Headaches, back pain, or muscle tension
- Disrupted or poor-quality sleep
- Fatigue, eye strain, or gut issues
Often these symptoms are work-related, caused by poor ergonomics, long hours, high stress, or limited movement. But we rarely connect the dots.
What Your Body Might Be Telling You
- Are you ignoring recurring pain because you’re “too busy”?
- Skipping breaks and pushing through fatigue?
- Struggling to sleep because your brain won’t switch off?
These are not signs of weakness. They’re signals. And inclusive leaders need to listen to them, not override them.
