Back to work and feeling tired? I wonder if you’ve been feeling as exhausted as I have these past few days?

I’d like to invite you to try a quick movement: stretch your arm straight up, then rotate your shoulder outward. Once you’ve done that, take a moment to feel the muscles around your shoulder that you just engaged.

Psychological theory suggests that our muscles play various roles and actually send signals to our brains. The muscles you just moved are what we call boundary muscles.

When we’re back at work, we’re often juggling phone calls, instructions from our bosses, and interactions with colleagues. We’re constantly bombarded with communication, information, and expectations.

It’s not always easy to say no or filter out all that input. That’s why we can try working from the physical level—engaging these boundary muscles to help us reconnect with and reinforce our personal boundaries.

See if you feel a bit more comfortable after trying those movements!