Anneke Valk offers an online workout class during the Surf your stress-week. Photo: Anneke Valk. During the Surf Your Stress-week (16 through 20 November) students are offered tools to help them deal with stress. These tools are provided through lectures, sports activities and workshops. Resource discusses three of these activities. Today: handling the monkey in your head.
Anneke Valk is a lecturer of Experimental Zoology. During the Surf Your Stress-week, she offers an online workout, during which participants tackle the monkey in their head. ‘I mean, the critical voices in your head, stress, time squeeze, doubt etc. Sometimes, for example, you resist something vehemently: “There is no way I am doing that, forget it!” while you low-key know it would be much better to do it. How can you handle that “monkey mood” and make sure you do that thing anyway?’
Criticising monkey
Why is it called a monkey in your head? ‘This is a common phrase, people generally immediately understand the feeling. For example, the monkey that is responsible for your procrastinating behaviour, or the criticising monkey that tells you you are not good enough.’
Valk first wanted to organize an indoor cycling workout, but due to stricter corona measures, the event has changed to an online workout. Valk: ‘While doing various physical exercises, we also address the monkey in your head. You don’t specifically need to be cycling, it works just as well while running, or doing crunches. The important thing is to combine reflecting with a physical challenge. You can try this: sprint as fast as you can, and see what thoughts pop into your head. Or plank for five minutes and see how your brain is affected. Reflection is always a good idea, and physical exercise reduces stress. By exercising while you reflect, the effect is increased. That is so cool!’
Check out the Surf your stress week programme here.