GENREALITY

There’s no denying that there’s a definite connection between body and mind. When I started writing full time I slowly stopped paid attention to my fitness regime, and then my eating, and I gained weight, lost energy, and finally was unable to handle stress to the point that I quit writing. This process took a couple of years, but that is the way it happened.

I told myself that I was just taking a break, a hiatus of sorts. But then a year went by and I hadn’t written a thing. I also hadn’t got my butt back into the gym or regained any of my healthy habits. I did clue in that the two things were connected, but knowing it, and doing something about it is like many things in life…easier said than done.

For me, the key is to start slow, both with the writing, and the healthy life changes and to that end I’ve started to blend those things together in my life. And it’s helped. It really really has. When I’m active and eating right, my mind is fluid and my writing flows. Ok, so the writing doesn’t flow easily, but it flows better.

With that in mind I though I’d share some tips I found online for Staying Limber while working at a desk…..Taken from Everyday Health.com

Practice good ergonomics. Ergonomics is the science of designing the workplace to fit the worker. Keep your computer directly in front of you, slightly below eye level. Have your hands reach the keyboard without having to bend your wrists; have good back support; and have your weight evenly distributed. “If you are craning your neck all day to see your computer, you will strain your eyes and your neck,” warns Plasker.

Maintain good posture. “Good ergonomics won’t do you much good if you have bad posture,” says Plasker. “From behind, your back should be straight. From the side, your lower back and neck should maintain their normal curves. Twisting, slouching, or stretching and extending your back or neck can cause pain and damage.”

Follow the 50-10 rule. “That means for every 50 minutes of sitting, you need to get up and move around for 10 minutes — and that doesn’t mean getting up to go sit somewhere else,” says Plasker. “Walking for 10 minutes is a great exercise. It gets your hips and lower back in motion and gets your heart pumping.” ***Personally, I have a short attention span, I tend to follow the 20-10 rule. Write fro 20 minutes straight, then putter around the house, go tot he washroom, get a drink – for 10***

Take the stairs. “Using the stairs is a good aerobic activity. This increases your aerobic activity and your range of motion,” explains Plasker.
Stretch your back. “Bend forward and touch your toes. If you can’t make it down to your toes, just touch your knees. Keep your knees just slightly bent,” says Plasker. You can relieve the pressure in the small of your back by putting your hands on your hips and leaning back while looking up.

Stretch your neck. “It’s best not to roll your head around in circles,” advises Plasker. “Just tilt your head forward, backward, and from side to side.” You can add some gentle pressure to these stretch positions by pushing your head with your hand. Stretch positions should be held for about 30 seconds.

Loosen your upper back. You can relieve the tension in your shoulders and upper back by keeping your arms at your sides with your elbows bent at 90 degrees. Now flex your shoulders backward, squeezing your shoulder blades together. You can also get relief by letting your arms hang straight down and rolling your shoulders upward and backward. Repeat these exercises about 10 times.

Be Sociable, Share!

• 

Related posts:

1. Set Your Mind
2. Tips for being productive, and healthy.
3. An Uneducated Author.