I was tired of being stressed and sedentary all work day
A few months ago, I realized I was once again sitting around all work day. This happened the first time I started working from home in 2018/2019. I was no longer on a teacher's schedule and found myself sitting and on screens a lot.
That's when I started coming up with systems for my whole day. I wasn't feeling great about myself and needed systems for self-care to stop feeling so shitty.
So anywho, a few months ago, I realized I was feeling shitty again. I am on Zoom calls most of the work day. My eyes hurt from looking at a screen. My chest and head hurt because I get so amped up to talk on the call. And my hips hurt from sitting for so long.
I tried to implement a 20-minute walk in the middle of the day or maybe a run or bike ride, but it never happened consistently. On my busiest call days, 20 minutes felt too much, and I just wouldn't go at all.
So I changed things up. Instead of focusing on 20 minutes, I focused on small actions and what I know about habits.
Now every time I finish a Zoom call, I take a quick walk around the block.
Trigger- finish work call
Craving- relief from work, relief from screentime, relief from sitting
Action- take a 4-minute walk around the block
Reward- feel relieved! Hips feel better, eyes feel better, head feels better, back feels better, all feels better! I reduce stress and increase satisfaction in my day. I get to be outside even on a busy work day!
Sometimes I take the pup. Sometimes it's just me. Sometimes I take the hubs. Sometimes it's 4 minutes. Sometimes it's 15 minutes.
But I always go.
Now as soon as I finish a work call, my brain remembers to close my computer and head out.
When the voice in my head tells me to not bother, there isn't enough time, 4 minutes isn't going to do anything, I remind it that it actually is important, I do have time, and there is enough time.
Author
Jaclyn Ricchio
Hey! It's Jaclyn. I'm here to help you stop feeling like a failure by getting consistent with mornings, meals, movement... anything. I hope you stick around and read a bit, will ya?
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