Break Time

Categories: Uncategorized Mar 13, 2014

In today's hustle and bustle life, we spend most of our time sitting. Not because we want to, but because that is the demand that life places on us. Many of us work in chairs. Many of us drive cars that get stuck in traffic. It is very hard to go anywhere where chairs have not been placed. Restaurants, movies, home, work, even the local parks all have chairs ready and willing to hold us.

We are expected to sit. Think of all the restaurants strategically placed along major highways for weary, hungry travelers. They know you've been driving (sitting) for hours, and yet they are full of booths and chairs. It is rare to see a tall tables where you could stand and stretch your legs while you eat. Our lifestyles do not necessarily honor how our bodies were made. We were created to move around, to walk, run, jump and climb. Sitting was intended for rest, not living.

Fortunately for all of us, the body is resilient and a little movement can go a long ways. Our lives may demand that we spend an unfortunate amount of time seated, but can take frequent movement breaks throughout the day to keep ourselves running well. Small movement snacks may not be optimal for our vitality as were simply made to move WAY more than we do, but they could play a crucial role in keeping us healthy. In other words, they help make our lifestyle circumstances and situations better by giving our brains and bodies some attention. A little movement is better than no movement.

Here is a fun/goofy video I made on my ten hour road trip to Florida. I had a hard time sitting for ten hours and thought i'd take advantage of my situation by making a video journal of the trip.

https://youtu.be/FAPnsUcBU0M

We may not be able to change the world's expectations of how much and how often we sit. We can do it, but it may take some time. We can, however, change and determine what we do by deliberately moving and pressing reset often throughout the day. We were made to move often. Taking movement breaks by pressing reset often is an easy way to "cheat" the system and keep our bodies tied together.

Sometime ago it was once acceptable to take frequent "smoke breaks" during a work day. I always wondered why people with a bad habit could frequently stop what they were doing and go out back to smoke a cigarette. I'm from North Carolina, by the way. Anyway, be that deliberate. Take a "cross-crawl break" or a "walk break" throughout your day. You will feel better, think better, and move better.

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