I don’t know about you, but I definitely am! When you are self-employed, no matter how hard you try, it is inevitable that you are gonna take some work home. But, now there is a multitude of us working from home and no longer making that hated commute. If you are like me, you actually like the commutes because it gives you time to unwind with my personal favorites like Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers or U2.
I hate to admit it, but Covid has definitely changed our lives in so many ways and I don’t honestly think that what we used to think of as the norm is ever going to be coming back. I’m an optimist, so I choose to think of the benefits. Less people commuting in their cars means less pollution in our air. That is a plus, wouldn’t you agree?
What I do consider a downside is how much time we now spend at home! The more time we spend at home, the more time we spend sitting on our buns. There, I said it. And yes, my friend, that includes me and you.
Working from home has become the norm now. I’m actually a little jealous because some people work with their pajamas still on. Though, I have to admit I sometimes do that when filling out my paperwork.
As convenient as that sounds, it means that if you are working from home, you are moving less than you used to. Getting ready to go to the office, travelling to work, spending time at the office, going to lunch is whole lot of movement that is no longer taking place. Have you thought about that?
If you are spending tons of time in front of a computer, sitting for hours on end, your body is probably hurting. This means that your neck probably hurts from just facing forward while staring at your computer. Those muscles that you use to look side-to-side are starting to become stiff from lack of use. And that’s just for starters.
How about your lower back? Sitting for hours and hours takes a toll on the back and buttocks. I know it does for me and it hurts. I try my best to remember to take breaks, but when I’m on a roll, I easily forget to do so. And that reminds me, I’m gonna take a break now and go upstairs to see what my kids are up to. Regrets. I’ll go visit my plant next time. They don’t whine and complain about doing their chores.
Texting, texting, and texting. The next time you do so, try to pay attention to your body. Your head lowers, shoulders rise, either one or both arms are up, one hand cradling the phone, thumbs in motion. Does that sound familiar?
So do yourself a favor, get up and take a break! Go walk to another room. Lay out that yoga mat and do a few stretches in that large space in your living room. Grab a heavy object and start flexing those muscles. And the one thing that I advise all of my clients is to turn your head from side to side. Do this several times a day to loosen them muscles up.
Got a hot tub? Fire that sucker up at the end of the night before you go to bed.
Have you considered CBD products? You can consume it in a variety of ways, including edibles, oils, and lotions. They do work for some people and in my opinion, definitely worth a try.
Another option is to schedule a massage. I don’t know what the protocol is for other states, but you can always make a phone call to ask your therapist. Here in the state of Washington, we are healthcare providers, and as such, we wear masks, have been vaccinated (governor mandate), and disinfect the massage rooms between clients. We do that in an effort to avoid spreading viruses.
Whatever you decide to do, please take care of yourself. Be kind to your body.
Please share what works best for you.