Whether you’re re-upping your commitment to move more or taking the Body Electric challenge for the first time, following these steps can help you craft a movement routine that feels doable:
🎯 First, make a movement plan
What amount of movement can you build into your day? Make sure it’s a reasonable goal—but try to push yourself.
Five minutes every 30 minutes is BEST, but if you can’t swing that aim for every hour or two hours.
👯 Next, recruit someone to join you
Accountability buddies make movement breaks feel less daunting. Think: co-workers taking quick walks or friends encouraging each other via text!
Long distance bestie, husband, kids, co-worker, neighbor? Whoever! Forward them this email and take the challenge together.
💃 Then, mix up your movement breaks
Your 5-minute walks don’t have to all be walking or marching in place.
Some participants in our study turned their movement breaks into dance breaks! Others got chores done, like taking out the garbage cans or refilling humidifiers.
Get creative! If standing isn’t an option, chair-based exercises are great too.
🐢 Keep going…but take it slow and steady
It’s tempting to get all your movement done first thing in the morning, but studies show one longer workout doesn’t offset the harm of prolonged sitting. There is no replacement for short but regular movement throughout the day.
Sidenote: when I say slow and steady, I mean it! Walking 2 mph is fast enough to get the physical and mental benefits of movement breaks.
🏆Finally, track your progress—but don’t let perfection be the enemy of good
We created this document to help you track your breaks.
Some participants told us that tallying up their breaks motivated them to keep going and helped them be mindful of how their bodies were feeling throughout the day. Others found it helpful to journal.
But missing a break is not the end of the world. Some movement is always better than none!
📬 We want to hear from you!
Send us a voice memo or email us at BodyElectric@npr.org to let us know how it goes!
Read more details about the findings from our research study with Columbia University Medical Center here.
Keep on movin’ and groovin’,
Manoush
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💭 Got ideas or questions for how to live better with your tech? Email us at bodyelectric@npr.org or ping @manoushz on Instagram.
👩💻 Know someone who needs to reboot their relationship with their tech? Tell them about the Body Electric Challenge or forward them this email.
🎧 Didn't hear the series? Listen to Body Electric on Apple, Spotify or the NPR App.
To reach the NPR Health newsletter team with feedback, reach out at: health@npr.org |
