The 3 Step Self-Care Program
1) 10minutes of Simple Cardio: Get Moving Daily
Bring a change of shoes, get a walking buddy, or use the time to put on your headphones and
listen to a podcast, a YouTube video or music for these suggestions.
- Walk around the building if the sun is shining or you crave some fresh air.
- Use the treadmill in the gym. Go as fast as you want to go, play with the incline.
- Take a tour of the inside of the building, use the stairs to travel from floor to floor.
2) 5 minutes of Basic Core: Basic Strength Growth
Protect your lower back and gently build core strength by trying these easy core developers.
- Stand with legs shoulder width apart, bend the knees a bit so you the knees are not locked. Contracting your core, as if you were anticipating a punch coming at your stomach, throw punches out ahead of you alternating arms. This is core engagement. After a few moments of throwing punches straight ahead of you, shift upwards at a 45 degree angle, then downwards, to the left shifting your weight and to the right. Take a few breaths in that stance and see if you notice a release of tension or any difference in the way your body feels.
- Lay out a stretching mat and hold a modified plank (on the knees) or full-plank for as long as it takes to get the body to start to tremor from lactic-acid buildup, meaning that your muscles are fully fatigued. Hold for at least 10 full seconds to start growing core strength gently. Be sure the body is as horizontal as possible.
3) 5 minutes of Concern: Stretch & Release Muscle Tension
Concern yourself with calming the body and mind to cool down and reset yourself. With a few of these stress-reducing stretches you can return you to the rest of the workday with a refreshed feeling.
- Shoulder shrug tension release-Seated or standing, raise both shoulders up towards the ears and hold, feeling the tension in the neck and shoulders for a few seconds, then abruptly and dramatically drop the shoulders as you exhale through the mouth, releasing the tension with a sigh. Do this at least 3 times to practice recognizing tense muscles and then consciously dropping the muscle tension. This comes in handy while working in front of the computer, training your awareness to notice when muscles are tensing up while working and then releasing that tension often prevents stress headaches and neck pain.
- Neck Stretching- Can be done seated or standing. Gently lengthen neck muscles from ear to shoulder, holding for at least 2-3 full breaths on each side, then rotating the head to the left and right for at least 2-3 full breaths. Then, facing upwards towards the ceiling at 45 degrees, with mouth closed, stretching the front neck muscles and facing downwards as far as the head can comfortably go without forcing it, holding for the same length of time of 2-3 full breaths or more.
- Chest- Standing comfortably, grasp your hands behind you, having your elbows as straight as possible, roll the shoulders back and you raise the grasped hands upwards and away from the body, increasing the chest and shoulder stretch as you feel into the lengthening, breathing in the sensation of the tension and then exhaling out that tension’s release. Raise the hands a little higher with each breath 2-3 times or more.
- Upper back-Seated or standing, give yourself a big bear hug with one arm over the other, walking your fingers as far as they will go over the shoulder blades. Feel the muscles between your shoulder blades widen as you take a few deep breaths. Breathe out through the mouth to release the tension of the upper back. Switch arms so that each arm has an opportunity to overlap the other for a balanced upper back stretch.
- Lower back- laying down on an exercise mat, slowly alternating bending each leg pulling a knee to the chest and holding it for at least a breath, repeating 3x on each side. For a deeper stretch, widen the arms, palms facing down for leverage, taking both legs up towards the chest and hold with a slight rocking from left to right, feeling the pressure from the floor press into the lower back. Make small ovals from left to right, across the top of the hips to below and across the bottom of the hips. This will bring more blood circulation and release the stress and tension from sitting for many hours a day.
This small practice can spark more healthful habits. Be sure to make an appointment with yourself in your calendar every day during your workday to commit to your own self-care on a daily basis. The investment in your body and your peace of mind is worth every second spent!
Break it up: commit to start with a 3 minute practice. Put a daily reminder in your calendar. Start small and let it grow after the practice becomes a habit!