I’ve been waking up every morning for a week with a stiff neck. A tendon in my left wrist still aches, despite four months of doctor’s appointments and three different prescriptions.
My massage therapist says the muscles in my back are so tight that she uses every muscle in her own hands, shoulders and legs to knead the knots out of them. She tells me I need to return to yoga classes, pronto, and start taking better care of myself.
That’s what I get for sitting in front of the computer, sometimes up to 10 hours a day.
Then I read the New York Times story In Web World of 24/7 Stress, Writers Blog Till They Drop.
A growing work force of home-office laborers and entrepreneurs, armed with computers and smartphones and wired to the hilt, are toiling under great physical and emotional stress created by the around-the-clock Internet economy that demands a constant stream of news and comment.
In the last few months, two technology bloggers have died suddenly and a third has survived a heart attack.
Enough already. Here’s what I’m doing, starting today:
—Attending yoga class twice a week.
—More frequent breaks, at least one per hour.
—More frequent massages.
—Doing the stretching exercises a physical therapist ordered two years ago when I damaged my rotator cuffs from using weights in Jazzercise class.
—Lying backwards on the giant red rubber ball I bought from my chiropractor to relieve the “hunched shoulders” syndrom caused by hours in front of the computer.
—Lying on the floor, on top of a giant styrofoam tube that runs the length of my spine, again per my chiropractor’s instructions, to help stretch my back and shoulders.
OK, bloggers and Internet marketers. What are you doing to avoid death by blogging? Authors and writers, do you have the same problems?
Let’s hear from some physical therapists, too.
I didn’t realize how stressed I was last week when my internet connection suddenly died. At first I began to panic! I didn’t know what to do with myself…and that really scared me! I never realized how much of my time was really dedicated to being “connected” online. When did I become such an internet addict? With summer quickly approaching I will be sure to get outside and move around a lot more. Establishing a new routine with regular intervals of physical activity will help a lot. I think the long winter really did me in!
Joan, read the first article on this page.
Exercise is the key. Even better if the exercise accomplishes something besides just movement for the sake of exercise.
Mid-morning every day, we walk the dogs around our 40 acres, letting them have a veritable sniff-a-thon.
Never rush lunch (or, worse, skip it). Take time to savor it and listen to something soothing on the stereo.
Every afternoon, I tackle one outdoor project — regardless of season or weather. My projects tend to be very physical — tree chopping, wood splitting, gardening, small/medium construction tasks, riding the horses.
Sure, it means I don’t get everything done I’d like to get done on my writing, publishing, online, and promotional projects…but they’ll still be there tomorrow.
I have always been the kind who gets very focused on tasks and works nonstop ’til they’re done. I finally realized there’s no way I’ll ever get everything done right away, so I just do what I can without suffering “death by blogging” and its kin afflictions.
Life’s too short to squander. There’s a whole world beyond the keyboard and office.
Walt Shiel
http://SlipdownMountain.com
http://FiveRainbows.com
Walt, great advice. Thanks much.
My dog also loves “sniffathons” but on the beach. But the ultimate afternoon is finding a dead fish and rolling in it.
My excess computer time has caused more migraines, so in addition to trying to take more exercise breaks, I’ve also finally ordered a better mattress to help support my spine! Sleeping more effectively will give me more energy during the day to take those needed breaks!
Seriously. Blackberry neck is ruthless! After the 600+ pg. book I purchased to learn to use my new gadget I could hardly turn my neck for a week! Tip for creaky desk mavens: Always stand when answering the phone. Gives a nice stretch, a bit of exercise and best of all, makes it easy to smile while you speak (which promotes much better rapport with whomever is calling).
MendMeShop.com has great ice packs and ultrasound machines that I’ve been using for the last 2 weeks. so far, I’m seeing results.
And they have a 45-day money-back guarantee.
Yoga classes help alot, too.