Movement is kinda my thing. I love to talk about it, read about it, and think of ways to move more. Movement is like food, it nourishes your body. And it’s not optional. Our society simply doesn’t move enough. And I’m not talking about exercise here. Doing an hour of physical activity is amazing, but if you sit on your bum the rest of the day, your body is not getting enough nourishing movement.
My goal is to help you move MORE of you, MORE often.
Don’t worry, you don’t have to constantly be on the move. Rest is important. And I’m a huge fan of naps! But I believe we can find ways to move more throughout the day. And move more of you – not just your larger body parts. Let’s move your breath, your thoughts, and those fluids in your body.
Below is a list of little ways that I incorporate more movement throughout my day. It’s not perfect and I only included things that I regularly do. Sure, I practice yoga several times a week but I wanted to include places movement can be done throughout the day. I hope it inspires you to look at your day and
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realize where you do move during your day, probably more than you thought.
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find places you can incorporate more movement.
Water first thing
I wake up, pee, and then drink at least 8 oz of water right away. To make this easy peasy I keep a mason jar in the bathroom and fill it the day before so the water is at room temperature.
This habit works for me. It gets me hydrated and helps to keep things moving in my body.
Energy practice
Okay, this one might seem a little woo-woo, but bear with me. .Part of my morning routine is what I call my “energy practice.” It only takes minutes and involves moving my body and massaging acupressure points. I get some side stretching and forward folding in too.
This habit gets my body and my energy moving.
Sitting on the floor
Early morning is a quiet time in my house, which makes it a good time to get work done. I used to sit at a table but have moved to the floor. Why?
I learned that when I sit on a chair I have a tendency to tuck my tailbone. Sitting on a yoga block on the floor with my laptop elevated at the right height on our coffee table allows me to sit better. I don’t tuck my tailbone and the rest of my body is happier.
I get up and down from my “workstation” a lot! I get up to get more tea. I get up to turn the kettle on for more hot water. I get up to let the dog out or in.
This habit of getting up and down from the floor (or closer to it) requires moving the joints in my feet, ankles, knees, and hips. Getting up and down a lot means they move more.
Throw the ball with Luna
Our dog, Luna, has a high prey drive. This means that she LOVES chasing….well almost anything. One day she ran out the door chasing a bunch of turkeys. What would she do if she caught up to one? Probably freak out.
If we don’t want her itching to chase deer, turkeys, or other animals then we throw a ball with her. She LOVES chasing her ball! I take her out for 5-10 minutes and throw the ball. I often do this 2-3 times a day.
This habit gets me outside and moving. I’m bending down, picking up the ball, throwing it, walking around. Plus, these days Luna and I then walk around and look at my gardens. Or we’ll look for snakes. Luna’s not a fan of them and startles easily when we find one (it’s a little amusing )
Focus on my breath
Most days I focus on my breath for about 15 minutes. I usually listen to a guided meditation or something I’ve found on YouTube. At this time in my life, I’ve found that I need to listen to something during the 15 minutes. It helps me focus. And I’ll be transparent here….sometimes I fall asleep, even for a brief moment.
This habit helps me move my breath. We’re always breathing but don’t always focus on the movement of the breath.
This habit also moves my thoughts. I’m in my head a lot and it moves thoughts out and gives me a mini break.
Build core strength
Almost every day I spend 10-15 minutes strengthening my core (front and back). Because of postural tendencies and tightness in my upper back and neck, I’ve made this one a priority. I don’t spend a lot of time doing this. Sometimes I throw in other yoga poses, but often I don’t. It depends.
This habit builds muscle strength on the front of back of my torso so I can move more efficiently.
Folding laundry
This one doesn’t happen every day. But I wanted to include it because everyone has laundry. I tend to fold our laundry on our dining room table or kitchen island. When I’m done I put it away in small chunks. I end up walking back and forth to our bedroom multiple times.
This habit definitely moves my legs more. It also moves my arms more! I move my arms overhead to hang items and put things away.
Standing in the kitchen
As I’m cooking dinner I pay attention to how I’m standing. I have tendencies, just like you. When I notice that I’m shifting into one leg then I even it out. I distribute my weight on both legs and make sure my toes are NOT gripping.
This habit builds body awareness. Being aware of your tendencies helps understand why you move the way you do and correct them if needed.
Walk after dinner
This is a habit I’m working on so it doesn’t happen every day. It feels good to move after eating dinner. This one is a shorter walk for me, normally 10 minutes.
This habit gets me outside and gets my body, blood, and lymph all moving!
Dry brushing
I don’t wash my hair every day but I do like to rinse off in the evening. I find it calming as it washes away the day. Before I rinse off I like to dry brush my skin. If you’ve never heard of dry brushing it’s when you use a natural bristle body brush and literally brush your skin in strokes towards your heart. It only takes a few minutes.
This habit helps to move your lymph and is relaxing.
Sleep Support
When I struggle to sleep, for whatever reason, I reach for my sleep support. There are a lot of different tinctures out there that can support a restful night. Lately, I’ve been using Sleepy Nights from Wishgarden Herbs with success.
This habit helps moves my thoughts out so I can calm my mind, relax, and fall asleep.
You might be surprised at the little movements you already do during your day. Don’t discount them. Plus, you can find little ways to move more. These small actions keep your body moving and can lead to big impacts!
If you liked what you read then check out this article on Why Movement Matters!
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