Being entirely honest with oneself is a good exercise.
The notion that sitting for long periods is, in itself, destructive to one’s health and life shortening, has certainly hit home—and I’m having some success at re-structuring my writing methodology to be more mobile.
- I stand up and move around much more frequently.
- I keep stuff I use regularly away from my desk so I have to walk a short distance to get it.
- I’m taking more breaks to do chores which require some degree of physical effort.
- I’m doing more reading standing up.
- I have taken to pottering in the evening—essentially looking at files and pulling books and moving around and thinking. The idea here is to become much more familiar with my sources of information so that they become almost intuitive.
- I don’t currently drive (although I can). I walk everywhere.
- I don’t have a TV.
All of this seems to be working—insofar as I can tell—though it clearly isn’t enough (so I’m introducing other innovations). However, I do have to wonder why the physical is—even now—so divided from the mental. In fact, according to what I read and hear on the radio, time for exercise –recess, in most cases—is even further being cut back in American schools.
My strong sense is that the physical and the mental should be integrated—and that sport should not be confused with exercise. To that end, could I write while doing Russian dancing? Could listening to audio—which I love—be combined with weight-lifting?
I may try and find out one of these days.
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