I never would have guessed that physical activity would be one of the nine rules in Tranquility By Tuesday by Laura Vanderkam. But not only is included, it made the first three: the “Calm The Chaos” rules.
It’s Important To Move
I totally understand how important it is to be active. Plagued with hip problems that led to back spasms earlier this year, I learned through PT that I need to stretch. I faithfully stretch every morning.
OK, most mornings.
Well, actually, when I remember. So maybe once or twice a week. Unless my back or hips twinge.
I have a Fitbit, that buzzes my wrist at 50 minutes past every hour to remind me to get up and take 250 steps.
OK, I ignore that most of the time.
But I understand how important it is to move. Really. I just suck at execution.
After Work, Ain’t Gonna Happen
I had a gym membership, and I would plan to go after work. I would throw my gym bag in the car, and driving home, I would drive to the gym first.
Until COVID. When I stopped being in the office every day, it became even harder to motivate myself to go to the gym after work.
Same with exercise videos. I simply don’t want to exercise after a day of working.
This Rule Does Not Mean A Full Workout
Tranquility By Tuesday isn’t demanding a gym session. Nor is it demanding a serious amount of time.
10 minutes. That’s all.
The more that I thought about it, the more I thought how easy this is.
A 10 minute walk is to the end of the street and back.
A 10 minute walk at work is walking “the long way” to get water in the cafeteria…essentially the length of our floor twice, or once around the building.
A 10 minute session is all of my PT stretches.
I Can Do This!
Of course I groaned when I read this rule. But I have become convinced it is the easiest of the first three.
In fact, I figured out the perfect way to make this happen.
If I am at home at lunch, I do a 10 minute workout video from Better Me. The newbie ones get my heart moving without making me sweaty.
If I am at work at lunch, I walk around the building before eating lunch.
That’s it. It’s really easy.
My Resistance Points
I resisted doing regular exercise for a long time. There was always an excuse, but the main ones are “I don’t have time”, “I don’t have equipment”, “I don’t want to get sweaty during the work day.”
All three of them are blown away by my plan.
It Actually Got Easier To Do More
After implementing this rule for the first week, I asked my family to set up our sunroom as a workout place. They shifted all the stuff around (including moving the drum set to the attic) and now I have an open space to spread out a yoga mat or use my Gazelle glider*.
I’ve been doing some home lunch hours with 30 minutes on the glider while I watch a tv show.
It’s Always At Least 10 Minutes
The simplicity of the rule is such that even on the days when I just really don’t want to do anything except couch potato, I remember that 10 minutes is nothing. And more often than not I overrule my inner whiner and get moving.
