Advice on how to refresh your routines and move more so you feel better

Creating a culture of movement

By Kerry Copeland

After the curve balls the COVID-19 global pandemic has thrown our way over the last 18 months, this is a good moment to check in with yourself. How are you doing? Like many of us, you have likely experienced burnout at some point during this time. Whether that comes from an increased workload, more responsibilities at home, mental health struggles or a combination of all three—and then some—you’re not alone.

As the executive director of the Doctors N ova Scoti a Healthy Tomorrow Foundation, I’d like to share some work that our foundation is doing to create a culture of movement in Nova Scotia. It starts with one simple truth: When we move more, we feel better.

Doctors Nova Scotia Healthy Tomorrow Foundation is working to create a culture of movement in Nova Scotia. Kerry Copeland is the Executive Director. #healthytomorrowfoundation #movement #wellbeing — Doctors N ova Scoti a Healthy Tomorrow Foundation is working to create a culture of movement in Nova Scotia. Kerry Copeland is the Executive Director. #healthytomorrowfoundation #movement #wellbeing

One of the first things we lost at the onset of the pandemic was our routines. Our lives shrunk considerably. Whether it was going to the farmers market, taking a yoga class or walking to work, our routines outside the home kept us feeling good. For many, the inability to get out of the house with purpose every day felt like a lost chance to move.

Stanford University psychologist Kelly McGonigal was interviewed on why movement matters and how movement helps our mental wellness. She said, “It’s as if humans were born to move. And when we are physically active, it puts us in a state of, not just body, but of mind, to be the best version of ourselves.

With the majority of Nova Scotians vaccinated and some semblance of normal returning, this is a good time to set new routines and good habits. With that in mind, I’d like to share guidelines developed by the Canadian Society for Exercise Physiology. They offer a road map for Canadian adults who want to move more during the day. Although moderate to vigorous activity is good for you, frequent bouts of light physical activity throughout a 24-hour period can also have a big impact on our bodies and minds, which is what these guidelines recommend.

Increasing light physical activity and reducing sedentary time has been proven to improve physical and mental health, boost productivity, increase energy and lower stress levels.

The types of light physical activity in the guidelines open a world of possibilities. The domains in which we generally move are for leisure, transportation, at work and at home. For example, simply cleaning the house is considered light physical activity. Mowing the lawn, hanging your laundry up instead of using the dryer, gardening, washing your car—they all count, too. If you crank some tunes and bop around while preparing dinner, now you’re including moderate to vigorous activity—keep going! Almost any task you can think of doing around the house matters in terms of your overall physical activity. Bit by bit, it all adds up.

Remember, the best piece of exercise equipment ever invented, is you!

Given the demands of our careers and the nature of working from home, many of us spend the bulk of our workday being sedentary. Incorporating these same principles of moving more into your workday is easy.

Have you noticed how your body feels at the end of the day when your only activity has been going to the kitchen for lunch? All I want to do on those days is crash on the couch and shuffle off to bed.

However, if I move throughout my workday, I have more energy to take a walk in the evening. That means I sleep better. When I’m well rested, I have more energy to keep moving the next day. As Newton’s Law of Motion says, an object in motion stays in motion.

A sit/stand desk and a wobble stand, as seen here, can easily add more movement to your day. #movement #getactive #getmoving #movement #wellbeing

Whether you’re back at the office or still working from home, here are a few ways to purposefully increase your light physical activity throughout the workday:

Take the stairs more often.
Make your breaks active breaks: Do a few laps around the office or go outside for a walk around the block.
Use a convertible desk: A sit/stand desk can easily add more movement to your day. The 24-hour movement guidelines state the benefits of standing whenever possible.
Make your meetings moving meetings: Whether you’re meeting in person or working from home, you can stand, walk or wheel during your discussion. Is it a teleconference or Zoom call? Put in your headphones and chat while walking. (Personally, I find walking helps my thought process and enhances my problem-solving skills)
Take mini stretch breaks between computer tasks.

Give it a try! Even if you’ve had a stressful day, you can end it with a walk. I know you’ll feel better. If you want to learn more about our work and how to move more throughout the day, whether at work or home, or for leisure or transportation, visit www.MakeYourMoveNS.ca and follow us on Facebook and Twitter.

Remember, the best piece of exercise equipment ever invented, is you!

Kerry Copeland is the executive director of the Healthy Tomorrow Foundation. She is energized by the potential in helping others experience the benefits movement can provide and is dedicated to helping create a cultural shift in Nova Scotia to one where movement becomes part of our daily lives.