Resilience is the body’s ability to recover from injury and spring back into shape. This is also known as “elasticity.” Elasticity also refers to the ability of our soft tissues to resume their original shape after being stretched, compressed, or massaged. The resilience of your tissues supports mobility by allowing you to safely exercise your body’s range of motion.
So What?
Think about it, do you use your hands a lot for work, a hobby, or your creative practice? Do you make things? Type or swipe? Our hands are accustomed to working meticulously through repetitive tasks throughout the day. Take a moment to consider which parts of your process are the most repetitive.
It’s no secret that engaging in the same action over and over again makes it more likely that you will develop a repetitive strain injury. The good news is that this outcome is not inevitable. Learning more about your most important tool, your body, can be incredibly empowering.
3 tips for creating resilience throughout your work day
Adjust Your Posture
Noticing your posture in the studio or the office is the first step to creating better bodily habits.
If your daily practice requires you to sit in a chair for long hours, either at the workbench or computer, then it is important to sit well:
- Sit toward the front of your chair and position your knees directly over your ankles.
- Adjust the height of your chair so your thighs are parallel to the floor.
- Then sit up tall, keep your chin level, keep the back of your neck long, and relax your shoulders.
Even though good seated posture is important, remember that sitting for long periods of time without breaks can result in pain and discomfort in your back, neck, and shoulders.
Alternate Between Tasks
It is critical to create variety in the movements you do every day to maintain the health of your hands.
Have you ever wondered how you can add more variety to your everyday routine? Rather than eliminating any movement entirely or completely replacing one with another, try alternating between tasks a few extra times throughout the day. Taking time to switch tasks might sound inefficient, but think about how inefficient it would be if you were out of work for a month or so because of a repetitive strain injury.
If you sit for the majority of the day, you can add some variety by alternating between sitting and standing. It’s not that standing is better than sitting, it’s just important to give your joints and muscles a break from staying in any one position for too long. Rather than spending your whole day repeating one task, such as writing, typing, painting, or knitting, use a timer to remind yourself to alternate regularly.
Massage your Hands
Rather than doing extra work with your overused thumbs, try using a Soft Foam Ball to relieve tension: Roll and compress the ball between your hands, with light pressure, for a minute at a time. This will help to hydrate your connective tissues and lubricate the joints in your hands. Then both of them of them can feel great at the same time!
Want to learn more about how to incorporate self care routines into your daily life and thrive in your business as a result? Get our Ultimate Guide to Self Care here.
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- 6 Easy Self Care Tips for Entrepreneurs You Can Start Doing Today
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- 4 Self Care Tips for How to Handle Grief as an Entrepreneur
- Creating a Business that Supports Your Mental Health needs
- Overcome the Overwhelm with a Self Care Routine that Works for You
