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There are many approaches I apply to how I plan and prepare for our Pilates sessions but posture-related work is always one of the main things that I focus on whether it be online class or in the studio. With the introduction of standing desks and an increased focus on business providing ergonomic equipment or access to health advice and classes we certainly are better placed than before. However, what I have seen emerging over time is that people are working longer hours and kids are choosing the video entertainment more over than getting out and about outside.
We are on overload – too much of anything they say isn’t always a good thing right? Check out this graph below from a survey done by Reviews.org on 1000 Australians of all ages.
I discovered this in the article below:
This article even recommends “Moderation” too when it comes time on our Devices. You will find some great strategies around how you can achieve this too.
As I started to write, I was thinking of all the things that occur to our body in poor posture. Whether you are sitting at a desk or slumped on the couch or for the kids in all sorts of positions on their beds working away or entertaining ourselves on our devices. I started typing away and thought Wow there is just so much that I could list here! The damage we do to our skeletal and muscular structures but also how it affects our breathing, our diaphragm, our hearts, our weight and nervous systems and then to compound this it then leads to disease and debilitating conditions.
In Australia according to the National Health Survey, the most common chronic conditions affecting Australians in 2017–18 were:
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- mental and behavioural conditions – 4.8 million people (20.1%)
- back problems – 4.0 million people (16.4%)
- arthritis – 3.6 million people (15.0%)
- asthma – 2.7 million people (11.2%)
- diabetes mellitus – 1.2 million people (4.9%)
- heart, stroke and vascular disease –1.2 million people (4.8%)
- osteoporosis – 924,000 people (3.8%)
- chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) – 598,800 people (2.5%)
- cancer – 432,400 people (1.8%)
- kidney disease – 237,800 people (1.0%)
- More and more people are living with 1 or more chronic conditions in Australia. https://www.health.gov.au/health-topics/chronic-conditions/chronic-conditions-in-australia
A scary statistic to come out of this is that 1 out of 2 of us will all experience at least one of these conditions!! Most of these conditions can be avoided and/or delayed with moving more.
I wonder what the statistics that come out from us being in lockdown and the flow on effect of this in years to come or when our kids reach their 50’s. I couldn’t think it gets any worse than 1 in 2 as that would almost mean 100% of us will be suffering?
I always remember this quote from Joseph Pilates:
“Were man to devote as much time and energy to himself as he has devoted to that which man has produced, what astounding and unbelievable progress would be made; a progress eclipsing all he has so far successfully accomplished.”
Joseph states that man sits at his desk for hours on end working to build his wealth, only to at the young age of 50 suffer a heart attack and be found slumped over that desk. He never gets to enjoy his wealth and for me didn’t get to spend quality time with family or doing other fun things.
I get it, it is really hard as we want to be secure in our future and I am no different. We want to be financially secure, and we want to live a quality of life. The key is how do we find balance with this, and I think it may be different for everyone.
Do we have what we need already?
I left my corporate career over 10 years ago to work in the Health industry and I wanted my own business to work around my children and lifestyle and have balance. Life 10 years later I have discovered even more what matters most to me is my family & beautiful friends, that is what makes me happy. I get to go out for dinner and travel and can pay our bills and maintain a roof over our head, this also makes me content. My job has given me a second family that I love working with and that energises me. Retirement is something we work on as we go along but we want to enjoy the journey along the way. It’s not perfect….I’m not quite where I think I need to be and hope that I will find a better balance in time. I would love to paint, go to dance lessons and build a beautiful garden at home but like others time is limited. I suppose what I want to emphasis is Balance.
Balance in work, exercise, body alignment, family, friends, partners, food, alcohol and most importantly our devices!!
My challenge to you is to read the article above and find one thing you might try to change to limit our time online. I have decided that for one night a week, no devices after dinner and to play a game or go for walk or shoot some hoops with my girls. It may be a struggle to change but so was leaving my job of 18 years! What will motivate me is that I am role modelling a different way to live to my kids and husband and they learn what is outside of our tunnel vision on the screens for entertainment.
