Classic Kathleen, originally published on 8/20/08
Usually I ignore all the bizarre stuff floating around the internet, but this one was sent to me by my brother-in-law who finds the most amazing things.
Try this:
1. Sit down.
2. Lift your right foot off the floor and make clockwise circles.
3. Now, while doing this, draw the number ’6′ in the air with your right hand. Your foot will change direction. How weird is that? And there’s nothing you can do about it! And you know that before the day is done you are going to try it again.
Ho hum. I’m going back to the 13th century, so it’s your turn to find something weird to amuse us during the dog days of summer.
Sherri adds: Writers are easily distracted. What do you do when you take a brief break from work or writing? Know any good exercises to do while sitting at a desk?
{ 12 comments… read them below or add one }
Okay, that’s just totally crazy But she’s right, you can’t fight it. I tend to get so involved I don’t move for hours and then am so stiff when I try to stand up it is painful. But lately have been working on moving away from the computer every hour or so…Only problem is that like Jacquie I wind up distracted…
We just can’t win.
My brief break usually starts out as a quest for a cup of coffee or a cold drink. On my way to the kitchen, I remember that I forgot to put in a load of laundry, so I get that going. When I then get to the kitchen, I see yesterday’s mail on the counter and remember I haven’t looked at it. Oh yea–a new In Style magazine arrived! I take a seat and start turning pages. By the time I finish, I realize I’m not only still thirsty, but I’m hungry, ’cause hey–it’s lunchtime! Make a sandwich, eat, then on my way back to the computer I remember the laundry has to get put in the dryer. While doing that I wonder what my mom is doing and decide I should call her. Thirty minutes later, I’m thirsty again. Make a cup of coffee and get back to my computer–2 hours after I got up ’cause I was thirsty.
And so it goes…
OH, Jacquie– I have days like these! No wonder we’re in a crunch over deadlines.
LOL, Jacquie!!! Have you been spying on me? That’s my day. Although, you forgot the part where I realize that the mail has already come, so I have to run to the Post Office to get that bill off in time. Or, the part where I open the frig for a drink and notice that there’s not enough milk remaining for my son’s breakfast. Off to the store! Oh, yeah, and the front flower bed needs watering.
Prolonged focus is not my forte.
Sigh. Oh, I know that feeling. It’s like Six Degrees of Procrastination. This is the reason I go to Starbucks a lot.
Only there I am distracted by people watching!
Dee, that was my thought, too! People-watching, one of my favorite distractions.
I’ve heard that using an exercise ball as a desk chair helps keep muscles toned. I love my exercise ball, but I haven’t replaced my desk chair with it yet. (Or, the couch– as my husband or kids would tell you, to rat me out, I don’t usually use a desk chair, but I sit with my laptop on a big fluffy couch. So… extra break time for exercise is greatly needed!). On Twitter, this would be hashtagged. #writerbadhabits
Sherri,
I’ve heard that about the exercise ball as well. And now they have standing desks and treadmill desks. I understand the rationale behind both of these, but is somebody really going to stand up all day? And do you work betting standing up than sitting down? I need scientific research done on this one before I’ll believe it.
I like the idea of a couch. Someday I think I want to either put a big chair or couch in my office and test it out.
How do you manage to balance and type?
I can’t even read when I’m on the treadmill, so that really wouldn’t work for me. But I admire those with the talent.