Routine restoration:
Reviving your movement routine at work
By Laurel Dierking, MEd
SUMMERTIME comes with its own agenda, and it can be a
process to reintegrate back into a regular work-mode routine
as school starts again and order is (somewhat) restored. Like
the seasons, activities change, mentalities shift and projects
ensue. A well-tuned machine keeps up regardless of the ter-
rain and sharp turns, but our human bodies require more
than an infrequent tune-up in order to drive on through the
demands of such shifts.
Routine is an important factor to success in business and
in everyday life. It offers a gauge for our personal produc-
tivity and accomplishment. We often feel stable when our
routine is consistent, and it is our routine that provides us
with a sense of “groundedness.” However, as we are aware,
anything in excess can lead to discord and ultimately cause
more harm than good.
Being hard-pressed to maintain one type of structured
routine can often indirectly shy us away from spontaneity and
creativity and squeezes the protective layer of our comfort
zone into a compact, suffocating bubble. Likewise, when
our patterns consist of a “work-eat-sleep-repeat” timeline,
we allow stress to build and nestle its way into a regular part
of our workday that oftentimes normalizes the sensation of
stress. This is where we get into trouble.
Consider for a moment what it would take, or look like,
to implement a de-stress segment into your daily routine. If
you’re thinking, “I don’t have time,” also consider the weighty
benefits of incorporating such a routine—decreased stress
levels, more energy, better sleep, improved productivity, bet-
ter mood, less risk of chronic disease and many, many more.
Research suggests that even starting small, with as little as 5
minutes, can reap big gains when it comes to recovery time.
Including a recovery segment in your daily routine can
restore and even revive your current habits and may look
like many things (here is a prime opportunity to expand
your comfort zone but also to explore what feels good to
you), including a short stretch routine before getting out
of bed or before bed. It can be as little as a silent 10-breath
practice in the car before you leave for work or home. It may
be reasonable to incorporate short mental breaks while at
work for one to five minutes as a time to regroup, refresh
and clear out any mental blockages. Try these short exercises
and stretches at work to help revive your body and mind:Laurel Dierking, MEd, NASM, 700-ERYT, is a movement specialist
with a concentration in yoga, strength-conditioning, exercise physiology
and postural restoration. With nine years of extensive experience, Laurel
seeks to enhance self-awareness by guiding individuals through mindful
movement, functional training, body awareness and breath work.58 September/October 2019