Each month we’ll bring you a note from one of our therapists. It might be something they’re reading, learning or just something they want to share.
This month’s note is from Mary Beth Wims, PT, DPT:
Are you an “all-or-nothing” person? Patients often tell me this during sessions, and we laugh about it. I know I have some of the same tendencies. One thing I’ve been working on in my own life is listening to what my body and mind need in the moment. And a helpful guidepost in this effort for me is the concept of balance.
There is a saying in physical therapy that “movement is medicine.” So true! Yes, many of us – probably most of us – need to move more. We know unequivocally that being sedentary has negative health effects. However, the opposite side of that healthy habit is just as important. When was the last time you paused for a few minutes to just be still, without looking at a phone or computer, without distracting yourself by some type of input (food, TV, book, etc.), without planning the next task ahead of you for the day? I am learning that taking a pause to be quiet and (this is the hard part) not do anything goes a long way in helping rejuvenate me for the rest of my day.
This mindset carries over into other facets of life, too. Sometimes it’s helpful for me to have a weekend without plans after a busy work week. Other times I crave connection and know it’s time to call a friend to catch up or get together. Some days my brain is exhausted from work and those evenings I know I need low-load mental activities, like a gentle walk and/or a favorite TV show. Learning balance is challenging, more so because what constitutes balance for you is not the same as what balance is for me. And balance for you today might not look like what balance is tomorrow.
I encourage you to consider how balance might show up in your life and your emotional, mental, and physical health – it’s been an interesting exercise for me.