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312 St Kilda Road, Southbank, VIC, 3006
These Bad Habits Are Killing Me!
By Andrew Pilcher
The good, the bad, and the ugly…
Habits are something very powerful. We often talk about these when wanting to improve our life, to gain better skills at work or daily tasks. Changing is something we can revert to and use as a vice, and say I can’t change. The same can be said about a variety of behaviours, however we’re talking specifically about how we look after ourselves mentally and physically. If we look at it, there is habit to how we exercise, how we approach new activities, how we approach free time at home – how we live!
Read on to see the most common habits we’ve all tried (and are still trying!) to implement at some point in our lives below
1. DO YOUR EXERCISES!
Leave it to a group of physios to tell you to do your exercises… but really, DO YOUR EXERICSES! We know that this can actually be quite a difficult habit to form. It can seem sometimes like people are screaming at you all the time “Change your life man, just DO IT, all you got to do is do it, just do it man!!”. Whilst we get it, and maybe sometimes don’t practice what we preach… it doesn’t change our advice!
2. REDUCE FRICTION
Make some things easier for yourself to do what you want to do. That sounds like we aren’t in control, but neurobiologically that is supported by the latest habit research. New habits are formed all the time. With little choices. So we have to get ahead of time and make the choices, almost trick ourselves to do what we want. Put exercise equipment in the place you will do your exercises. Put a little note for yourself with some encouragement. Sleep in your clothes that allow you to do exercises or go for a run, so you’re ready to go! It’s about reducing the ‘friction’ it takes to reach the goal you are wanting to add into your life.
It’s like standing at the bottom of a staircase, looking up and not taking a step. It just takes ONE step to get started.
3. MAKE EXERCISE FUN
Make an area of your home your place to enjoy these things you are told to do, or you know your body really needs. Have apparatus ready for use, rather than difficult to set up. If you prepare, it tells your body and mind “This is important for me”. Get that music on. Remember it can take 10-15 minutes to do some important muscle activation, or stretching, and then after that feel free to go HAM! Find the “thing” that brings you joy while you work. Whether that be zumba, peleton, weight lifting, running, rolling around on the floor laughing at a comedy special on Netflix… whatever it is, it’ll help!
Guess what… new movements count! This is all part of creating a habit!
New muscles we are helping you connect to, are producing new muscle and movement pathways to your brain. Your body has possibly moved in a way that is easier (in the short term) or avoids the best efficiency of biomechanics, through hindrances, or compensations. Maybe for years. So exercises are always training new movements, building areas to improve biomechanics. And this takes time. Just like changing habits in our life.
Change and habit forming is not easy. We get it. It’s all about the early work. But habit changing is a skill, and if you want it, you can.
We love brainstorming with you ways to achieve your goals, whether it’s a plan to build strength, flexibility, deal with pain or tension. Reach out to us for guidance, management, or a friendly nudge toward your goals!
Performance Medicine
