Small breaks from sitting
Long stretches in a chair are common. A few minutes of standing, reaching, and turning, scattered through the day, is an easy way to move more often.
Many days are built around a chair: a desk, a car seat, a sofa. The Canadian 24-Hour Movement Guidelines for adults include breaking up long periods of sitting as often as possible. This article is about the small, practical side of that.
What a break looks like
A break does not need special clothes or much space. Stand up. Roll your shoulders. Reach your arms overhead, then turn gently to each side. Walk to a window and back.
The three-minute desk break on this site does a version of this for the shoulders, neck, and wrists, and you can follow it with the screen out of the way.
Finding the moments
Breaks are easier to take when they are tied to something that already happens. Stand at the end of each call. Walk while you think through a problem. Use the end of a focus round as the cue.
Keeping it gentle
Move within a comfortable range and keep breathing steadily. If something hurts, leave that movement out. The easier versions on the Move page work in a chair too.
If standing is hard
Seated movements still change your position. Ankle circles, shoulder rolls, and a gentle seated twist all make a break.
Sources
- The Canadian 24-Hour Movement Guidelines for adults include breaking up long periods of sitting as often as possible. Canadian 24-Hour Movement Guidelines for Adults aged 18-64