Tackling “scholar’s hunch”

For a long time I’ve felt generally physically uncomfortable. I have to make a point of standing or sitting up straight. When I’m trying to sleep, I can’t figure out where to put my arms. All chairs seem designed to ruin my day. As a student, I spent hours at a time hunched over a desk, typing on a keyboard, or poring over archival documents. The freelance life is much the same. Over the years I’ve developed what my friend Helen calls “scholar’s hunch.” It’s not a permanent condition, but it won’t go away unless and until I do something about it.

Last week I took a step toward addressing my posture problem: yoga. I went to a drop-in class at the University of Toronto’s athletic centre. (It was also my first time at a gym . . . ever!) I’ve been thinking about doing yoga for a while, and now that I’ve gone once, the next step is to keep going. Tomorrow, I will go again, and I’ll also investigate the West End YMCA, which is not far from my house. I’m glad to be starting this.

Over the past weeks I’ve been dedicating more of my energy to self-care, that is, making time to do the things I need to in order to be healthy, happy, and moving forward career-wise. This blog is part of that; freewriting, which I’ve now done a few times, is too. Next, I want to try meditation, which I think will help me breathe better and relax easier, especially when it’s time to sleep. When the snow melts I’ll get back on my bike, using it as my primary mode of transportation. In the meantime, I try to make food for myself as much as possible. Eating healthy, delicious food is important to me. All these things take time and are often forgotten about in the rush and commitments of everyday life. I’m working on ensuring my lifestyle includes self-care as well as paid work and time for fun, friends, and family.

Ideally, my daily schedule would include yoga or exercise, homecooked meals, one networking meeting or other outing, and reading. Every week I’d spend time with friends or do something just for fun, like see a film, and I’d meditate, freewrite, and put aside a few hours to work on my own projects. I’d limit how much I eat out and spend more time cleaning and tidying my apartment. The public library would keep me well-supplied with nonfiction books for learning and entertainment. Not every week would be the same, but having a basic template in mind should help me take better care of myself, maximize my efficiency when I do have work to do, and keep me sane and happy. Here’s to a physically comfortable future!