Fitness for Social Media Addicts

Here we are again; sitting at our computers blogging, tweeting, posting our status to Facebook, connecting on LinkedIn, and forming alliances on Naymz.  Dare we go to lunch without telling the world where we are going and with whom we are eating?  Heaven forbid that we watch a TV show and not comment on it in real-time.  Ask a question and in less than 15 seconds you will have a half-dozen or more replies with the answer.  Social media is faster than the news. 

It’s a global shout out that social networking is a necessity to be successful.  One can sit in on a webinar, download an E-book, or join a discussion board to get information on any subject known to man.  You can become an expert in your field just by utilizing the resources found on the Internet.

The downside to all of this is that the only part of us that is getting a workout is our fingers.  I predict that in just a few years, there will be a new syndrome named as a result of texting.  It will be called something like TJIS, or Thumb Joint Inflammation syndrome.  Texting is so addictive that it would require institutionalizing sufferers, because they couldn’t handle not being able to text. 

The whole social  networking scene has become quite the pandemic.  Over the long haul, we could realize more casualties as a result of an ever-increasing sedentary public than we have seen with any strand of influenza.  It takes lots of time to blog and ping.  Tweeting and posting our status consumes vast amounts of our precious time.  Daylight slips into sundown before we know it.  It would blow our minds if we timed ourselves to see how many hours per week are zapped from our lives by trying to keep up with this runaway train called social networking.

I admit that I am guilty of running with the pack.  I enjoy keeping up with family and friends on Facebook.  It’s vital to my business to know what is going on in my industry, and the quickest and best way to find out is by using social media.  I have to limit the time that I spend participating.  I have had to eliminate a couple of them and realize that I can’t keep up with all of it.  I must have a life away from the computer.

However, I do have a few tips to be a healthier, more fit, social media addict:

1. Take breaks often.  Go for a walk, or do some real work.

2. Six to eight times per day, go get a glass of water and drink it.  While you are away from your computer, you might just realize that there are other things you could be doing, plus you will be doing your body a favor by drinking the water it needs.

3. Don’t eat lunch at your computer.  Get away, if it’s nothing but sitting on your deck or porch and eating a quiet lunch.

4. If you are a snacker, avoid any foods that leave crumbs in your computer.  These types of snacks are generally carbohydrates that are void of any nutrition.  Keep snacks like apples, bananas, raisins, dried fruit, yogurt, low-fat pudding, raw veggies, you get my drift.

5. Push yourself away from your desk and then pull yourself back by using your heels.  Most of us have chairs with casters on them, so this works well for arms and hamstrings.

6. Do some squats and lunges while you are on the phone.  Every repetition counts!

7. You can ride a stationery bike and text, or post to your Twitter or Facebook account.

8. Sit on an exercise ball while computering.  You will learn to use your abs and core to stabilize yourself.

9.  Set an alarm or timer to monitor the time you spend on the Internet. 

10.  Close or shut off your computer for an entire day.  It’s liberating!