5 exercises for neck and back pain that you can do at work

Plus, how to follow through on your New Year goals [View this email online]( [NPR Health]( January 8, 2022 by Andrea Muraskin Last week we emailed you a [bunch of ideas for New Year’s Resolutions](. This week: [How to actually get them done](. Also: in defense of fidgeting: [how to combat pain by keeping it moving at your desk job](. And, how just about anyone can [intervene in a cardiac arrest](. --------------------------------------------------------------- [Time is fleeting. Here's how to stay on track with New Year's goals]( Rose Wong for NPR I woke up on January 1st with what seemed like a very achievable plan. Revive my high school/college French by spending a few minutes each day on Duolingo. That morning, I felt like it couldn’t be easier. Cut to five days later, when it’s 10:30 pm, and the app is letting me know it’s almost the end of the day, and I haven’t managed to set aside 5 lousy minutes in which to practice. According to psychologists, the key to setting and following through on goals like these is time management … something many of us struggle with. Psychology professor Elliot Berkman says goal pursuit isn’t easy. Daily life is driven by our habits, which come so easily that we often perform two or three of them at the same time. But to achieve new goals it’s important to understand why the goal matters, track your progress, and figure out how it fits in around everything else going on in your life. Luckily there’s an acronym for that: SMART. It stands for Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant and Time-bound. Haven’t made any resolutions yet? It’s not too late. [Here’s how to make a SMART plan you can actually stick with](. [ICYMI: 5 low-key ways to get your new year off to a healthy start]( --------------------------------------------------------------- Newsletter continues after sponsor message --------------------------------------------------------------- [Break up your work day with these 5 exercises for neck and back pain]( [Back and neck pain from screen use are common. Researchers say breaking up the work day with little bursts of exercise can help.]( Cha Pornea for NPR Work at a computer? Got neck and/or back pain? How many of these have you tried: standing desk, yoga ball, kneeling chair, laptop stand to keep your neck straight, putting your feet on blocks to keep your knees at 90 degree angles?? Modern office workers have embraced many modifications to make sitting for hours easier on our bodies. But physiotherapy researcher Kieran O'Sullivan says we’re missing the mark with all the focus on ergonomics. “We have been trying all these fixes and it has arguably not fixed the problem,” O'Sullivan says. “I think it is more about needing breaks from the working day with movement." Katy Bowman, biomechanist and author of [Move Your DNA]( recommends changing position as often as every half hour. "Keep repositioning yourself — you can't really sit and not move for hours and hours a day and expect your body to be happy with that,” she says. Movements she recommends can be as small as lifting your hands from your keyboard and stretching them over your head, or flexing and contracting your spine. The best type of exercise to do during the work day varies from person to person. (I’m dancing in place while I’m typing this). Fitness specialists at NASA, where people work in high-stress seated positions, developed a set of 20 one-minute exercises to prevent pain that anyone can do at their desk. [We've chosen five for you to try](. [Also: 4 exercises to 'futureproof' your body against chronic pain]( [Heart attacks are often fatal, but doctors say these steps can boost survival odds]( [Players look on Monday as Damar Hamlin of the Buffalo Bills is treated by medical personnel at Paycor Stadium in Cincinnati, Ohio.]( Kirk Irwin/Getty Images Within moments of collapsing on the field Monday, Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin was receiving CPR, and medical personnel were called in to restart his heart. On Friday, Hamiln’s breathing tube was removed, and he was FaceTiming with his teammates, [ESPN reported](. According to most studies, the survival rate for people who experience cardiac arrest outside of a hospital is only around 10%. But according to experts, the odds are much better for patients who receive CPR and/or are treated with an automated external defibrillator, or AED – a device that administers a potentially lifesaving shock to a stopped heart. AEDs have become common in places like schools, nursing homes, and fitness centers, and are programmed with audio operating instructions. Physicians say that if more people got CPR-trained, including in the use of the AED, more lives could be saved. [But even someone who lacks training can do CPR](. [Plus: Did Damar Hamlin experience commotio cordis? What to know about the rare phenomenon]( Before you go: [centenarians]( Michael Noble Jr. for NPR - Listen: The period talk– [for grownups]( - It's not too late to get a COVID booster– especially [for older adults]( - Centenarians, celebrated: With more Americans living to 100 and beyond, [these Oklahoma volunteers offer more than a pat on the back]( - A sleep mystery: Why do I [wake up right before my alarm]( We hope you enjoyed these stories. Find more of [NPR's health journalism]( on Shots and follow us on Twitter at [@NPRHealth](. All the best, Andrea Muraskin and your Shots editors --------------------------------------------------------------- Listen to your local NPR station. Visit NPR.org to find your local station stream. [Listen Live]( [Facebook]( [Instagram]( [Twitter]( What do you think of today's email? We'd love to hear your thoughts, questions and feedback: [shots@npr.org](mailto:shots@npr.org?subject=Newsletter%20Feedback) Enjoying this newsletter? Forward to a friend! [They can sign up here.]( Looking for more great content? [Check out all of our newsletter offerings]( — including Goats & Soda, Daily News, Best of NPR and more! You received this message because you're subscribed to Health emails. This email was sent by National Public Radio, Inc., 1111 North Capitol Street NE, Washington, DC 20002 [Unsubscribe]( | [Privacy Policy]( [NPR logo]