Video meetings suck.
In the old times, meetings were sometimes annoying and boring but at least they got us away from our screens for a while.
Let’s make meetings great again
It’s not going for a run but at least we walked to the meeting room.
It’s not a mobility routine but at least we turned our heads to look at different people talk.
It’s not a workout but at least we moved around in our chairs.
Now meetings are the complete opposite, making us even more static.
Our eyes are fixed on the screen, we don’t move to avoid unwanted attention, and on top of that we are tense and focused, trying to get the info we need out of the call.
We need to radically change the way we do meetings, here’s what we implemented at NomadStrong.
Work on the floor/standing
Our main goal is to make the meeting as movement-friendly as possible.
If you don’t have to take notes, don’t be on your laptop. Instead, put your phone on a tripod and spend the time in your workout area.
Depending on your part in the meeting you can do a whole workout while listening or just do some movement snacks while discussing.
Even just sitting on the floor and changing positions often is way better than being glued to the chair.
It is quite unusual but it is one of the best changes your team can make to improve productivity and individual health.
Ninja movement snacks
If your team sucks and you can’t make moving acceptable, you need to go stealth mode. There are a bunch of practices you can do without the others in the meeting noticing.
It’s a great time to work out your breathing muscles or work on your wrist and finger mobility.
Another great tool is isometric exercises. Squeeze your butt cheeks as hard as you can for a few seconds multiple times or keep them tight for 30 seconds at a time. Push your elbows on the table, generating tension in the upper back to improve your posture.
Be creative while you look for a new job that is more health-friendly.
Movement breaks
Every 45 minutes a 5 minutes break needs to happen.
Just a quick step away from the screen to get some fresh air, relax the mind, and keep the body from getting stiff.
It’s easy to have a knee-jerk reaction to a break being proposed, what’s wrong with him, why is she so lazy, don’t they want to get this done quickly?
But we know that overall productivity is higher when we respect the limits of our biology and take the time off that we need.
Here are some more ideas for movement snacks!
Use them as triggers to snack movements before + after
If you really can’t implement any of the techniques above, at least use the meeting as a reminder to move away from the screen before and after.
Try to get in some squats and push-ups before to get energized and some stretching, mobility and shaking after to get rid of the tension.
Make video meetings great
Video meetings are still one of the worst parts of remote work.
But with some changes we can mitigate the negative aspects and even make them into an enjoyable and helpful part of our remote work days.
Somebody needs to get the ball rolling though, so share this post with your colleagues and keep moving!
