These days, our dust might come in the form of an overflowing inbox, never ending schedule, a perpetually messy kitchen or simply the stress of too much to do, in too little time.

Either way, it’s important to take a step back and decompress. Just like our beloved smart phones, our minds and bodies function best after they’ve been placed back on the charger.

Let this playlist serve as your personal recharger, something to calm your mind and your body. A few bars of music can go a long way in making those crazy days just a little more Zen. If you have any songs that help you find your chi, please mention it in the comments below and we’ll add it to our playlist.

There are tons of YouTube clips that show crazy bike tricks and awe-inspiring rides.  However, these films rarely capture the essence of riding a bike as adeptly as this, Andrea Dorfman’s Thoughts on My Bike.  The film’s narrative poem articulates that magical “wind-in-your-hair” feeling of freedom that takes years off our spirits and brings joy to our hearts.  It’s a feeling that’s not just for neighborhood kids – I’ve found more joy in bike riding as a grown up in a city than I ever did in a cul-de-sac.

Whether or not you agree with Dorfman’s view of the economic and climactic challenges that current and future generations face, you cannot argue with her assertion that a bike ride truly is therapy in motion, a place of new appreciation for the world around you and a source for inner peace.  So, before winter brings its winds and its chills

Let’s dust off our bikes, put our wheels to the ground
Let’s take to the streets; let’s make our hearts pound

Jeff Kubina/flickr

Anne Stein, M.S.
Sports & Fitness Journalist/Author

Whether you’re putting baby in her car seat, chasing your toddler around a playground or picking your child up off the floor, mothering involves nearly constant lifting, pushing, pulling and bending, all of which puts a strain on your neck, shoulders, and especially your back.

The key to maintaining a healthy back, says Dr. Sheila A. Dugan, a physical medicine and rehab specialist at Chicago’s Rush University Medical Center, is to maintain a neutral spine.

When you bend over to pick things up, for example, whether it’s toys, your toddler, or a car seat, try not to round or curve your back. Straighten the spine and bend down from the knees; pick things up by straightening your knees. As much as you can, be aware of your posture throughout the day to avoid back strain.

The American Physical Therapy Association offers the following guidelines to protect your back during these common ‘mommy’ activities:

Lifting your child from the floor
Stand close to your child, keep back straight, put one foot in front of the other and lower yourself (kneel) onto one knee. Hold your child with both arms close to your body (just as you would with a heavy object), tighten stomach muscles and push up with both legs to a standing position.

Putting your child in and taking her out of a crib
Lower rails as far as possible. With feet shoulder-width apart, bend at the hips and pick up baby with both arms, holding her close to your chest. Don’t curve/curl your back over the rails.

Pushing a stroller
Again, stay as close to the heavy object (the stroller) as possible, keeping your back straight and shoulders back. Maintain good posture, rather than leaning and pushing the stroller with your arms and hunching the shoulders.

Carrying and holding your child
When carrying your child, hold her close to the center of your body with both arms. Avoid the one-arm, one-hip hold; it puts too much stress on one side of your body. Be aware of maintaining good posture, with straight back and upright shoulders. Consider an infant carrier that centers the baby’s weight (see below).

Picking up toys
Keep your head and back straight, bend at the waist and extend one leg straight behind as you pick up toys.

Other tips

• When nursing your baby or reading to your toddler, pick a firm chair with back support. If you nurse or read to your child in bed, don’t bend your neck or curl your back. Use a wall or headboard for back support.

• Infant carriers that are centered either on your front or back are good for even weight distribution. Infant car seats should be carried with both hands, centered in front of you. Consider using a backpack instead of a diaper bag to balance weight and avoid shoulder/back stress.

In addition to paying attention to posture and how you lift, stretching and strengthening exercises are necessary for good back/neck/shoulder health. Take at least 10-15 minutes a day to stretch, focusing on hip flexors, back, shoulders and neck, which are involved in proper posture and neutral alignment.

Strengthening exercises should focus on the abdominals, glutes, back, hips, pelvis and the scapula retractors (the muscles that pull the shoulders back) to allow the body to support proper alignment.

And while it might seem impossible to fit in cardio, aim for the recommended amount of five days a week, 30 minutes a day. Studies have shown you can accumulate this through 10-minute bouts, as well. Those few minutes spent sweating will make you a happier, healthier mom.

visualpanic/flickr

Anne Stein, M.S.
Sports & Fitness Journalist/Author

A bad economy, tension at work, aging parents, angry drivers – it’s tough to get a break these days from the stresses of everyday life.

The typical advice is to get a few minutes of peace and well-being – if you have the time to do it – though exercise, meditation, or journaling. Spend time with friends, develop hobbies, and focus on others through volunteering.

But one woman, author Anne D. LeClaire, has come up with a surprisingly effective tool that anyone can practice, no matter how much time you have. It’s silence.

On the first and third Mondays of each month, she doesn’t talk to anyone (including her husband, daughters, neighbors and friends). She doesn’t use email, listen to radio or TV, and she keeps her schedule as clear as possible. She’ll often spend time sitting at her computer, working on her latest novel.

Her silent days weren’t always this drastic, and you can start in increments as well. Seventeen years ago, LeClaire simply turned the radio off in her car when she drove. Then she stopped turning on the TV for background noise while working. Now she practices completely silent days.

The result? “I feel like I’ve been to a spa after each silent day,” LeClaire says. “I have so much more energy.” LeClaire documents her practice in the book, “Listening Below the Noise” (Harper).

The silent days have taught LeClaire that we usually don’t need to return phone calls and emails the moment we receive them. When she got a notice from her bank that she was overdrawn – and it was the bank’s mistake – she had to wait a day to call back. Being forced to wait actually stemmed her anxiety. After all, she couldn’t do a thing about it — just for one day.

“Whether it’s health, financial, political or a relationship crisis, it’s imperative to stop and be quiet. It gives you time to reflect and not just mindlessly react and raise the ante of noise.”

Silent days also provide a break from the constant flow of information we receive, and it’s a welcome relief. “All that bad news will be there tomorrow, and so much of that news engenders fear,” she says. “Just being away from it for a day helps us regain our reality.”

LeClaire has these tips for incorporating silence into your life. Try one or two at a time:

• Have one hour of quiet time before bed. No TV, computer or television.
• Turn off the radio while driving.
• Do routine chores in silence.
• Don’t turn on the TV or radio every time you walk into a room.
• Eat alone, without a book, magazine, or other distraction.
• Practice meditation. If you’re new, try five minutes a day, then increase slowly.
• Set aside one morning a month for not talking.
• Don’t constantly check email, Facebook, and other sites. Take a break for an hour or two, or schedule certain times to check in.
• Give yourself 10 minutes of quiet time after waking up. Don’t turn on the radio, TV or computer as soon as you get out of bed.

DeaPeaJay/flickr

Anne Stein, M.S.
Sports & Fitness Journalist/Author

When they first came out nearly 30 years ago, laptop computers weren’t intended to take the place of desktops. They were meant to be a handy tool for workers who spent time away from their desks but needed easy access to a computer.

Today, laptops outsell desktops and they’re a constant companion on trains, planes, offices and yes, even in bed. Unfortunately, laptops aren’t designed to be used for hours on end, and the results for millions of users who scrunch up in small places with an awkwardly placed computer are sore necks, shoulders, wrists and backs.

The problem is ergonomics. The screen’s usually not at the correct height (you’re often peering down at it) and the keyboard and mouse are attached, forcing your wrists and arms into over or under-stretched positions. If your laptop and accessories weigh more than 10 pounds and you lug them constantly, shoulder and back pain are quick to develop.

To avoid laptop stress and strain, make your laptop fit you, rather than force your body to contort and fit your laptop. Especially if you’re using it for long periods of time (as a desktop substitute), be sure to do the following:

• Take breaks. Your body isn’t made to be static for long periods of time. Stretch your neck, back, arms, shoulders, and wrists. Glance up and away from the screen occasionally while working to give your eyes a break.  Need a reminder?  Check this out.

• Dock it. When at your desk, dock your laptop and use full sized screens to ensure that what you’re working on is at eye level. This keeps your head/neck in a neutral, healthy position, rather than craning up or tilted too far down.

• Accessorize. Attach a separate keyboard and mouse to keep your arms and wrists in a neutral position (at 90 degrees), rather than overstretched or scrunched in. Keep your mouse at the same height as your keyboard and close enough to avoid straining the shoulders and neck

• Stay (properly) seated. While you can use a laptop in almost any position, it doesn’t mean you should.  Use a chair that supports your lumbar spine and allows your feet to be flat on the floor.   Also, don’t lie on your stomach and use your laptop in bed or on the floor. Your lower back doesn’t like the stress.

• Think big. Tiny seems cool, but if you can’t see your screen easily, you’re adding eyestrain to the list of laptop maladies. Same with your keyboard: If you can’t comfortably type on it, consider getting a larger size.

• Lug smart. Lugging your laptop. If you carry your laptop a lot from one location to another, consider a backpack-style bag to distribute the weight evenly on your back/shoulders, rather than a shoulder bag that stresses out one shoulder constantly. Bags on wheels are also handy, especially if you’re carrying batteries, portable printers, and other components. If you must shoulder your laptop, switch sides often.

• Prop it up. If a desk or table isn’t available where you’re working, elevate the laptop with a pillow or books to achieve as neutral a position as possible for your wrists. Angle the screen as much as you can to avoid neck strain.

• Avoid the super comfy slouch. If you’re sitting on a sofa or cushy chair without back support, be aware of poor posture. Find a cushion, towel or pillow to support your lumbar spine.

• Relax. Constantly claw-gripping your mouse will irritate your hand and wrist.  Make sure to relax your hand when you’re using you mouse and stretch it out and move it as much as possible.