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My wife and I have been chatting a lot this week about our financials.

Do we have the right life insurance?

How do we invest our money more wisely?

How on earth do we prep for retirement so we can travel the world?

That’s why I was so grateful when Betterment asked if they could sponsor today’s Habit Example!

Your IRA, made to order

Choose where and when you want to retire, and a Betterment IRA can help make your money hustle all the way there.

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Adults in the U.S. over 20 years old spend at least 6.4 hours a day sitting.

(and the study itself suggests the real number is likely higher)

This is a problem, since some experts preach that sitting, or just generally being sedentary, is as bad or worse on your health than smoking cigarettes.

I’m worse.

Working from my laptop at home, some days I may sit closer to 8-10+ hours a day.

Which makes me sad!

And gives me sucky back pain.

So fun! Said no one ever.

Ironically, my second ever Habit Example was about how I went from sitting all day long working, to standing all day long working! (without changing jobs)

I go through phases being good and not so good at using my standing desk.

But since I got a new smart watch the other day, it’s been showing me how little I stand every day.

Which motivates me to stand more, of course.

And here’s 3 odd habits I’ve been trying to get off my keester a few extra minutes a day:

1. Standing while playing Xbox

• I know, I know. “But Kody why don’t you do something entirely more active?”

• Sometimes I do.

• But other times, it’s the end of a long, stressful day, kids are in bed, my wife’s enjoying a good book, and I need something mindless to decompress.

• But instead of slouching on the couch for an hour, I’ll stand super awkwardly in the middle of the room. Even do push ups in between games. It’s great!

2. Standing at the back of class in church

• Is it just me or is it weird that we’ve culturally normalized that all meetings require sitting for long periods of time?

• I totally think we should normalize standing meetings. Even walking meetings! Why not?

• So I’ll use my mildly fussy baby as an excuse to stand up and pace at the back of class instead of just sitting still the whole time. Feels a lot better.

3. Walking around the block instead of scrolling my phone

• A couple times a day, I’ll finish a zoom meeting for work and just need a minute to breathe before jumping into another task

• I have this terrible instinct to just whip my phone out and find some stupid thing to watch that certainly won’t make my life any better. Sometimes 10 or 20 minutes will whiz by and there I am, still slouching over in my wheely chair giving myself some gnarly lower back pain. Soooo fun.

• So I’ve been trying to use this urge as a reminder of what I really want. A moment to breath. To clear my head.

• So when I can muster up the willpower to put my phone down, I’ll grab my shoes and go for a quick 10-20 minute walk around the block. When I’m feeling really brave, I’ll even leave my phone at home. I like to live on the edge, ya know.

These might sound like the simplest, dumbest habits you’ve ever heard.

Maybe you’re the bodybuilder that definitely thinks less of me now as a mere mortal (which I certainly am).

But maybe, just maybe…. you’re a little bit like me, and just need a reminder of how good it is for your body to stand and move every day, even if you’re not hitting the gym.

Maybe you’re like me and just need a teensy weensy nudge to stand up.

Like, right now. Stand up.

Stretch.

Touch your toes (I know, I can’t actually touch my toes either)

Go for a little walk, or maybe do a few push ups.

I triple-dog-dare you to!

Cause you’re gonna feel better in about 90 seconds from now when you do.

You know you will.

So, do you accept the challenge?

Hit reply and let me know that you did it!

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- Kody

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P.S. These take 3 hours to research, write, and design. It only takes you 3 seconds to share.