'Don't touch your face!'

Getting too sucked in by a task

When I trained as an exercise instructor back in the 90s

‘Step’ was all the rage, and some of my fellow trainees complained because we weren’t given specific instruction in how to teach Step. The response of our teaching staff was that they were giving us basic principles applicable to whatever sort of exercise we decided to work with. The principles I learned back then continue to be relevant, whereas nowadays it is extremely hard to find a Step class at all. It was a fad that has come and all but gone.

Following basic principles

Unless you’re an Alexander teacher you probably won’t have read any of F M Alexander’s books because they’re not an easy read. However, they are worth some time and patience. In The Universal Constant in Living Alexander writes: ‘A person who learns to work to a principle in doing one exercise (e.g. sitting and standing) will have learned to do all exercises, but the person who learns just to “do an exercise” will most assuredly have to go on learning to “do exercises” ad infinitum.’

In an Alexander lesson we are not learning how to sit and stand ‘correctly’, rather we are learning how to apply basic principles to something we do every day. We need to employ the skills of noticing, inhibiting, and directing, to counter the power of habit, while finding balance within ourselves.

At the time of writing, the whole world is struggling to deal with covid-19. We don’t know a lot about the virus but what we do know is that it’s a good idea to keep washing our hands and to avoid touching our faces.

There’s plenty of information on how best to wash and dry your hands, but less on how to avoid touching your face. Let’s use Alexander principles to help.

The power of habit

Notice how many times you do it. Even better, observe a friend/family member and get them to observe you when you’re not expecting it. We touch our eyes, nose, and mouth when we have an itch but also out of habit, e.g. when thinking over a problem.

It’s easier to remember not to scratch an itch than not to do a habitual action.

Inhibit

This is where inhibition comes in. If you pay attention to your actions, you can be sure you do only what you intend to do. It’s worth pausing before acting. I don’t mean you should mull things over for five minutes before doing anything … but you CAN train yourself not to react in a habitual way, e.g. many people contract their leg muscles before they stand up from a chair, whereas it’s more effective to allow the muscles to contract as necessary during the movement.

If you’re aware of your whole self, you’re less likely to find your fingers unconsciously wandering on to your face. When you’re lying down in Active Rest you practise allowing your hands and fingers to be still. They’re not heavy and floppy, merely waiting quietly until called to action.

The importance of balance

Balance is particularly important in stressful times – in all senses. Professor Gerd Gigerenzer, a German academic specialising in risk, estimated that an extra 1,595 Americans died in car accidents in the year after the September 11th attacks because they were driving long distances instead of flying.

Don’t overload on the news and social media. (Horrible as the coronavirus is, it hasn’t replaced the threat posed by climate change. The ice caps are still melting. People in Yemen and Syria and many other countries are still suffering because of wars and in a worse position to deal with covid-19 because of this.)

Remember Active Rest

Pay attention to the task in hand and do it to the best of your ability, whether it’s writing a report, cooking dinner, or lifting a heavy object. It’s when you get distracted that things tend to go wrong. If you’re on a train, you don’t want to be so absorbed by reading about coronavirus on your phone that you absent-mindedly rub your eyes!

Eat well, get fresh air and exercise, and clear your mind through Active Rest, then you’ll be better prepared to tackle whatever challenge arises next.