My neck and shoulders used to lock up every evening around 9pm, right when I was still at my desk finishing up. I tried a phone timer for stretch breaks before and it just became another alarm I’d snooze, or turn off without thinking about it…
What actually stuck was tying the rolls to something I already do — the kettle. Every time I put it on for tea, I do shoulder rolls and a couple of neck tilts while it heats, about 3 minutes, no extra planning needed.
Two things made this work where the timer didn’t. First, it’s attached to a habit I already had instead of a new one to remember. Second, the kettle gives me a natural stopping point, so I’m not standing there guessing how long is enough.
I’ve kept it up for 3 weeks now. The evening ache hasn’t disappeared but it’s noticeably less than before. I still knit most nights to rest my hands from the keyboard — that part hasn’t changed, the shoulders just finally get something too.