← List

Together ›My Know-How

[Did] Using camera-off calls to stand and play scales

Been doing every camera-off call standing up for the past few weeks and it actually stuck, which surprised me.

Guitar leans against the wall right next to my desk chair, so when a meeting pops up audio only, I mute, stand, and run through scales until it wraps up. No separate time block, no reminder app, the call itself is the cue.

Some days that’s barely one scale pattern, other days it’s enough for a real chunk of practice. Either way my back isn’t locked up by end of day the way it used to be, and I’ve noticed I open the case more now instead of telling myself I’ll get to it later.

Haven’t explained to coworkers why I’m off camera half the time. Pretty sure a couple have guessed, but nobody’s asked outright…

Only downside, if a call turns out to need video after all, I’m standing there holding a guitar. Learned to check the invite first.

Comment 5

  • MossBaby10.08

    What gets me is the no reminder app part, pairing it to something that already happens instead of trying to build a whole new habit from scratch. I started doing something close to this about 2 months ago, except mine is the piano against the wall, and I sit down for whatever’s left of an audio-only call instead of standing.

  • Good Enough Skin10.09

    That works until your calendar fills up, some weeks I get 9 calls back to back and the cue never fires, so I ended up needing a timer anyway

  • → Good Enough SkinOceanBreezeAuthor10.09

    Good Enough Skin said: that tracks, but most weeks I only get 3 or 4 audio-only calls, so the cue still fires enough to matter! Mine isn’t about catching every call, just breaking up the sitting more than zero times a day.

  • FreshFaceFriend10.11

    fair point, 9 calls a day is rough either way

  • OceanBreezeAuthor10.13

    Never explained the camera thing to coworkers either, I just let people assume it’s a bad connection some days. Been doing something close to this for about 3 weeks now and it’s the one routine that survived even a packed meeting day.

See all posts →