Why I Started Going to the Pool During Lunch Break
This is a follow-up to the previous post where I mentioned the pool.
Today I want to write a bit about why I go swimming during my lunch break.
My workplace is a little unusual — we get a two-hour lunch break.
At first I thought, “Nice, that’s awesome,” but in reality… two hours is surprisingly long.
If I take a nap, I sleep too long and feel sluggish. My focus in the afternoon drops, too.
Games and manga get old after a while.
I started thinking, “This is kind of a waste…”
Strength Training and Running Didn’t Last
At first, I joined a gym and tried weight training and running, but I just couldn’t stick with it.
Most lunchtime classes are pretty relaxed — lots of stretching-type programs that make me sleepy — and to be honest, I don’t really like lifting or running in the first place…
Right around the time I was thinking, “Yeah, this isn’t it… maybe I should quit,”
a running friend said, “Wait, you used to swim, right? Then come swim with us.”
To be honest, I wasn’t excited about the idea.
You get wet, changing is a hassle, and more than anything, I was a bit scared to meet the version of myself that “can’t swim like I used to.”
Once I Tried It, It Actually Felt Great
But once I actually got in the water, it felt surprisingly good.
I rotate my shoulders a lot, so they feel lighter, and stretching my whole body seems to give me a nice reset.
I almost sank doing butterfly (lol), but even that was kind of fun.
And then there’s the 10 minutes of sauna afterward.
That’s what really flips the switch — I feel like my mind resets properly, and I naturally think, “Alright, let’s do our best this afternoon too.”
Now It’s My “Reset Time”
These days, my lunchtime pool session is completely part of my routine.
Rather than “pushing myself,” it’s just my “reset time.”
Even if work is frustrating, when I’m swimming there’s no room left to overthink anything — and that’s exactly what I like about it.
Thanks to what used to feel like “wasted time,” my days are now just a little more balanced. I feel pretty lucky about that.
The Difficulty of Building a Routine
The hardest part about starting anything new is turning it into a routine, right?
I also wrote an article about turning habits into routines →https://lifearkport.com/en/zakki-en/rootin-2/
And I made a preparation checklist as well
→https://lifearkport.com/en/zakki-en/poolsp-2/
I’m not fluent in English, but I really wanted to share this story.
So I tried my best using translation tools to write this post.
If you find anything that sounds strange, unnatural, or offensive,
please let me know in the comments.
I’ll check it carefully, translate your feedback, and fix it.
Thank you for reading!
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