Physical activity has countless benefits such as keeping your weight under control, enhancing your mood, reducing risk of disease, and increasing life expectancy, just to name a few. But after a hard day’s work, it’s easy to stop seeing exercise for all its benefits and to start seeing it as a major nuisance. Between work, duties at home, and trying to maintain a social life, life gets far too busy. With time being a scarce resource for many, exercise is often the first thing to fall through the cracks, but it shouldn’t be. Here are 3 simple ways to seamlessly fit physical activity into your busy day.
Do it first thing in the morning.
Although it’s not the most effortless thing to do, waking up just a bit earlier is by far the most effective way to sneak physical activity into your day. When you exercise first thing in the morning, you get it out of the way. This way, you don’t have to sacrifice your workout when unforeseen tasks and activities come up during the day. In fact, research shows that those who work out in the morning tend to be far more consistent than those who exercise later in the day. The benefits to early morning workouts don’t stop there. Physical activity early in the morning kick starts your metabolism and allows your body to burn more calories during the day. It also increases your level of focus and leaves you in a better mood as you begin your workday.
Take a walk on your lunch break.
Your lunch break is the perfect time to squeeze in some physical activity. Whether it’s a 30-minute stroll to the nearest park or a 15-minute jaunt up and down the office building stairs, use your break to schedule some daily physical activity. Not only will this allow you to get in some exercise, but a light walk during the day is also a great way to clear your mind of all the work stress and refocus.
Take up a hobby.
Make exercising an enjoyable part of your day by taking up a hobby that requires a lot of movement. By planning fun physical activities ahead of time, you’ll look forward to exercising and will be far more likely to fit it into your day. Try taking up inexpensive, solo hobbies like gardening, swimming, or biking. Or make it a social affair and try joining a sports league, scheduling regular tennis matches with a friend, or taking dance lessons with a partner.
Join a group sport or grab a co-worker at lunch hour.
Think about joining a team or group sport and make exercise part of your regular social activities. Sport and social club offers a number of different sport leagues for all skill levels and an opportunity to make new friends. You can check out their websites in Calgary (http://www.calgarysportsclub.com) and Edmonton (http://www.edmontonsportsclub.com) for more details. If team sports aren’t your thing, think about getting out of the break room and grab a co-worker and go for a quick walk on break, or a jog over lunch, maybe even start a fitness or weight loss pool. Your peers will help you stay accountable even when you aren’t feeling like being active.
No matter how disciplined you are, making time for exercise can be challenging, to say the least, but with simple adjustments you can establish consistent exercise habits that won’t throw a wrench in your entire day.
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