CindyIf your 9-to-5 has you stuck at a desk all day, it can be tough to find ways to squeeze in some steps and stay active. While dedicated exercise is hugely beneficial for your health, it’s also important to ensure you’re moving enough throughout your daily routine. Try a few of the following tips to incorporate a little more motion into your day:
TEN SIMPLE WAYS TO INCORPORATE MORE MOVEMENT INTO YOUR DAY
#1 Set some reminders to move.
Your phone likely came with an app pre-installed to create lists and set alarms. Ask Siri, Alexa, or Google to gently remind you to get up and move your feet every hour or two, or commit to a fitness tracker that will gently pulse or buzz when it notices you’ve spent too much time in one place.
#2 Take the stairs.
If your building has an elevator, opt for the stairs instead. You can go slow – it’s not a race. You’ll find it grows easier after a few weeks, and you may even be encouraged to pick up the pace as you scale the flights to the office or your apartment.
#3 Play some music.
The next time you’re washing the dishes or working on a project, put on your favorite playlist. If you love to get your groove on, spend a few minutes dancing around the house when your favorite song comes on to boost your heart rate – and your endorphins. If you don’t consider yourself the dancing type, just wait – you may find yourself moving to the beat.
#4 Park in the farthest spot from the shop.
You’ll reduce the odds that someone will smash their car door into yours, and you’ll incorporate a little more fitness into your day. Park toward the rear of the parking lot and add a little extra distance between yourself and your destination. You’ll have no alternative but to walk the additional steps to the entrance of the store.
#5 Add movement into your morning routine.
Start your day with some stretches, a few squats and situps, or a light jog on the treadmill to get your blood pumping as you watch the news. Create a routine so simple you can do it anywhere, anytime for a no-fail way to build fitness into the start of your day.
#6 Find something active you love to do.
The best way to add more movement into your life is to find a way to make it fun. Seek out a sport that makes you happy. Try hiking, biking, yoga, or even gardening to add more motion into your routine without making it a chore.
#7 Don’t send that email.
Instead, walk over to your colleague’s desk to see if they’re available to chat. If they aren’t there, you can always follow up with a quick note online, but if you are able to catch them, you’ll get the added bonus of a human conversation.
#8 Move during commercial breaks.
If you’re the type who enjoys an hour or so of television each day, make yourself stand up and move around during each commercial break. Do some dips from the edge of the sofa, lay on the floor for a few crunches or lunge across your living room until the show resumes.
#9 Set step goals.
Fitness trackers are a great way to motivate us to move more, and setting goals around how many steps you’ll take each day can be helpful. You might find you can’t resist the urge to fit in all ten thousand steps in a day.
#10 Break it into bite-sized chunks.
It can be hard to commit to an hour at the gym or even thirty minutes on the treadmill. If your challenge is finding time to get active, break it apart into tiny chunks. Tell yourself you’ll stand up and walk around for five minutes, or commit to doing 100 sit-ups over the next hour – not all in one sitting.
Which of these simple steps will you incorporate into your daily routine in order to move more during the day?
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