Five Ways To Sneak Movement Into Your Day
If you’re often too busy for a structured workout, or if you know you’re not active enough outside the gym, here are some tips and ideas to sneak movement into your day in ways that aren’t difficult or time-consuming.
Every little bit of movement adds up, contributes to your overall health and can help you achieve your goals! With these strategies, you won’t even notice that you’re being more active until you realize how great you feel!
For five more strategies, check out my follow-up article here!
Move More While Doing Chores
Modern technology is great, but all the extra conveniences we have these days are taking a toll on our bodies and our health.
As much as you can, go back to old-school ways of doing things. Build small inefficiencies into your routine.
Make more trips when bringing in groceries or forego the laundry basket and go back and forth from the machine to your closet.
Also take each opportunity to integrate an exercise into the movements you’re already doing. If you’re going to bend over to pick something up, squat or lunge instead.
Yes, it can sometimes (but not always) take a little longer this way, but I think your health and well-being are worth a few extra minutes!
Design Your Home Or Work Environment To Nudge Yourself Into Movement
The way your environment (the places you live, work, and visit often) is set up makes a huge difference in your behaviors. There are simple tweaks you can make to encourage yourself to move a little more without really having to think about it.
We often design our environment to make things as convenient as possible, but that encourages us to move less. Do the opposite – make things slightly less convenient to force yourself to get up and move, and set up visual reminders to move more.
Simple changes like moving your garbage can farther away from your desk so you have to get up to throw things away, or placing small pieces of exercise equipment next to your couch can make a big difference.
Do A Morning “Wake Up” Routine
You can start your morning off right with a quick wake up routine. It only takes a few minutes to get your blood flowing, and it will set you up to feel good for the rest of the day!
Any small amount of movement will be beneficial so do whatever makes you feel good, whether it’s a quick stretch, a handful of a simple exercise like squats or push ups which you can do right next to your bed, or a few yoga poses.
Walk More For Transportation
Taking structured walks as part of your exercise plan is important, but walking more for transportation or as part of your usual routine is a great way to add more activity to your day.
Walk to the nearest shopping center or grocery store if possible to get ingredients for dinner.
Park a little farther away from the store or your office and walk the rest of the way.
Take the stairs at every opportunity.
Walk while taking phone calls.
Walk while having coffee with a friend.
Sneak Movement Into Your Day At Work
Many of us spend a significant chunk of our lives at work, and most modern workspaces aren’t conducive to movement.
Sneak movement into your workday and break up those long periods of sitting by using a standing desk, taking phone calls standing up, or doing quick movement breaks or desk exercises.
Every time you move, you’re protecting your health and giving yourself the opportunity to feel and function at your best. Take each and every one of those opportunities!
If setting aside time to move feels overwhelming, strategies to help you sneak more movement into your day can be a good alternative. Your body will thank you!