It’s true that you will feel better and healthier if you work out, but life is busy enough as it is without having to find time to go to the gym. It is a lot easier to make excuses than work out but there are some easy ways you can slot exercise into your normal daily routine without it feeling like a chore.
Exercise for Relaxation
After a hard day at work, exercise is likely to be the last thing you want to do. You barely have the energy to turn the TV over let alone hit the gym. However, your brain is working overtime going over the events of the day and you know you are going to have trouble sleeping. If this sounds familiar, exercising for relaxation may be the answer. Yoga is a great exercise for the body as it works your core muscles and keeps you toned, but it can also help you to relax and unwind too. This makes getting to sleep much easier. Next time you have a hard day, exercise for relaxation rather than trying to work up a sweat and you will be amazed by the results.
Commuting
Commuting does not have to mean forty minutes stuck in a traffic jam or on an overcrowded train. You can use your daily commute to work out instead. If you live close enough to work, then consider walking or cycling as part of your commute. This could be quicker for you if traffic is bad, and it will mean that you will arrive at your destination feeling relaxed and refreshed. Fresh air improves the mood, so if you have got out of bed on the wrong side or had a hard day at the office, then exercising to commute will make you feel much better. Just make sure you have access to a shower if you sweat a lot!
Even if you live further away from work you could always incorporate exercise into your commute by walking or cycling to the train station or parking further away from work than you normally would and walking the rest of the way. Velosurance has this guide to bicycle commuting, which is well worth reading. They offer bicycle insurance to give you some peace of mind that your bike has great protection while you are commuting and when you are parked at work.
Use the Stairs
While you are at work, use the stairs rather than the lift to get around the building. This will give you a burst of energy and a great workout for your legs and calves. This may not take any more time than waiting for the elevator and it is a great way of working out without having to take time out to do it. After a few weeks, this will become such a habit that you won’t even notice you are doing it.
Use Your Lunch Break
Most people experience a drop in energy in the afternoon and this can be a dangerous time if you work near the vending machine. A quick sugar fix is all too easy to come by and it won’t do your waistline any favors. Combat this by going for a stroll during your lunch break. The fresh air will wake you up and make you feel ready to face the afternoon with higher energy. It will also help you to stay away from those sugary snacks.
Make It Fun
Slogging away on the treadmill may not be your idea of fun but how about taking a dance class or having a go on a climbing wall instead. If your chosen exercise is fun to do, then you will be more likely to do it regularly. You could even encourage your friends to come with you and turn exercise into a social event. You may find that you enjoy this rather than going for a drink in a bar and you will all feel fitter for the experience.
Clean Your Home
For a lot of people on a busy schedule, there are choices to be made. For example, do you clean your house or go to the gym? However, exercise does not need to be done at the gym, and cleaning your home can give you a great workout. Put on your favorite music and clean in time to the beat. All that bending, stretching, and running up and down the stairs will get you fit and toned in no time and best of all you can relax in a very clean house afterward.
These are some great ways to slot exercise into a busy schedule. Try some of them yourself and you will be surprised by how fit and energetic you feel in a few short weeks without having to go anywhere near a gym or rearrange your schedule.
