Health, fitness, and wellness, are so important to a healthy work-life balance. But, when you work a full-time job or more, it can be really tough to manage your work life, home life, and to find time in your day to be physically active as well.
Below, I have listed 5 ways to implement physical activity in your daily life without taking too much time out of your day OR by adding some fun and recreation as well, so it doesn’t feel like more work.
- Skip Elevators and Escalators. This is for sure the easiest way to get extra activity in your day. Take the stairs whenever the opportunity arises. Stay away from elevators and escalators as much as possible.
- Take a Walk During your Breaks at Work. This is so important if you work at a desk all day. If you get an hour lunch break, spend at least 15-30 minutes of it getting some sort of brisk activity in. A walk around your workplace or walking up a few flights of stairs, is enough to get your circulation going and burn a small amount of calories.
- Play Fitness Video Games.This is such a big one and can go a long way if you’re consistent with it. For me, I have been playing Just Dance 2021 on my Nintendo Switch and have been having an absolute blast with it. One of the best things about it is you can make a full workout; warmup, intense workout, and then cooldown, based on the intensity of the dance which is all rated and laid out for you in the game. The game also has a ‘fitness mode’ which tells you how many calories you have burned in a dance session, which can be really motivating. I have heard good things about the Ring Fit Nintendo Switch game but I haven’t had a chance to check it out et. The WiiFit games are good alternatives and almost every console has an equivalent to these.
- Learn a New Hobby or Skill that is Physically Demanding. For me, I jumped on the roller skate bandwagon this summer. I haven’t learned as much as I wanted to yet, as some days have been too hot and muggy for outdoor activity. But, I am looking forward to getting out there again soon. Any fun, physically demanding, activity will do. Another I would suggest checking out that I have done in the past is Zombies, Run! It’s a great app that gamified running through storytelling. I would consider returning to it. But I think with my asthma and how muggy the summers have been lately, I don’t think I’d be okay to manage it.
- Get an Activity Tracker. Apple Watch, Fitbit, etc. these devices can be really motivating. I’ve had my Apple Watch for almost a year now and have been very motivated to increase my activity level because of it. Prior to that, I used a Fitbit for a couple of years and enjoyed that as well. I had several friends and family on the Fitbit app, and the ongoing competition was very motivating.
I know from experience it can be really tough to prioritize your phsyical health when you have a full-time job, part-time work, and/or classes and studying to keep up with. Especially during the COVID-19 Pandemic, getting motivated to go out and get some exercise has been even more difficult.
I hope these tips will help some of you get motivated to fit exercise into your busy schedules! Let us know in the comments below if you have any other recommendations for adding exercise to your daily routine in ways that don’t feel so much like work.
Thanks for reading folks! Until next time, keep on keeping on.
By The Scales 