Sometimes people wish there was a perfect world where it could be possible to have an hour or two dedicated to fitness and physical exercises. Unfortunately, that’s impossible in the real world, and those who love keeping fit find themselves deferring exercises because of their busy schedule.
Determining how often to work out can also be hard with a packed to-do list.
Well, that’s pretty understandable, and no one should be blamed for it, right?
Instead, it helps for those with busy lives to find creative ways to engage in daily routine exercises without disrupting their work schedule.
That said, here are tips that you can start applying today to ensure exercises are part of the daily routine.
Let’s get straight to it.
1. Turn Your Commute into an Exercise
Those who drive or use public transportation when going to work can simply replace these means with walking or cycling. Or, simply get off the train or bus a few stops earlier and walk for the remaining distance.
Parking the car further away also lends some good walking time that can be perfect for stretching.
This can also be great and even easier when leaving work for home. Simply, stash your keys, cards, phone, and cash in a bag or pack, and jog home. If this is turned into a routine, you’ll still have a flexible time to commit to your busy schedule.
Another great tip is to always use the stairs instead of the lift when going to the office.
2. Wake Up Early
Sleep tends to be undeniably sweet during the wee hours of the morning. But, such times can be great to wake up and workout to cross exercises off a to-do list. This doesn’t mean you’re going deny yourself adequate sleep.
One hour of a morning workout is enough to start your day with new energy.
Researchers also highly recommend a sweat session during the morning as it makes the body active and energized throughout the day.
So, set the alarm early and engage in some great morning exercises such as running, walking, stretching, jumping, leg squats, lunges, push-ups, bicep curls, and bicycle crunches.
3. Master the Art of Standing
Sitting for long hours while working can be unhealthy for the spine, and it’s one of the contributing factors for low back pain. Prolonged sitting is also linked to diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and obesity.
Luckily, it’s possible to substitute a few hours of sitting with standing at work. Want to know how? First, encourage colleagues to adopt standing meetings, and this can be fun, right? Or, tell the boss that you need a standing desk.
When printing, faxing or scanning, don’t sit. Instead, sculpting the calves can be a productive thing to do. During a lunch break, learning the standing leg curl can be great instead of sitting.
Practicing these tips every day can eventually become part of your daily routine exercises without breaking a sweat.
4. Work Out Efficiently
With a busy schedule, it’s obvious that investing time in extensive exercises can be almost impossible. For that reason, busy people can work out smartly by identifying exercises they can almost anywhere.
Ideally, these should be exercises that don’t need a lot of preparation while still lending maximum physical gains. Great examples include Tabata training, interval training, and bodyweight exercises.
Such exercises won’t cause much straining or inconvenience your busy schedule. At the end of the day, you can sleep soundly knowing you did some great exercises during the day.
5. Work Out As Team
One great thing about engaging in daily routine exercises with colleagues is that it helps to set and accomplish goals. Additionally, it’s a great motivator, so it will be hard to skip routine exercises.
Collaboration and competition are great catalysts in working out. Find a colleague who can be a competitor and set reasonable goals to attain within a set period of time.
The chances are that this might be the push many people need to maintain productive physical exercises even when they’re hard-pressed.
6. Track Progress
Having a busy schedule makes many people lose track of things, including workout progress. Before you start, find out your current activity level and weight.
Failing to track progress simply means no exercises were done. Add notes to a calendar every day you engage in exercises and determine where you stand every month or after a few weeks.
There are also activity trackers that can do everything for you, especially when it comes to activities such as walking and running.
People who keep track of their activity levels and progress are likely to stay on track and maintain the right habit.
7. Commit to a Schedule
There are simple exercises for people with busy schedules that help to maintain an active lifestyle while still completing their tasks at work.
Don’t make a busy schedule an excuse for failing to work out or attending a yoga session. This can be avoided by making a plan and committing to it from the onset.
First, it’s important to determine the ideal time for working out and list several must-do exercises. Plan the week and assign each day a set of workouts you must complete.
Commit to your schedule and make working out your priority. Many people find it simpler to maintain their routine after adhering to their schedule for two or three weeks.
Daily Routine Exercises – The Takeaway
It’s possible for busy people to work out and keep in shape without failing to meet their job needs.
While at work, simple things, such as sitting on a stability ball, helps with strengthening the core. It’s also advisable to carry tubing and dumbbells to work if possible.
When waiting in long queues, sneak in a workout and perform exercises such as squats, toe raises, and lunges.
In the long run, you’ll find that committing to daily routine exercises doesn’t require plenty of time and effort.
