Regular physical activity and exercise is recommended for all healthy adults. However, finding time to schedule in that gym sessions, or afford a gym membership, can be tricky. Luckily, there are a few easy ways you can incorporate more physical activity into your daily schedule, and they won’t even feel like exercise.
1. Walk to work
Leave the car in the garage and either walk to work, or walk to your nearest public transport access instead of driving. Public transport is cheaper and usually faster than driving on congested roads, and a brisk walk in the morning will contribute to your daily steps and physical activity target without feeling like exercise!
2. Use stairs
All of us are guilty of lining up to use the elevator at work, or even just hopping on the escalator in shopping centres. If there’s an option to take the stairs, climb them instead.
3. Clean your house
As any thorough cleaner will tell you, cleaning bathrooms, kitchens, dusting and vacuuming can work up a sweat! Allocate just half an hour to doing a thorough clean of one room in the house.
4. Stand up
Alternate between sitting and standing at your desk. If a standing desk is out of the question, try to get up and do a walk of the workplace for 5-10 minutes every hour. It’ll get you moving and give your mind a break. You’ll return to your desk feeling refreshed. Better yet, arrange your meetings to be walking meetings, and go for a walk while the agenda is discussed.
5. Offer to do the coffee run
A job that’s traditionally given to the office junior, why not offer to do the office coffee run? It’ll get you walking, get you outside and add to that daily step count.
6. Stand up during commercial breaks
If you or your family have a habit of hitting the couch after work each day, and not moving until bedtime, this one is for you. Stand up during the commercial breaks, do a lap of the house, organise your lunch or clothes for the next day, or even just sort through the mail until your show is back on the telly.
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