How to include physical activity in an already busy schedule

 

We often hear about the difficulty of finding a balance between the social and work spheres of our lives. Difficult indeed, but not impossible! The same goes for a regular sports practice whether it’s at the gym or some other kind of physical activity. How do we include physical activity in an already too-busy schedule? Well, there are many possibilities to help you with this dilemma. Here are a few suggestions of habits teasy to adopt and fit into your schedule.

Active transportation

No matter the complexity of your calendar, you probably have to go from point A to point B everyday. Why not vary your means of transportation? Instead of taking the car to go to the grocery store, take a bike or walk. The same principle applies to your work. Avoid the stress of being stuck in traffic by taking the bus, the metro or even a bike. Of course, it all depends on how far you need to go!

Frankly, these changes will not save you time. You might even have to wake up a little earlier to make it to work on time. That being said, you will arrive at work with the feeling of being well-rested. This « active » time of transportation is also time « for yourself ». It is said that an active lifestyle has a positive impact on the quality of your sleep and improves your concentration.

Also on the way to the office, don’t hesitate to take the stairs instead of the elevator. Again, it depends on how high you need to go. Do the math! If your office is on the third floor and you climb the stairs at least twice a day, at the end of the week you will have climbed 30 floors.

Physical activity on office hours

To practice a physical activity on your lunch hour can be good for you in many ways. For instance, did you know that sports can help you control your stress level? If free time is an issue, no need to go very far, a 30-minute daily walk can help you realize all these benefits.

If you are a fan of group classes, find out which opportunities are near your office building. Many gyms and yoga studios might offer fast classes specially designed for a lunch break. If this is not an option, the stability ball as an office chair is a trick that has grown in popularity. You can use it as your chair for a few minutes a day to work on your posture and core muscles. You could also challenge your colleagues to participate with you!

Fun and useful : family activities that keeps you moving

The week-end has finally arrived and the children want to go to the park! Go ahead! If they are at stroller age, you could go running. If they are older, there are many exercises that you can do on a park bench while keeping an eye on the kids : step-ups, push-ups, etc. Don’t hesitate to transform your space into an improvised gym!

It is true that including regular physical activity in a busy schedule is not always easy, but the effort will surely be worth it. Once these habits are part of your daily routine, your body and soul will rapidly feel all the benefits. Of course, you need to find your own rhythm, the one that does not make you fall out of balance, but instead, helps you find it.