TOP 10 HACKS TO FIT IN FITNESS IN YOUR HECTIC SCHEDULE

When schedules get more packed and time becomes more scarce it seems the first thing that falls off the to-do list is physical workout.

Yet we need fitness to be able to juggle all that we do. With so much having changed over the past year, and Covid-19 dictating most aspects of our lives – whether you work from home or are office based –keeping up with a regular exercise program has been difficult.

It is now more so that many of us are working from home. Calibrating that workout has just been one tough nut to crack.

Work out on Sunday to jumpstart your week

Start your workout routine on Sunday by tackling your least favorite compound lift. Gone are the Sunday night blues and the Monday morning scramble of trying to work out and make it to work on time. Don’t give Mondays a reason to suck more than they already do. Tackle your toughest lift on Sunday—the rest of your week will thank you for it.

Work out in the morning

Ohh yes here’s another life hack that will change your life.… Do thank us later for this one! Our lives are filled with unexpected traffic jams, last-minute drinks with friends, child’s homework, family members coming into town, and hundreds of other forces conspiring to keep us from exercising. Working out in the morning lets you enjoy the day without fitness hanging over your head.

Park far away from entrance

If you drive to work, you can trick yourself into taking more steps by simply parking farther away from your building than usual.

Take the stairs

Throughout your day you should try to find as many chances to walk or move as you can, like taking the stairs instead of the elevator. If you work in a building with stairs, you can even take a few 10-minute breaks throughout the day to do runs up and down several flights to get your heart rate going, burn calories, and tone your lower half.

Make face to face visits

It’s the little movements throughout the day that really add up over time. When you can and when it’s appropriate, avoid sending an email or message to a colleague in your building and simply walk over to their office and have a face-to-face conversation. If you make an effort to do this with most of your daily office you’ll find you’re able to add more steps to each day.

Stretch at your desk

Finally, it’s very likely that you’re still going to be sitting at your desk, in a lab, or in front of a computer for several hours a day. It’s just unavoidable for most people. Aside from making sure that you’re sitting in a good chair or on an exercise ball, don’t forget that you can still “move” even when you’re seated.

Go for a walk outside

Whether you’re going out for lunch or taking a 15-minute walk around the building, make a little time every day, weather permitting of course, to get outside, breathe some fresh air, and move your body. Not only will you feel refocused and re-energized for the rest of your workday, but your body will thank you for the physical exercise.

Sit on an exercise ball

Maintaining good posture while you work is a form of exercise! Sitting on an exercise ball, for example, or other highly supportive chair can encourage good posture, increased blood flow, better balance, and even help to improve your core strength. Being uncomfortable while you work and poorly positioned for several hours each day can have a serious impact on your health, your mood, your energy level, and even the quality of your work or your productivity levels.

Stand up often

If you’re tied to your desk for several hours and cannot break away to go for a short walk, do the next best thing, just stand up! Some research suggests that standing up for a few minutes even once every hour has a positive impact on your health. Again, find ways, however small, to move your body and avoid sitting for long periods of time.

Don't eat lunch at your desk

This is also true if you are working in the office. Avoid the temptation to eat while you work. Better yet, get outside to eat and incorporate a nice walk into your lunch break. If you find yourself frequently relying on meal delivery services to bring food straight to your work space, change gears here and force yourself to walk to get your food.