Balancing a busy schedule with staying active can be challenging; these professionals have simple strategies to incorporate physical activity into their hectic workdays.
1. Create a Workplace Fitness Club
Start or join a sport, fitness club, or fitness program at work. In my experience, working out alone can often feel isolating. You might find, however, that you’re not the only one in your office trying to squeeze in some exercise during a hectic day. Why not connect with colleagues who are also looking to stay active?
You could kick things off with something as simple as a push-up club that gathers before lunch three days a week or a running club that hits the pavement after work. You might even take things up a notch by encouraging your co-workers to join a local intramural league. A quick internet search like “adult basketball leagues [insert your city]” usually does the trick for adult amateur leagues.
If you’re unsure about your coworkers’ fitness interests, consider setting up a quick survey using tools like SurveyMonkey or Google Forms and send it around to see what everyone is into. Ask if they’d be interested in a fitness club, which activities they prefer, and what times work best for them. This has worked well for many of my clients, helping them integrate physical activity into their busy schedules while building camaraderie in the workplace.
Renato Fernandes, Clinical Nutritionist, Saude Pulso
2. Use a Mini Bosu Ball At Work
Incorporating a mini Bosu ball into your work routine is a simple and effective way to add physical activity to a hectic workday. I have found it to be a game-changer in my work routine.
When sitting on a mini Bosu ball, you engage your core muscles, which promotes better posture and stability. Not only does this help strengthen your core over time, but it also encourages active sitting, preventing the negative effects of prolonged sitting.
I have noticed that sitting on the Bosu ball keeps me more alert and focused throughout the day. The ball’s slight instability requires subtle adjustments, which engages my muscles and keeps me actively engaged. It’s a small change that has greatly impacted my overall well-being during busy workdays.
Rubens Basso, Chief Technology Officer, FieldRoutes
3. Incorporate Quick HIIT Sessions
After a long day of work, people often find themselves short on time for workouts. That’s why a quick session of Tabata or HIIT is ideal for burning calories efficiently without taking up too much time. Short workouts like these are appealing because they help individuals conveniently stay on track with their fitness goals.
AL Tran, Realtor, Blogger, And Author, DS Inspire
4. Walk, Text Jokes, And Laugh
For myself individually, when the going gets tough at work, I always like to get up, grab my phone, walk around my building three times, and then text one or two of my work besties a funny joke or meme.
When I got to the water cooler to hydrate after I walked around the building, they had already responded with a hilarious and sarcastic comeback. This is when I let out the big belly laugh, which I heard has the same effect as taking an antidepressant pill. Regardless of your work or personal circumstances, laugh loud, proud, and often.
Tina Severance-Fonte, Wellness Coordinator, Broward Schools
5. Move During Work Breaks
Walking is a very simple activity that is also free and requires no additional equipment. During the hectic workday, one can walk multiple times: during lunch, to and from their car by parking further away, getting off the bus stop one stop earlier, walking while on Zoom, or having walking meetings.
Even walking 10 minutes a day has been shown to impact my clients’ health positively. It helps reduce stress, gets the heart and lungs working, and sends blood supply to muscles. My clients have gone on to monitor their steps each day and make a game of increasing them by using the stairs or walking longer distances.
Jalene Szuba, Board Certified Health & Wellness Coach, Happiness Anchor
6. Strategize Physical Meetings Outdoors
In my experience, I have learned that the importance of being physically active cannot be overemphasized. In fact, apart from helping us stay fit, being physically active helps us stay mentally sharp and alert and enhances our ability to perform better at work.
As a marketer with a tight and tough schedule to keep up with, one simple way I have been able to incorporate physical activities into a hectic workday successfully is by fixing my meetings in strategic locations. With so much to manage, between my responsibilities as a parent and the duties that come with my job role, the truth is I barely have enough time for myself, much less make regular exercise a part of my daily routine.
However, fixing outdoor meetings with my clients at a location where it is convenient to take walks has helped me incorporate physical activities into a usually hectic workday. This has actually worked well for me and my clients because, by virtue of being out in the presence of nature, we are better disposed to make better decisions.
Edmafe Eclavea, Marketing Manager, Couponsnake
7. Mindful Stretching And Walking
One simple way to incorporate physical activity into a hectic workday is to stand up and do a mindful stretch, focusing on the neck and hip areas. These regions often hold the most tension; releasing it through subtle stretches can be revitalizing.
Another effective method is taking a mindful 3-5 minute walk, paying attention to your body and breathing. This practice helps to reconnect with your physical self and provides a refreshing mental break. Even a brief period of deep breathing and mindful attention, just 1-2 minutes, can have a profound cleansing and revitalizing effect.
These techniques have proven beneficial for my clients, helping them to reduce stress and increase overall well-being throughout their busy days.
Yana Carstens, Holistic Life & Wellness Coach, Realign And Thrive, LLC
8. Try ‘Exercise Snacking’ Throughout The Day
One simple way to incorporate physical activity into a hectic workday is through “exercise snacking.” This method involves taking short, intense bursts of exercise lasting from 60 seconds to 3 minutes, such as burpees, stair running, parking lot sprints, lunges, or high knees. The idea is to perform these exercises three times throughout your workday.
Emerging research, including work by experts like Dr. Rhonda Patrick and Dr. Casey Means, shows that these brief, vigorous activities can significantly reduce overall mortality rates by 30% or more. Additionally, studies indicate that breaking up your day with short bouts of exercise, such as doing 30 squats, lunges, or 10 push-ups on your desk three to four times a day, can be as effective for metabolic health as 30 minutes of moderate cardio.
I’ve personally incorporated exercise snacking into my routine on particularly busy days when I can’t fit in my usual workouts. Doing these mini-workouts two to three days a week has helped me stay active and experience the mental benefits of my regular exercise routine.
My clients who have adopted this approach also report feeling more energized and less mentally and physically stressed. This practice keeps them moving and promotes overall well-being, even during the busiest workdays.
Katie Carpenter, Executive Health And Wellness Coach, Deliberate Directions
source https://freeduhm.com/incorporate-physical-activity-into-a-hectic-workday/
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