How to sneak movement into your life everyday

“I definitely can achieve twice as much by keeping fit. It keeps the brain functioning well.”  - Sir Richard Branson

One key habit of resilient individuals is daily, intentional physical activity or movement. It takes time and effort to take care of your body. No argument here. But it’s incredibly important to find time to move often. Not only does moving your body make you look and feel great – it is also linked to improved concentration and recall, faster learning, increased mental stamina, enhanced creativity and longevity! The benefits of physical activity are too important to ignore.

Although it is common sense that movement is critical for our health, performance and vitality it is not common practice. Many of us are too busy to make time for the physical activity we want to do. For others, moving the body isn't even on the radar. In today's frantic world it is extremely hard to find time for new habits, even healthy new habits like a movement routine.

Thankfully, there are lots of ways to nudge yourself into moving often without having to go to the gym or block off a lot of time. What's better, these simple and unobtrusive practices can easily fit into the nooks and crannies of every single day.

1. Build movement in throughout your day. If you’re in a position where you can walk or bike to work, that can be a start to your day that’s both active and relaxing. Even consider walking part way – get off the subway a few stops early; park far from the office. If you need feedback on how much you are walking consider a pedometer such as a fit bit to motivate you to walk more. Always take the stairs.
2. Sit less, stand & move more. At your workplace, do you sit in a normal office chair? If so, consider shifting to a standing desk, which exercises your leg muscles much more actively than you would while sitting passively. Also consider introducing walking meetings or standing meetings for groups of 3 or more. Another advantage to non-sitting meetings is they keep the participants alert and focused.
3. Recruit some friends. It is not only more fun to walk or go to a group class with a friend – it is also a form of accountability. Grab a friend or two for a hike, jog, bike ride or leisurely stroll.
4. Carve out 10 minutes. Can you find 10 minutes in your day for some strength training? Here is a program that I cannot talk myself out of because it only takes 10 minutes, gets my heart rate up but doesn’t get me sweating. There are 10 different workouts – five upper body, five lower body.  You can buy them for only $19 USD directly from this page by clicking HERE.

Want to learn more about how to become healthier, happier and stronger? Consider our ICF Accredited Certified Resilience Coach Program to learn how to embody and cultivate resilience in self and others. 

The Leadership Wellness Group helps busy individuals prioritize their health and wellness in today’s hyper-scheduled, 24/7 competitive work environment.