Fitting Exercise into a Busy Schedule

Getting regular physical activity is easier said than done. Many people have busy schedules, and this is where priority comes into play. If you make exercise a priority, you are more likely to engage in it than someone who has not. Whether it be because you know of the health benefits or because you enjoy exercising, regular physical activity will bring positive benefits, either physical, mental or emotional. 

Physical activity does not have to all be done at the same time in your day. Short periods of exercise have been found to be just as beneficial than if you had gone to the gym for 30 minutes to 1 hour. This means using the stairs, taking walks on coffee breaks, and doing a few jumping jacks here and a few there, add up. You can wake up 15 minutes early to go on a short run or walk. You can set 15 minutes aside before bedtime to do some stretching. If you typically watch television each night, use that time to get some exercise. If you have free hand weights at home, use them. If you have a treadmill or elliptical, use it during this time. If you do not enjoy physical activity, doing an activity at the same time that you do enjoy will help pass the time. 

Take pictures on a walk, hike with a friend, walk briskly while shopping at the mall. Everything counts.