Raise your hand if you swore that this would be the year that you’d finally fit those pesky workouts into your day. You promised yourself that you would never slack off, only to find that after a particularly busy day, you don’t have the energy to actually squeeze your workout in. If this is you, don’t worry, you’re most certainly not alone. Between navigating this new normal we live in and checking in on your mental and emotional wellbeing, it can be difficult to muster up the willpower to exercise, especially if you are someone who has struggled with a fitness routine in the past. But integrating active movement into your life doesn’t have to be a chore! Ahead, we’ve got four hacks to help you get up and moving without having to drastically change your daily routine.
No time to fit in an hour-long workout? Why not break your fitness sesh into bitesize pockets of activity spread throughout the day. There are plenty of quick five to 10 minute options for movement that you can squeeze into your routine – think of it as a productivity break that’ll only make you more focused! I’m a fan of using these mini breaks for yoga flows, like the ones from Yoga with Adriene or Gooddays Activewear (a local brand!). I also love Headspace’s walking meditations (which you can do outdoors or within your home) to kill two birds with one stone.
Read more: 8 Habits To Improve Your Mental Health
Ever since the waterfront connecting Kennedy Town and Wan Chai finally opened, I have been obsessed with turning my coffee catch ups with friends into an afterwork sunset walk. Clocking in at around 5km one way, it’s the ideal way to hit your 10,000 steps, get a dose of fresh air away from your house and socialise with your friends in an active way (remember to still wear your mask and maintain a safe distance). If waterfronts aren’t your vibe, a simple walk around the block is also a great way to catch up with friends (in person or virtually!) – you never know what cute coffee shop is hidden right around the corner!
You’d be surprised at how little attention people pay to their posture compared to which fancy workout to attempt. Simply sitting in a proper chair with your computer at the right height does wonders for your spine and activates your core. You may think the effect is minimal, but that activated core and good posture is going to make sure that your body moves in the healthiest way possible for the rest of your day.
If you find yourself sat at your desk all day, make sure to take a few minutes every hour to stretch your back and your neck to ensure you don’t end up hunched over a keyboard for hours on end. If you want an extra challenge, find a space around you to act as a standing desk or invest in a desk converter. You’ll be activating all sorts of muscles while you carry on working – if that isn’t efficient, I don’t know what is!
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Okay, hear me out – doing bicep curls with a water bottle while waiting for your kettle to boil may look silly, but the gains you’ll build over time will be well worth it. The same goes for bodyweight squats or planks. These functional exercises will not only get the blood flowing (making you more productive and focused), they’ll also take away your boredom! I did a 30-day plank challenge once (where you hold a plank for a minute every day) and I can confirm that my core did in fact get much stronger. So, the next time you find yourself on hold with your bank, put your phone on speaker and do twenty push ups. Your body will thank you.
Featured image courtesy of jacoblund via Getty Images, image 1 courtesy of cottonbro via Pexels, image 2 courtesy of Sassy Media Group, image 3 courtesy of Standsome Worklifestyle via Unsplash, image 4 courtesy of Aja Koska via Getty Images.
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