How to Incorporate More Movement into Everyday Life
When was the last time you worked out? Be honest with yourself; it’s okay. It’s hard to make time to exercise. As important as regular exercise is, sometimes, it just doesn’t happen.
Believing that you can depend on yourself and life’s circumstances to have a 30-60 minute block of time everyday for you to be physically active is a frivolous thought in the grand scheme of life. As hard as we try, as disciplined as we may be, the chaos of life has a way of trampling our idealistic plans. But what if we didn’t have to depend on that dedicated time to be physically active? We could skip a workout without doing a complete disservice to our overall health.
What if we lived a lifestyle that incorporated enough movement that “working out” was merely an elective or enrichment activity to our health rather than something we rely on to maintain physical health?
Most the Time
Health is far more affected by what you do MOST the time rather than the things you do some of the time. So what you do with the 23 other hours in the day is far more important than what you do for your 30-60 minute workout. For the rest of those 23 hours, we are all doing the same thing: living life.
That provokes the following question: How can we incorporate more physical movement into our ordinary daily living?
Everything in life still needs to get done. You still need to go to work, you still need to cook food, get the mail, do the dishes, run to the grocery store, and spend time with family. The answer to that question is much more simple than you might think despite all our busyness. With a little creativity and extra effort, all of those things can be more physical than how we are currently doing them.
Survival
Our natural instinct is to make things easier and to be efficient with our energy. Our brains are so good at finding ways for us to conserve energy for optimal survival. This is a great tool when we are living in the woods, gathering and hunting for food, and avoiding predators.
However, we are not in a live or die survival situation (most of the time at least) which means conserving all our energy can actually be a disadvantage to our health. That extra work we put into movement is not going to kill us even though it may feel more strenuous on our bodies. Sometimes our brains just need that little reminder: we aren’t going to die.
Practical Ways to Incorporate Movement Into Everyday Life
With the threat of imminent death out of the way, we can start getting creative with ways to make ordinary daily tasks use MORE physical energy. By incorporating movement into what you do everyday, you will inevitably become more active, smarter, stronger, and better!
Living an active lifestyle is much more effective in staying and remaining healthy without having to bank on a work out. So, let’s jump right into some ways to include more movement to the routine everyday tasks of life.
1.) Take the Stairs
If you have the option between the elevator or the stairs, choose the stairs! Depending on how far up you need to go, sometimes the stairs are faster than the elevator anyways!
2.) Walk and Talk
Rather than a sit down meeting, take it on a walk. The fresh air and movement can even be beneficial for creativity and problem solving! This does not only have to relate to meetings in the workplace; it applies to friends and family as well. In fact, going on a walk with your spouse or children can be a really great place to talk, especially for hard conversations. Additionally, you can take phone calls on a walk. I know a lot of people who already subconsciously pace when they talk on the phone. If this is not a habit of yours, why not consider it? You will have completed a necessary phone call and get some steps in all at once!
3.) Stand
We sit a lot. With so many jobs that involve sitting for long periods of time (if not most the day), it’s vital to our health to combat this stagnant state of immobility. Not only is sitting keeping you immobile, it can be catastrophic to our posture and overall physical AND mental health. If what you do at work doesn’t actually require sitting, try standing. You can invest in an adjustable standing desk to make this a feasible option for computer or paper work.
4.) Sit on an Exercise Ball
Although standing is a good alternative to sitting, it undeniably gets tiring after a while. Sometimes we need to sit down- and that’s okay!
If you are going to sit, try swapping out your chair for an exercise ball! It improves your balance, encourages better posture, strengthens your core, and gives you potential bouncing abilities when you’ve drank too much coffee, are feeling stressed, or just need to get some wiggles out!
“Yeah and look like a weirdo at the office? No way!” Here’s the deal: it’s better for you, and we are all out here trying to be better people than we were yesterday. No one can be upset at you for that. So who cares if what is best for you looks a little silly to someone else? Besides, you might just be the person who starts a chain reaction! Everyone could become better just because you were a leader in doing something good for yourself. It doesn’t hurt to try!
5.) Do your Tasks Outside
You are likely to move more when you are outside, even if you are doing the same task that you would inside. Countless times this summer I have brought my laptop outside to work on this blog. If you like to read, try reading on your front porch. If you need to put together your to-do list or complete a workout, take it outside! Ask yourself: what do I do inside that can be done outside?
Get more ideas of things you can do outside with my previous post: Get Outside.
6.) Play with your Children or Pets
Playing with your children is critical for your relationship and their development. If you take time to play with them, you are sure to get your body moving. The key is to play how THEY want to play. Not how YOU want to play.
If you play the way your young child wants to play, you will end up outside huffing and puffing while you chase each other around. Although I much prefer sitting down quietly doodling with color crayons, my 2 year old would much rather jump on a trampoline or run to and fro. Playing how they want to play is two fold: their bond with you is incredibly strengthened, and you end up physically moving. It’s not always easy to enjoy playing with kids, but try to find the joy in their play, their way. (This can also be applied to pets, who also tend to have an unlimited supply of energy.)
7.) Flex your Abs
Right now, flex your abs. Bam, you just worked your core a little more than you would’ve before. I love this one because it reminds you to keep your core engaged, which is something we all should be doing regularly. Additionally, this is something you can do anywhere while doing anything!
You can flex and hold or flex in sets of 10, rest, and continue. It’s not hard, and this list isn’t meant to be! You can include this option to any situation and get more movement in life without using up any extra time, money, or resources.
8.) Do More Things
Do more things? I know we live in an over-glorified busy culture. We do enough as it is. However, when is the last time you’ve actually planned out an evening?
It’s easy to come home from work and do nothing. I’m not saying we should overwhelm ourselves with even more things, but finding things to do at home in the evenings will be more satisfying in the long run and keep you moving whether they are productive or purely recreational. If we are being honest here, most of us waste that time anyway by watching tv or scrolling for an embarrassing amount of time on social media. We are lazier than we might think despite our “busy” culture. I realized this after taking a peak at my daily average screen time hours- oofta, that is humbling!
On your way home from work, think about a room you’d like cleaned, a project you want to accomplish, a workout you’ve been pushing off, or a game you want to play with the family! It doesn’t even have to involve a lot of movement- just doing more will inevitably make you move more!
9.) Park in the Back
Lucky for us, the back of the parking lot is always open! You have to park to walk in the store anyways, might as well take the opportunity to make it a brisk walk workout in and out of the store. As my good friend likes to call it, it’s a “free workout.”
10.) Have More Sex
We love our spouses, and what better way to end the day than with this heart pounding activity? Okay, I know my main audience is women, and you probably just came up with at least 3 better ways to end the day on the spot. But hear me out, this is a beautiful part of your relationship that’s worth investing in. It’s good for your marriage and your physical health. Let yourself enjoy this with your husband. It’s made to be a good thing. 🩷
11.) Wear Tennis Shoes (Instead of Crocs)
I don’t know if there is any science to this, but I take more steps and feel much more active when I’m wearing tennis shoes. I end up moving faster, more often, and seemingly have abundant energy out of nowhere. Yes, crocs are easy, crocs are convenient, crocs are comfy. They’re just… too comfy. You won’t catch me running, jumping or bouncing around in crocs, but there’s just something about the tennis shoes that makes me feel more mobile. Maybe it’s just me, but try it out and let me know in the comments: do you move more or feel more energetic when you wear tennis shoes? Honest answers- I’m curious!
12.) Do Calf Raises While Waiting in Line
You have to stand in line anyways, might as well use that time for something that will serve you in the long run. Again, people might notice, but you are living this life for you, not for them. Not to mention, most people are in their own worlds and don’t actually care that much about what you are doing. Especially, in Walmart (which is the only place I ever end up standing in line these days).
If you don’t know what calf raises are, all you have to do is lift yourself onto your tippy toes, hold for a moment as you flex your calves to keep yourself up, then drop back down to your heels. It takes 2 seconds- if that. It sounds easy until you’ve done them for 2 minutes straight. Trust me, this small movement works.
13.) Limit Phone Time and Use App Limits
With a world run by technology, it’s important to set positive boundaries around what we do with it to avoid wasting our whole lives away looking at a screen. Especially since it’s so easy to sit down to check Facebook for just 5 minutes only to look up from your phone 20 minutes later realizing that you’ve gained nothing valuable from that experience.
Here’s something to think about; we will easily scroll on social media for half an hour without a second thought, but what if you sat down and didn’t instinctively grab your phone? Would you sit there for 30 minutes staring at nothing? No. You would get bored and get up to DO something. (Aka putting your body in motion, even if it’s not necessarily “productive”) Limit your screen time, and you will move more.
Something that I found extremely helpful was discovering that I can set a timer on my phone for different apps via your phone’s settings. If you don’t have the internal discipline or time management when you are scrolling, this is a really effective option. You can also keep your phone in a different room than you during the times of the day where you want to be fully present or use do not disturb and personalize what contacts you want to buzz through.
There are many ways to put limits on your screen time, but these have been my favorite and most effective ways to help me stop wasting so much precious life on technology.
14.) Walk to Get the Mail
Whether your driveway is short or long, we all have stopped to get the mail in our cars on the way up to the house. This works well. However, if you want to up your steps, skip the mailbox on the way in, settle into your home and take the family on a walk to get the mail. Besides, who is really in that big of a rush to get the bills and window advertisements that came in the mail that day anyways?
15.) Squat to Pick Things Up
If you’re a mom or a wife, I know you’re always picking things up: toys, laundry, dishes, bullet casings, books, tools, you name it. I see you, it’s annoying. Try taking advantage of the opportunity by squatting (or lunging) every time you pick something up. As I look up at my living room, I can spot 8 different things that I could pick up right now. That would give me 8 whole squats- in just ONE room of the house! Ladies, if we start doing this everyday, we could probably ditch any workout we are doing, because this will have us covered! 😅
16.) Do the Dishes
This never ending task is my least favorite of all chores. Nonetheless, it needs to be done. Whether you stand to hand wash, dance to some music, pump out some calf raises while putting the dishes away, or do “good mornings” while loading and emptying the dishwasher, you can effortlessly make this daily activity a workout.
17.) Walk on your Lunch Breaks
If you get a lunch break at work, you are probably getting at least a 30 minute break to eat. That is a long time considering it only takes 15-20 minutes to eat a full meal. Take that extra time to indulge on a peaceful walk to get some movement in as well as reset your mind before finishing out the day.
18.) Shop In-Store
If you have young kids, I totally understand ordering online and utilizing the pick-up option. It’s hard to drag your 2 year old through the grocery store while struggling to get your 8 month old baby to stop crying just to pick up some toilet paper, apples, ground beef, and children’s toothpaste. Nevertheless, physically walking in-store ensures you get what you are looking for without waiting for shipping and will inevitably require you to be more physically active.
19.) Dance
If you hear music, move with it. You’ll be surprised at how many places have music going on in the background! It doesn’t have to be obnoxious, even just a gentle sway to the beat will have you moving more than you would’ve before. As the African proverb says, if you can walk, you can dance.
20.) Do an Active Hobby Instead of TV
Watching TV is an easy go-to when people are bored. Rather than watching TV, find yourself a hobby! For some really great hobby ideas that will get you moving and be a fun time, check out these awesome Workout Alternatives!
21.) Walk In-Place or on a Treadmill while Watching TV
However, if you are going to watch TV, investing in a treadmill could be a really awesome tool to help you stay moving! You can also walk in place while you keep up on your shows!
22.) Do Something During Commercial Breaks
During the commercials, challenge yourself to a plank, some burpees, or push-ups. It doesn’t have to be that extreme if you would prefer to stick with something easier like arm circles, twists, or simple stretches. Take the break times for something more productive than phone scrolling or watching advertisements for products you’ll never buy.
23.) Walk Faster
I love this one for so many reasons: it gets your heart rate up, it’s more efficient to get places faster, and it requires no extra thought or work. You are taking the same steps as you normally would- just faster! It’s so simple!
24.) Ride your Bike or Walk to Work
This may not be possible, but is a really wonderful option if you work only a few blocks away. When I worked in town, I walked about a half mile to work when the weather was nice. It was a really wonderful way to get mentally prepared for work as well as decompress on the way home while getting in some daily movement!
25.) Be Aware of your Muscles and Engage Them
It’s incredible what being mindful of your muscles can do for your physical health. Simply being aware of what muscles are working will enable you to focus, flex and engage those muscles more as you work them. For example, when you are climbing up the stairs, be mindful of your muscles and you can squeeze your glutes as you step up. It will work your body more because you are now using your muscles to lift you rather than your whole body’s forward momentum. When you carry in your grocery bags, engage your biceps as you lift them out of the trunk of the car and place them on top of the counter with a bicep curl.
We use our muscles all day, everyday! The trick to building muscle without relying solely on working out is to engage them in a way that works to build muscle as opposed to doing the easiest option.
It really is the little things that add up to a lot. A little bit more effort throughout the day adds up to a lot of activity! I absolutely believe you should work out when you can, but the truth is life can get in the way. Create a lifestyle of using and engaging your muscles where you can will leave you healthier, happier, and stronger!