Finding Movement As A Working Professional
So, you want to find movement in your day – let's get into it. Finding movement in your day doesn’t need to be stressful or time-consuming. “I have to go to the gym” or “I have to go on a run” or even “If I don’t go, I will fail”, I am sure we have all heard these phrases before. Movement is simple and today we are going to dive into how you can find easy ways to add movement into your day-to-day as a working professional.
The benefits of movement, we all know them – we have heard it our entire lives. Staying active = staying healthy, improves cardiovascular health, enhances mood, and can increase productivity and learning. Now that we know why we should be more active, let’s dive into how we can do that.
Starting off your day with even 10-20 minutes of movement can get your day off on the right foot and more energy. As simple as waking up 20-minutes earlier to incorporating a quick walk, bike ride, or jog into your morning – you get it out of the way and you don’t have to worry about it after work. What about during work? Find small bursts of movement while at work, (1) take a lap around the office or building in-between long meetings, (2) take a 10 to 15 minute walks during your lunch break, and (3) do some light stretching in your desk chair between meetings or simple throughout your day to keep your body comfortable.
Now what about after work...
“I don’t have enough time”
“I am too tired”
“It is dark outside now”
Reframe your thinking!
“I can wake up 30 minutes earlier and get it done in the morning”
“Being active will bring me more energy, I just need to start”
“I can still find movement indoors”
Now there are reasons where you absolutely cannot be active (kids, late meetings, feeling sick, etc) and that is 100% okay. But how can you work with your specific schedule and find ways to still incorporate movement into your day or your week. A few ideas are below:
Taking a walk during your lunch break
Waking up 30 minutes earlier to start your day
Heading straight to the gym after work
Taking your kids to the park to play with them
You need to find what is going to work best for YOUR SPECIFIC LIFESTYLE. That is the one-way, sustainable changes will be made and you will create the healthy lifestyle that you are looking for and works with you.
Here are the final steps below to consider on where to start:
Build a routine and consistent sleep schedule
Brainstorm what movement do you enjoy doing and is this attainable for you
Write down that movement and when you will add it to your day or week
Calendar, phone alert, piece of paper, etc.
Follow through – try at least for 3 weeks and then modify accordingly
There is no better time to start then tomorrow – build a plan today you can do this!