Simple Ways to Exercise When You’re Short on Time

Finding time to exercise might be challenging if you are already juggling a number of other commitments. Having a regular job, personal life, family duties, or school can often make it difficult to stay consistent or even make it to your workouts. For example, if you have a hectic schedule, working out may not be at the top of your to-do list even when you finally have a few minutes of spare time. That being said, it’s vital to find the time for exercise. Even if it’s only a short session. In fact, even a 10-minute workout can be enough to keep you feeling energized and healthy. And, not to mention all the benefits working out can have on mental health as well.

This is why today we will offer some ways to fit exercise into your schedule. Therefore, without further ado, here are a few simple ways to exercise when you’re short on time.

1. Make Walking or Cycling Your Primary Mode of Transportation

Way too many people out there underestimate the benefits of walking. Just because it doesn’t make you sweat doesn’t mean its not a good exercise. That’s what makes it so good. Walking and cycling are incredibly low-impact forms of cardio. This means that you can do almost endless amounts of it without having to worry about recovery. So, if you have a regular commute to and from work or school, you can try commuting on foot or by bicycle. This way, you won’t be wasting any time whatsoever.

Even if you can’t walk the whole distance, you can attempt to walk at least part of the way home. And, do this at least a couple of times per week. Adding fitness to your daily routine doesn’t have to take up too much time if you combine walking with public transportation. Similarly, as we’ve said, if you use public transportation during your free time, consider alternatives. For example, ask yourself whether or not you could make the journey on foot. For some, walking is a great stress reliever and physical activity.

2. Exercise During Lunch Break

Working out around lunch can seem impossible for some. But, if you have an hour for lunch, you may have time to exercise and still finish eating. While eating should be your priority at lunch, you might utilize the first part of your hour to do some exercise. Also, if you spend most of your day at a desk, get up and walk about every so often. In fact, brief bouts of activity that increase the heart rate and the muscles working count as exercise. Therefore, even if you’re not on break, you can get up from your desk. And, do a few jumping jacks or pushups to get the heart pumping. It’s the same as working out at home without any equipment. Just make sure that you are not disturbing anyone else around you.

3. Stop Avoiding the Stairs

There are several opportunities to include physical activity in your everyday routine. For example, use a restroom on the other side of the building. Also, using the stairs is one of the best “along the way” forms of exercising. And, do this even if you have to get off the elevator a few floors before you reach your destination. By the way. using the stairs is an excellent method to exercise without making any major lifestyle changes. Ditching the lift altogether is fantastic unless you’re working or living on the 50th floor. Using stairs whenever possible is going to do wonders for your conditioning, as well as your health. And, its an excellent example of finding time to exercise.

You’d be surprised how effective a workout climbing stairs can be if you do it frequently.

4. Put Your Waiting Time to Good Use

We spend a lot of time waiting around. For example, it may be waiting for a load of laundry to complete washing. Or, it may be for the kettle to boil, supper to be prepared, and more. Skipping rope, squatting, and doing sit ups are just a few of the many workouts you may perform when you have a few moments to spare. Working out for brief intervals at various times of the day may be an efficient method to increase physical activity without feeling like you have to sacrifice too much of your spare time.

5. Get Your Workout in – First Thing in the Morning

One practical strategy for incorporating exercise into a hectic schedule is to do it first thing in the morning. You may get in a fast workout at home or in the backyard by waking up half an hour earlier than usual. You can be active without feeling like you’re sacrificing other daytime priorities if you work out at a time when you would otherwise be asleep. With that in mind, if you want to maximize your morning workouts, you might want to create a nice home gym for yourself.

If you are pressed for time, getting up 30 minutes earlier to fit in your workout is a good idea.

Contrary to what many people think, you don’t need to create a lot of space to do this; you need to create a functional space. This is a space where you will be able to place all of the necessary equipment. Setting up a small home gym is not only going to allow you to do more effective workouts, but it is also going to motivate you to stay consistent. Anybody who has tried to get up early and go to the gym knows how easy it is to lose motivation. Home gyms are a much better solution, especially for people who don’t have a lot of time.

6. Do High-Intensity Training

If you don’t want to wake up early, walk to work, or do jumping jacks during your lunch break, you can always just do some high-intensity training. There is nothing more time efficient than doing sprints or circuit training with heavy weights. If you don’t have a lot of time but still want to be healthy and in shape, doing short bursts of high-intensity training that leaves you panting is going to pay off.

Conclusion

So, if finding time to exercise is an issue for you, these simple ways to exercise when you’re short on time, you can stay in shape even with a busy schedule. If you don’t have time to go to the gym after work, you don’t have to let your workout fall by the wayside. There are plenty of things you can do to get in shape without leaving your home. The important thing is that you find a way to stay active and fit no matter what your schedule looks like.