Each holiday season life seems to get busier and busier, which means less time for exercise and health. Sometimes it can seem like the business of the holiday season extends year-round. So, how do you make time for exercise, even when life is busy? Let’s go over some different tips that may help you fit exercise and health into your life.
Make it a family thing: Grab that baby and bench press them! Or teach children how to do yoga or go to a park where everyone can run around. Make it a point to get the family up and moving instead of turning on electronics (American Heart Association, 2018). For a great list of ways to get the family moving, check out this article from the American Heart Association.
Take turns watching children with your spouse or a friend: It may be difficult to get a few minutes away from children for exercise, especially if exercising with kids is an option that won’t work for you. Exchanging babysitting time with a friend or spouse may work for you to give you an hour or two to get moving.
Find the hotel gym: Travel much? If your answer is yes, this may be a good option for you. You’ll need to remember your exercise clothes, but most hotels have a gym that’s easy to access. Plan out your schedule to make time for exercise along with other events and activities.
At home workouts: Not enough time or money to run to the gym? Hit up an at-home workout. These can be done at your leisure. Scheduling and other motivators are important as it’s easy to miss at-home workouts with the reasoning that you’ll always have time to get to it later. You might try an accountability partner or leaving your workout clothes in a place where you will run into them frequently.
Space out workouts: 10–15-minute intervals spread throughout the day are OKAY! MyPlate recommends working out for 150 minutes per week (MyPlate, n.d.). However, they also say that it is okay to spread out your exercise throughout the day because it all adds up (MyPlate, n.d.). For example, you could workout 10 minutes in the morning, 10 in the afternoon, and 10 more in the evening and be at 30 minutes for the day! Also, here is a no brainer list of ways to help yourself be more active throughout the day.
As a motivating reminder, taking time for a workout can help you destress. The American Heart Association even has exercise down for one of the top 10 emergency stress stoppers (American Heart Association, 2021). Working out can also boost your mood, sharpen your focus, and improve your sleep (MyPlate, n.d.). So, let’s get moving!
