With everything going on in your life, you’ll be lucky if you’re still finding the time to squeeze in a good night’s sleep. Between making sure that you’re not missing any deadlines at work, maintaining your social life, and finding the time to focus on your own needs, it can be difficult to fit in anything else.
However, all this activity can take a toll on your body. Sooner or later, you’ll find yourself waking up tired even when you’ve had eight hours of sleep. Or it could be that you’re exhausted from merely walking around the supermarket to get your groceries. All these signs can show that you lack physical activity in your life.
Walking to and from your desk when you’re getting coffee in the pantry doesn’t count as exercise unless you’re doing it more than ten times a day. But hopefully not because too much caffeine is bad for your health. If you’re only moving your body out of necessity, it can still be considered living a sedentary lifestyle.
It may be the easier choice now because you’d rather sit back and watch your favorite shows after work instead of working out, but in a few years, you may come to regret not exercising more often. The effects of your choices today will affect the future you, and when it happens, it might be too late to do anything about them.
So, if you want to start changing your lifestyle habits as early as now, you’ve come to the right place. Don’t back out before you’ve given it a chance because implementing change in your life doesn’t have to be done all at once. The key to this is taking baby steps; here’s how you can start changing your ways:
Ride a Bike to Work
If you’re not living far from the office, you might want to consider riding a bicycle to work instead of taking your car. Besides the fact that you can reduce your carbon footprint and save money on gas, you’ll also be able to exercise your whole body in the process. So, it’s like hitting three birds with one stone.
Get a Standing Desk
Being sat in front of your computer all day at work can take a toll on your back and hips, especially if you don’t move around the office often. If you have the option to replace your table, consider switching to a standing desk so that you can alternate between sitting and standing while you’re working on your tasks.
Take the Stairs
If you’re only going up a few floors, consider taking the stairs instead of the elevator or escalator to increase your steps for the day. It might cause you to break into a sweat or catch your breath the first few times, but over time, you’ll gradually build up your stamina. So, take the stairs if you’re not in a hurry to get to where you’re going.
Squeeze in Workouts
Contrary to what you may have been led to believe, workouts don’t always have to be too extreme or difficult. When you’re having a relatively lax day, consider squeezing in an arm or leg workout, which you can easily do at your desk. Or you can also do a quick 30-minute workout session when you get home.
If you tend to be sore after workout sessions, you might want to invest in an advanced cupping therapy kit that can help you relieve the tension in your muscles and ease your back pains. This way, you wouldn’t have to worry about coming in to work sore and unable to move without pulling your muscles in the process.
Play Sports on Weekends
It might not be feasible to play games with your friends or family during weeknights, but you should consider playing sports on the weekends. This could even be your new go-to bonding activity, which will allow you to have fun and lose calories at the same time. You can play badminton, golf, tennis, volleyball, basketball, or you can even go swimming. The choice is up to you.
Remember that any kind of physical activity will be better than not doing anything at all. If you don’t want to regret not prioritizing your health and well-being when you get older, you have to put in the work today, even if it’s only replacing your unhealthy lifestyle habits for healthier ones.
This way, you’ll know that you don’t just settle for whatever works for you because it’s what your hectic schedule allows. Of course, your work is crucial because it’s how you earn a living and put food on the table, but it should never come at the cost of your health. Your health and well-being should always come first.