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For those of us with busy lives, it can be hard to find time to go to the gym or go for a jog. Commitments like work, childcare and housework can often take priority. And when we finally do get some free time, spending that free time doing a workout is often the last thing we feel like doing. 

This results in many of us not getting the amount of exercise we need. But what if exercise didn’t have to take up so much extra time from your day? By finding ways to make workouts shorter and by combining them with other everyday tasks, it may be possible to more easily slot a workout into your day. Below are 5 tips for doing this.

Embrace HIIT workouts

High intensity interval training (HIIT) workouts are designed to pack a lot of exercise into a short amount of time. They’re largely cardio-focused - which means they’re great for improving heart health and burning fat. This post offers more information on the impact of HIIT workouts. 

A HIIT workout can be as short as 20 minutes. You can also carry out these workouts practically anywhere whether it be at the park or at home. This makes them a very flexible form of workout that you can easily fit around commitments.

You should aim to do 2 to 3 HIIT workouts per week in order to get results. These could be done first thing in the morning, during your lunch break or in the evening - whenever you’re able to find a spare 20 minutes. 

Turn housework into exercise

Instead of having to choose between housework and a workout, why not do both at the same time? Housework is typically quite physically active, but often not enough to truly work a sweat up. However, it can be turned into a workout by combining exercises into household chores.

A few examples of how integrate exercise into housework include:

• Doing squats and leg raises while doing the washing up.

• Incorporating lunges while doing vacuuming - as well as going the extra mile to lift furniture and vacuum behind. 

• Putting clean laundry away HIIT-style - this could include putting away 5 items of clothes and then doing five reps of an exercise (such as squats, sit-ups or push-ups) and then repeating until you’ve put away all the laundry.

Work out while catching up on TV

It’s also possible to exercise and catch up on your favourite TV shows at the same time. This could be a way to incorporate exercise in the evening without having to leave the house.

One of the best ways to do this is to watch TV while cycling on an exercise bike. You can still give the TV your whole focus while also getting a cardio workout.

This type of exercise may not be ideal for everyone - some people may prefer to reserve watching TV as strictly a downtime activity. However, for others it could still be an effective way to blow off steam. 

Replace short drives with bike rides

Many of us use our car to run small local errands that could be easily done via a bike. By cycling these small journeys instead of taking the car, you could get a small amount of exercise into your day, and it won’t take that much more time than driving it (in some cities in rush hour you could even make your journey quicker by cycling it).

A bicycle with a basket could even enable you to go grocery shopping. You may not be able to do a whole week’s shop, but when you need to pick one or two items, a bike could be all you need. 

Get active with the family

You also shouldn’t have to choose between exercise and family time. There are many forms of exercise that you can do with your family, which could be fun at the weekend. This could include going for a family bike ride together, going swimming at the local pool, playing games at the park or even simply going on a walk together.

Got very young kids? You could consider using an infant carrier or a sling to go on walks. There are also bicycles you can buy with carriages or seats for young kids, as well as prams you can buy that are made for jogging. These could allow you to get some exercise into your day without having to ask someone to look after your little one.

 

We all could do more for ourselves but why don’t we? It’s often the case that we prioritize others over ourselves, even when it comes to our health and well-being. This guilt that many of us feel for prioritizing ourselves first is normal to feel but it’s something that shouldn’t be the case.

After all, how can you expect to give to others the best version of yourself when you’re not taking care of number one, first and foremost? Even with children, it’s important to prioritize your needs in order to help care for them properly and in the best way possible.

There are lots of opportunities to improve your own health and well-being for the better - and it starts this year. Here are ten ways to help improve your health and well-being for the better.

 

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1. Focus on me, myself and I

Preach it louder for the people in the back - it’s me, myself and I. Much like the lyrics by the iconic Beyonce, it’s all about focusing on your own needs and self-worth before giving it openly to others.

When we don’t focus on ourselves, we lose sight of not only what we want but need from life. By prioritizing others, it’s making you feel less valuable and that lack of self-worth can be dangerous. Being mindful of yourself and the steps you take to focus on yourself are two important qualities that anyone should have.

Remember, in order to give your best to others, you have to feel your best. That can only happen when you spend more time on yourself as a majority to spending it on others. It’s also nothing to feel guilty about too, you’re the one living your life after all.

2. Cut out toxic friendships or relationships

Toxic friendships and relationships are something that can occur in anyone’s life and some may draw more of these relationships to their door than others.

Every relationship you have, whether it’s sexual or purely platonic, is something that will become a learning curve in life. You start to understand from the bad experiences, what you should expect when it comes to good relationships.

However, it can often be the case that some are falling into the same trap each time - which isn’t healthy for your well-being. Try to identify any relationships that are currently toxic and plan to cut these out.

Step away from these individuals and casually fade them out of your life. Friendships come and go all the time, so it’s better to do it this way than to cause confrontation that will only stress you out further as a result. If you struggle to say no, find someone who can help motivate you to get rid of these individuals in life that aren’t doing you any favors.

3. Take time off social media

Social media can be challenging at the best of times and for many generations, they’ve either grown up with it in its infancy or it’s all they’ve ever known when growing up.

It’s important to try and take time off of social media because even those who grew up with it, need a break from it.

Social media and the digital world are everywhere. Right now, you’re reading something on digital platforms - there’s no escape! However, being able to step away from social media for a period of time is a great way to relax and enjoy the finer things in life.

 

Try to find times to detox from social media and to relax away from anything digital for a period of time. It’s refreshing, to say the least!

4. Keep active

Staying active is important in this day and age, especially as none of us is getting any younger. As we get older, we become more aware of how vulnerable our bodies can be. You hit a certain age and everything starts aching a little bit more. Injuries take a lot longer to repair themselves and you’ve started groaning when you’re getting up and sitting down.

Sound familiar? If it does, then it’s time to get active and to build the body up to be a machine that is fit and is still able to do all the things you could do some ten or twenty years ago.

5. Try alternative supplements

There are a lot of alternative medicines and supplements out there that can be helpful when it comes to improving your health and well-being. For those that get stressed out, the use of Delta 9 THC gummies might be helpful. If you’re someone who gets sick with the common cold, having more supplements may avoid this for the most part.

Alternative supplements can be a great option for those who are looking to better their health and mental well-being which cannot otherwise be achieved.

6. Get outdoors more often

Getting into the great outdoors is fantastic for a person’s well-being. There are lots of opportunities to get outdoors but not everyone opts for a walk around the local town or a trip to the park. It’s very commonplace now that digital devices take over instead, which means younger kids aren’t getting the same exposure to the outdoors that older generations once did.

It’s worth finding more time to explore the outdoors and to make the most of the fresh air. It’s not only good for the soul but it’s great for keeping fit and healthy. Staying indoors for too long is going to stifle a person’s happiness.

7. Try something new for a change

For those that are finding life a little monotonous, it’s always good to shake things up a little. Whether you live in the city or in the suburbs, it’s important to try new activities in the local area. If you’re someone who hasn’t travelled for a while, why not book a spontaneous trip somewhere? It might be just what you need in order to get out and about for a change.

Sometimes it’s cathartic to try something you’ve not done before and it can be a reminder to live life with a bit more adventure!

8. Stay hydrated

It’s important to try and stay hydrated when it comes to improving your health and well-being. It’s often surprising just how effective a few pints of water can make to your health and energy levels in general.

Drinking water can be more challenging for some, so try to mix it up every now and then. Perhaps you could put some fresh fruit in your water to add a little flavoring? 

9. Get enough sleep every night

Sleep is important to get every night and when it comes to getting a good night’s sleep, several hours of sleep are required. If you’re not getting enough sleep each night, it can not only affect your health in the physical sense, but it can also have an impact on your mental well-being too.

Try to get more sleep each night and focus on winding down at the end of the night so that you can fall asleep more easily. Sometimes, it’s a case of setting up the right atmosphere in the bedroom to get to sleep sooner.

10. Avoid reliance on alcohol 

Alcohol is one of those drugs that many of us can have in small amounts but when you become reliant on it, it’s a whole different story. To help keep yourself fit and healthy, try to limit the amount you drink and avoid a reliance on alcohol too.

Improving your health and well-being is going to benefit your future self in more ways than one.