How To Combine Activities To Stay Active During The Day

Having a dedicated time to workout at least a few days a week is key to achieving any fitness or health goals you set. But if you’re like most modern-day humans, you spend most of your day on your butt. 

Being sedentary is one of the worst things you can do for your health. Not only can an inactive lifestyle increase your risk of disease — it can increase your risk of premature death.

And that’s not to mention the other risks like weight gain, muscle loss, depression, and poor sleep. 

Our bodies were built to move, and a 30-minute pocket out of your day isn’t going to cut it. We know we need to prioritize moving throughout our day, but how can we do that when we’re so busy we barely have time to get to the gym? 

Simple: you combine activities. Comb through all of your daily responsibilities and see if there’s a way you can combine them with a form of exercise. 

Stuck? I have a few ideas. 

Walk on the treadmill and answer emails. 

Save all of your emails for the end of the day, and catch up on them while you’re at the gym. A 15-minute walk on the treadmill while answering emails on your phone can add some much-needed movement to your day. 

Take phone meetings during your daily walks. 

Chatting with clients and co-workers all day? Grab your headphones and go on a walk! You’ll burn some calories, get some steps in, and still make all of your meetings. 

Park far away and always take the stairs. 

You’ve seen these tips before I bet, and I’m adding them again here because they’re so simple and so effective. These two adjustments will add years to your life if you do them consistently. 

Get a standing desk. 

This one requires a little cash, but it’s so worth it. You don’t have to stand all day to get the benefits, just try to stand up in-between tasks or at least every hour. Recently, health experts have revealed that “sitting is the new smoking,” so try to limit your time in a chair as much as possible. 

Plan active social activities. 

We all love going out to eat and meeting friends for drinks — but our bodies do not. Try to make at least one or two of your social activities more physically active. Ask a friend to meet up for a walk or go for a hike. You could even join an adult sports league like softball or volleyball to really get your heart rate going.  

Get in 10,000 steps. 

If you're someone who likes to measure out everything they’re doing, 10,000 steps a day is a great goal to aim for. Meeting this consistently will increase your daily physical activity and keep you in great shape.