Sneak a Workout into the Busiest Day

We all know that working out is one of the best things we can do for ourselves to stay healthy and stress free. But let’s face it: Our lives are so busy that there are some days where squeezing in exercise seems next to impossible. This time of the year is especially tough, with the frenzy of holidays, social gatherings and, if you’ve got children, back-to-school events preventing us from getting enough workout time. There are some weeks where you fear you might not see your running shoes or yoga pants at all.

But here’s something to get you pumped up: There’s absolutely no reason to avoid working out, even when your calendar is jam-packed and your to-do list is a mile long. Actually those are the times when working out is probably most crucial to your wellbeing. Increasing your heart rate and releasing those amazing endorphins help to keep you focused and sane. The key is to get creative, and to learn how to sneak in some exercise no matter where you are and how busy you are. Make yourself and your workouts a priority, and there’s nothing you can’t accomplish.

Here are some fun tips to help get you started in exercising power over your busy day.

Plan ahead. On our busiest days, sneaking in a workout requires thinking ahead and, at times, multitasking. One of the best things you can do to make things easier on yourself during the week is to make dinner the night before, or make several meals on the weekend. This way, you can work out during that precious hour you usually spend cooking in the kitchen. If you’ve got kids to take care of, have them put down their computer games and bring them with you to a local high-school track where you can all run and burn off some calories. If you’ve got a dog, take him on a long hike or even a jog and you’ll both be good and tired by the end of the day.

Be an early bird. Wake up before everyone else in the house—this time is just for you and your sweat. Setting the alarm an hour early can be painful in the beginning, but starting out the day on the right beat is well worth the price. When it’s the first thing on your day’s to-do list, exercise doesn’t compete with work, household tasks and the other important stuff in your life. It’s the perfect time to focus on yourself and your needs, and to think about the answers to life’s questions. It’s no wonder some consider exercise a form of therapy. Even if you wake up tired you’re guaranteed to feel more refreshed after you break a sweat; the endorphins your body releases during a workout will leave you in a great mood. In high school, I had a great track coach who gave us posters for our rooms that said, “Either you ran today or you didn’t.” When that alarm goes off at 6 a.m., think about how you’re going to feel later in the day if you didn’t.

Don’t sit still at work. So you have put in long hours at the office today? Consider walking, biking, running or even roller-blading to work. Or use your lunch hour to head to the gym. Even 45 minutes is enough to get in a quick workout and take a quick shower, and you can buy yourself even more time by brown-bagging your lunch or catching a smoothie at the gym. It’s also possible to break a sweat without ever leaving the office. Take the stairs instead of the elevator. Walk to a colleague’s desk instead of calling or emailing her. Move around while you’re brainstorming ideas or talking on the phone. If you’ve got your own office, stash some workout equipment in the corner and tune in to a conference call while running on the treadmill. Recent studies show that sitting less during the day may even help you live longer, so whatever you do, keep moving.

Park strategically. If you don’t have time for an official workout, but need to run around town doing errands, park farther than usual so that you need to walk more. Heading to the mall? Be like Clark Griswold and park at the entrance—not just so that you’ll be the first one to get out, but also to force yourself to walk an extra quarter-mile to the entrance. Again, take the stairs instead of the escalator, and keep moving. An added perk: Walking or biking to the grocery store not only increases your calorie expenditure, but can also avoid superfluous purchases. There’s nothing like lugging around 30 pounds of groceries to make you question just how badly you want that gallon of ice cream.

Be playful. Most kids don’t have a weight problem, because they’re always on the move. Take a cue from the little ones and make unstructured play an important part of your day. Chase your kids at the park. Run with your dogs. Engaging in playful activity will not only improve your relationships, but also create lasting memories. Sign up for a mud run with your colleagues. Go on a bowling date night with your partner. Drag a few girlfriends out for a fun group exercise class. For more inspiration on how to have a good time working out, check out our 12 amazing and fun workout trends.

Use your surroundings. Ever hear of parkour? It’s a holistic training discipline that requires athletes to use only two things to get an incredible workout: their bodies and their surroundings, which can include everything from staircase rails to trees. They make their world a playground, so to speak, and you can too. You may not be jumping onto buildings, like parkour experts do. But you can walk up and down a small flight of stairs while you’re waiting for your car to be washed. You can do calf raises while you’re waiting for the bus or standing in line at the store. While you’re driving to an appointment or sitting in a meeting, you can do isometric exercises or the “commuter crunch,” where you tuck in your pelvis and engage your lower abs. And if you find yourself in a hotel and the fitness center is closed, no problem. Turn on CNN and do some squats and lunches in your room while you catch up on the news.

Take these suggestions as they are and understand there are some risks. Biking to the grocery store once left me with a 10-pound watermelon strapped to my back going uphill. Commuting to work on rollerblades can leave you careening down a hill. And even the most rule-abiding cyclers need to watch out for SUVs making quick turns into the biking lane. Despite these risks, stealth workouts are a great, fun way to stay in shape. Let us know how you’ve found interesting ways to sneak in some exercise during your week.