How To Fit Exercise Into Your Daily Tasks

The most common thing people say is that they don’t have time for exercise. But it’s easy to fit exercise into daily tasks throughout the day..

Sure, it would be great if we could give ourselves the gift of time. With just an extra hour each day, we would promise to completely dedicated to our wellness goals.

Instead, many are left struggling to fit fitness into our day.

I can’t give you more time in your day, but I can share this little life hack with you: You don’t need downtime to fit in exercise.

There are many opportunities to squeeze in an exercise or two in nearly all of your daily tasks.

Here are five ways that you can sneak some fitness into your day:

✔️ Wake up with abs

Let’s be honest, not many of us jump out of bed the exact moment that the alarm goes off. We usually take a minute or two to come back to reality, to think about our day, maybe to wish we had a few more hours of sleep.

You can use these few moments to start the day with a gentle and EASY ab workout in your own bed!

Lie flat on your back sideways across your bed so that your legs hang off of the side of your bed (with the edge of your mattress meets the back of your legs) and your arms reach past the other side of the bed when you put them above your head.

Grab a pillow and hold it with both hands, extend your arms above your head.

Now bring your legs up so that your feet are aimed towards the ceiling and your knees are slightly bent.

At the same time, lower your arms to meet your knees and transfer the pillow.

Place the pillow between your knees and straighten out again.

Repeat by raising your knees (with pillow) back towards the ceiling and lifting your arms from above your head.

Do this for a few minutes while you plan your day and gather your morning thoughts.

✔️ Brushing your teeth

Dentists say that you are supposed to brush your teeth for at least two minutes, twice a day. While you are managing your oral hygiene you can multi-task and get in a few minutes of squats, balance or quick standing, side crunches every day!

Hold your arms in a T shape and bend both hands towards your mouth.

Use one hand to brush your teeth. As you brush, lift your left knee and cross it towards your right elbow, crunching your midsection slightly to meet joints. Repeat on the other side.

Continue these movements for the length of time that you are brushing your teeth. (If you do a mouthwash or fluoride treatment, that is another minute or two to side crunch!)

✔️ Rinse and Repeat

Okay, this one is easy. Do squats in the shower.

While you shampoo and conditioner and wash your face – do slow, deeps squats. When you shave your legs or lather up, do a slow deep lunge and hold steady.

✔️ Deskercise

A lot of you sit at a desk during the day. You may spend hours at a time checking e-mails and taking phone calls.

Sneak some weights into your day!

Use lightweight dumbbells to do curls and flies while on speakerphone for those long conference calls.

If you spend most of your time typing and need your hands, bring ankle weights and do leg extensions! Work it!

✔️ Washing dishes

While you stand in front of your sink to rinse or wash your dishes at the end of the evening, work your calves by doing calf raises.

You can actually do these anywhere and anytime that you are standing in one place!

These may seem like small steps – but small steps, done consistently over a period of time, can lead to big results!!

I challenge you to squeeze in exercise in your downtime with these ideas.

Moms can also try to fit in quick spurts of exercise throughout the day. Use baby as added weights for squats.

Babywearing makes for perfect bonding time while also getting tasks done like folding laundry. Fold some clothes then do a few reps of bicep curls.

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Read related: Tasks To Do While Babywearing To Get Things Done Around The House Fast

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When my little ones are watching TV, I use the time to do some ab work on the floor in the living room.

*The follow tips were created by a personal trainer. The content on this blog is meant to provide motivation and inspiration, not prescribe medical advice. Consult your doctor to make sure you are healthy to exercise.