5 Ways to Cram Exercise Into a Busy Workday

Too busy to make it to the gym? We’ve all been there. You can still incorporate some exercise into your workday, even if you have a mountain of emails to answer and deadlines to meet.

Walk or Bike to Work.

Start your busy day off right. You have to get to work one way or another, so you might as well do it the healthy way. If you’re able to, get up a little earlier and walk or bike to work instead of driving or taking public transportation. In addition to burning calories, you’ll get some vitamin D and might discover a cool new neighborhood or interesting-looking lunch place.

Organize a Lunch Break Walk.

Find some other fitness-minded people in your office and band together for lunch time walks. Try to keep up a brisk pace and find new routes to take so you don’t get bored. You can eat lunch at your desk while answering emails when you get back. This is also a great way to get to know coworkers and foster a healthy work environment (which is what you can tell your boss if she’s wondering why nobody is at their desk!).

Swap Your Office Chair for an Exercise Ball.

Keep an exercise ball under your desk and roll it out a few times a day. Sitting on a fitness ball can help you work your core muscles, and you can even sneak in some leg curls or crunches when nobody is looking. Start with 15 minute intervals and work your way up to longer stretches. Alternatively, if your office offers standing desks, opt in and you can do calf raises or march in place!

Climb the Stairs.

If your office building has stairs, take 15 minute breaks and walk or jog up in the stairwell. Move at a brisk enough pace that it’s tough to carry on a conversation, but no so fast as to break out in a sweat (unless your office has a shower, then go for it!). Recruit a coworker to go with you if you’re feeling self-conscious, or make an office wide challenge to see who can squeeze the most stair reps into a workday.

Do Some Covert Bodyweight Exercises.

If you’re lucky enough to have a private office (or just don’t care if coworkers stare) then you can get in a pretty good workout with 15 minutes of bodyweight exercises. Do some pushups, planks, or sit ups. Get creative – there are a ton of exercises that don’t require any equipment other than yourself!