Every working woman knows it’s essential to factor in time for physical activity. Personal development outside of work is necessary to stay at the top of your game, and many develop a regular exercise routine to spend more meaningful time with themselves. Unfortunately, some feel that a typical 9-to-5 (on top of all the responsibilities at home) leaves little time for impactful, results-driven workouts like going on a long run, taking a hike, or spending hours at the gym.
Poor overall health can hinder productivity at work by affecting your ability to focus and capability to do manual tasks such as lifting or moving objects. Sitting at a computer all day can also negatively affect your mental and physical health, from eye strain to mental fatigue to poor posture.
How can busy career women find the time to exercise while juggling a demanding job and responsibilities at home? For some, it’s a matter of penciling-in exercise on their agenda and sticking to it. For others, inserting frequent and repetitive movements throughout the workday is the key to staying active on the go.
If you struggle to know where to begin and want simple, at-home workouts even the busiest career women can manage, read on for a few suggestions.
Hop on a stationary bike between meetings
Many at-home-gym setups feature exercise bikes because of their reputation for being practical and easy to use. As more adults shift to working from home, many have turned to reliable stationary bikes, like the Peloton model, to facilitate at-home workouts.
Stationary bikes provide enthusiasts with the same cardio and strength-building exercises that road bikes present without the unsafe environments that come with outdoor activity. Whether you have time for a quick interval workout or a 30-minute live-stream spin class, working women will only ever be a few steps away from excellent at-home training.
Take a (virtual) yoga class during your lunch break
Yoga is the ideal at-home activity for every woman who desires a more low-impact workout during their day. The perfect yoga class may be a follow-along video in your living room or take place in person at a local studio. Regular yoga practices offer limitless physical and mental benefits, like increased flexibility, toned muscles, and newfound mental clarity.
Tip – If you’re a working professional living in a city centre and don’t necessarily have the time or space to exercise as much as you’d like, try to think about ways that you’re using your apartment space. If you look at some of the modern apartment interiors offered by RWinvest, for example, throughout busy cities in the UK, their sleek, modern designs appeal to the working professional wanting to operate out of the city and feature open spaces that allow tenants to make the most of their living area.
You might want to take some inspiration from these sorts of designs and try to maximize space in your apartment, not only helping with productivity but also with the amount of different exercises you can do in-between working and general home life.
Always take the stairs
Stairs are a perfect place to sneak in a little extra cardio throughout the day. If you have an office job on the upper floor, take the stairs to your space instead of the elevator. A stairwell is also an excellent place for short-midday interval workouts if you’re bursting with energy and couldn’t squeeze in a morning workout. For example, you can run up the first flight of stairs, walk up the next flight, run up the next set of stairs, and repeat until you’ve fed your fix.
HIIT workouts for extra busy days
High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) workouts are trendy among the get-results-quick crowd. Short bursts of high-effort movement followed by brief rests are the defining characteristics of this popular workout technique, perfect for those who need frequent breaks but want a high-intensity routine. HIIT usually lasts only a few minutes per workout, and you will continue to burn calories even after working out, making it perfect for your busiest workdays.
Invest in a punching bag
Women searching for a workout that allows them to loosen up and let off some steam should consider investing in a personal punching bag. You can try out various exercises, like boxing, kickboxing, MMA, and self-defense, all of which are excellent strength-building, cardio workouts. These activities are known for burning large amounts of fat and quickly building muscle, which is ideal if you want fast, visible results.
Do micro-workouts throughout the day
Similar to HIIT, micro-workouts enable you to stay active while on the go. The only difference between micro-workouts and HIIT is the intensity level. Some examples of micro-workouts are calf-raises while waiting in line for coffee, lunging from your office to meeting rooms, or doing a quick, at-your-desk ab workout in between calls. Micro-workouts are perfect for an on-the-go women with limited time, as they can do exercises nearly everywhere, anytime.
Wrapping up
Although scheduling time to exercise as a working woman may seem impossible, it’s critical for your mental and physical well-being. Luckily, you don’t need expensive equipment or gym memberships to stay fit. Instead, utilize your surroundings, invest in compact at-home equipment, and employ simple micro-workouts throughout your day to keep your mind and body sharp.