How to Add Movement to Your Day When You’re Super Busy

• Exercise can improve blood sugar, mood and sleep as well as heart, bone and muscle health.
• But when life gets busy, it can be hard to find time for daily movement.
• Experts have easy strategies to help you get the exercise you need, no gym required.

You want to exercise regularly. You even crave it, knowing how good you’ll feel afterward and how it will benefit your long-term health. The problem is, you just can’t seem to fit it into your day. Sound familiar? Truth is, no matter how much you want to exercise, sometimes life has other plans. Whether it’s a hectic work schedule, never-ending family obligations or a stream of social commitments, carving out time for physical activity can be a challenge. 

We get it. And we’ve got good news. Personal trainers and fitness experts say there are plenty of ways to add movement to your day, even when you’re super busy. In return, you’ll reap a long list of health benefits, like steadier blood sugar, better sleep and mood, stronger muscles and bones, and a lower risk of heart disease, weight gain and cancer.

Of course, you may be wondering how much activity you need each day. You might be surprised to learn that physical activity guidelines aren’t based on a daily goal. They’re more flexible than that, focusing on the amount of movement you need per week. Numbers-wise, the Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans recommends that adults get 150 minutes of moderate-intensity or 75 minutes of vigorous physical activity per week, along with two weekly muscle-strengthening sessions.  

If you can’t make that happen, smaller amounts of physical activity can still be beneficial. And these don’t have to be all at once, or even involve a visit to the gym. Mowing the lawn, gardening, dancing, walking or biking to work, and short bursts of activity like doing 10 pushups before making your morning coffee all count. 

For even more tricks to rack up those exercise minutes, we reached out to personal trainers and fitness experts. Here are their top strategies for adding more movement to your day when life gets hectic, no gym required.

1. Use a Standing Desk and Walking Pad

You may not have time to exercise during your busy day. But standing and walking during the day can be a game-changer. “If you work from home, consider a standing desk with a walking pad,” says certified personal trainer and fitness instructor Emma Graves. “This low-impact, low-intensity cardio can skyrocket your daily step count and is perfect for multitasking.”

Even if you don’t have a desk job, a standing desk or a walking pad can be great ways to squeeze in activity. Research has found that standing desks may improve vascular function in the legs and reduce insulin resistance and triglycerides among people with obesity. And walking has endless benefits, from improving sleep and mental health to decreasing the severity and risk of many health conditions like cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes. One study even found that using a walking desk may help people feel as though they have a better work-life balance.

2. Turn Social Time into a Workout

“If you’re a social butterfly, consider scheduling physical activities with friends,” Graves says. Maybe it’s an evening or morning walk, a swim, a volleyball game or a pickleball or tennis match. “Not only will you burn calories, train your body in multiple planes of motion and strengthen your heart and lungs, you’ll also have fun and connect with others while doing it,” she says.

3. Integrate Small Movement and Stretching Breaks

Physical therapist Devin Trachman, DPT, recommends scheduling short breaks throughout your day for stretching, posture exercises and strength-based movements, like planks, squats and heel raises. Research shows that even small amounts of activity may significantly benefit your health. For instance, one study found that as little as 12 minutes daily of moderate to vigorous physical activity may improve heart health and blood sugar.

Plus, less sitting means you’ll probably feel better physically. “When we sit, we are flexed at the hips, which can lead to hip tightness and potential lower back pain,” Graves says. “It’s important to stand throughout the day to maintain your posture, improve your circulation and reduce pain.”

4. Time It Right

Exercise habits are way more likely to stick when they fit well with your lifestyle, says Trachman. If you know you’re more likely to be able to work out without interruption at 5 a.m. rather than 5 p.m., set that early alarm and make it happen before the rest of the world wakes up. Or, if you’re someone who prefers winding down from the day with an after-dinner walk rather than sitting on the couch, lean into it. 

5. Try “Exercise Snacks”

Exercise snacks are short bursts of movement that take just a minute or two at a time. Two minutes may seem small. But the benefits add up when you integrate exercise snacks throughout the day, making them both time-efficient and effective. 

According to one study, exercise snacks can improve cardiovascular endurance and metabolic and heart health. And results from another small study offer even more encouraging evidence. When adults with type 2 diabetes interrupted prolonged periods of sitting with short, three-minute bursts of light-intensity walking or simple resistance exercises, like calf raises, every 30 minutes, they experienced improvements in insulin, glucose and triglyceride levels.

“Any exercise you like can be turned into a snack,” says fitness instructor and personal trainer Andrea Lepcio. “Get creative, avoid boredom and add variety.” 

Here are some of her favorite exercise snack suggestions:

• Hold a plank for 30 to 60 seconds.
• Sit down, then stand up. Repeat 10 times.
• Do 8 to 12 bridges or bird dogs.
• Do 8 to 12 leg lifts or leg circles. 
• Do high knee lifts, lateral lunges or hamstring curls for 30 seconds.
• Walking to a meeting or to lunch.

6. Walk and Talk

“When trying to start a new habit, like walking more, it’s helpful to stack it on top of an existing habit, like taking a work call,” Graves says. If you have to take a call, consider doing it on the move. Maybe this means you catch up with family and friends while walking outside or pedaling on a stationary bike. You can even squeeze in some movement during work calls that don’t require you to be in front of a computer. 

Our Expert Take

Moving your body does so many good things for your physical and mental health. It improves blood sugar, helps reduce stress, boosts mood, builds muscle, lowers the risk of heart disease and more. However, finding time for exercise can be challenging, especially when you’re busy. 

Fortunately, getting the recommended 150 minutes of weekly physical activity doesn’t require a long, sweaty workout or a trip to the gym. Fitness experts have tricks that can help you squeeze regular movement into your day, even when you don’t have time to work out. These can include using a standing desk with a walking pad, taking regular two-minute breaks for “exercise snacks” or meeting friends for a pickleball game instead of grabbing drinks. And don’t underestimate the power of finding the best time of day that exercise works with your busy schedule. Because, in the end, life shouldn’t get in the way of staying strong and active.