We may very well call this year, the year of the 10,000 steps. Everywhere you look someone has something on them that is tracking their steps. Whether it be from their watch, a pedometer or their phone tracking their every step. We are now saturated with the idea of getting more steps in every day. Now don’t think I am speaking negatively about this, as it is important to move every day. Whatever it takes to get people moving more, is one more positive justice done to society.
I personally know it can be a challenge to get in 10,000 steps every day unless I purposely go on walks that last for miles. Instead, I try and work in more movement into my daily tasks, so that all the smaller chunks of steps add up to create the big picture. Because let’s face it, a lot of us don’t have 90 minutes in the day at one time to go walk 10,000 steps.
Here are ways that have helped me to get more steps into my daily tasks to make achieving a 10,000 step goal easily obtainable.
Change Your Mindset
If going to a spin class or jumping into a hot yoga class during your lunch hour seems extremely stressful and time-consuming, then don’t do it. No one is telling you that is your only way to get more movement into your day. Start with something small and build up. Rome wasn’t built overnight, don’t expect to reach “more movement’ goals overnight either.
Walk A Lap Every Hour
Whatever situation you find yourself in during your days, just walk a lap around your surroundings. If you work in an office building, get up and walk around the hallways, meandering up and down a few times before walking back to your desk. If you are home, grab something that is laying around and go put it away. Maybe do this for a few items you see lying around. Taking smaller moments like this every hour, not only helps in your step count but also gives your mind a break from whatever you are doing – helping you both physically and mentally.
Talk To Your Co-Worker
Instead of e-mailing a co-worker, walk over to them and have a face to face conversation instead. You’ll be getting some movement in and may conclude your conversation faster than e-mailing back and forth all day.
Set An Alarm
You aren’t going to remember every hour to get moving. Technology today helps you to set reminders easier than ever. Set reminders for every hour, or whatever increments you want, to work into your day to remind you to get moving. They help me tremendously when I am focused on a certain task. Without a reminder the next thing I know three hours have done by and I haven’t looked up from the computer.
Leave Your Lunch In The Car
It is lunch time, if you brought your lunch, leave it in the car. This will force you to have to walk to go get it. Not only will it add more movement into your day, but it will also make your lunch more satisfying by the sheer fact that you had to put effort in to go get it. If it was just sitting at your desk, you could mindlessly eat it while still working. Walking to go get it takes effort and appreciation. If you are going out for lunch walk there. Pick a place that is walkable, just like leaving your lunch in the car – the effort to go there will be more satisfying when you are eating your lunch and you worked in more movement in your day.
These five tips have worked wonders for me. How do you like to get in your 10,000 steps a day?
