If you’ve a hectic home life, you’ll no doubt understand how much additional strain work can place upon your lifestyle; indeed, if you’re used to spending your days surrounded by paperwork, hassle and demanding colleagues, we’re guessing you probably choose to supplement your outside life with as many easy choices as possible. Although there’s little harm in choosing the easy road every once in a while, compromising too often can have a detrimental effect on your health and happiness. Take the issue of exercise, for example; there’s nothing less tempting than an evening in the gym when you’ve spent all day at work. Few could blame you for missing that personal trainer appointment once, but you’d be doing yourself a disservice to continually use work as excuse. How can you expect to remain active, unless you exercise a little discipline once in a while?
What happens if I’m not working out regularly?
We all understand how important it is to remain fit and healthy, but do you have any idea how those countless days of physical inactivity are likely to be affecting you? Focusing all of your attention on work, rather than staying fit, can put you at a greater risk of accidents and injury when you do get around to working out, as well as greatly increasing your chances of suffering from heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure and stress. You’ve no doubt noticed the numerous strains that are placed upon you by the working day; when you’re sitting down for hours upon end each day, your body and posture are going to suffer. You might even notice that you’re taking more frequent sick days, and that your work is starting to suffer as a consequence. You’re feeling tired; you’re sluggish; you need a boost. While exercise can provide that boost, it’s vital you don’t throw yourself in at the deep end; listen to your body and start a routine of gentle, albeit regular exercise, until you’re used to the pace. It’s also important to wear the correct kit whenever you’re working out. Compression wear, such as the collection available on https://www.tommiecopper.com/, is a great place to start, since it’s designed to improve circulation, support muscles and joints, and protect the body from knocks and scrapes. Starting from the toes up, the site offers the best compression socks to ease you into your new, healthy lifestyle.
How to exercise alongside a demanding job
Maintaining an active lifestyle that complements your demanding job could be easier than you think, if only you’d stop and take a look at these tips…
Monitor your success
Sometimes it’s not enough to know that we should be exercising; indeed, a little inspiration can go a long way towards achieving our goals. Fitness apps, interactive watches and pedometers can provide that motivation, reminding you how far you’ve come and how far you’ve left to go – as well as offering a few treats and rewards along the way. Taking the stairs has never seemed so tantalizing before…
Create a schedule
If you’re used to working in a fast-paced, hectic environment, there’s a good chance you’re accustomed to routines, and scheduling time for appointments, meetings and snatches of a lunch break. There’s no reason, then, why your approach to exercise can’t be the same; by scheduling particular times to workout, you’ll ensure you remain active without compromising your working day – or your opportunities to unwind afterwards.
Substitute your commute
Perhaps the easiest way to stay active when working a hectic job is to sandwich your day between exercises. We’re referring, of course, to your commute. Whenever possible, leave your car at home and cycle into work, or endeavor to walk a few extra blocks from your bus or subway stop. When so much of your working day is spent sat at a desk, it’s often nice to mix things up a little – you’ll arrive at work feeling refreshed and ready for whatever your boss has to throw at you.
Turn your work into a workout
If you’re struggling to remain active around work, consider squeezing exercises into your day instead. Why take the elevator when you can skip up the stairs and add years to your life in the process? There are plenty of exercises that can be undertaken at your desk, including stretches and lunges, while break times were made for gentle strolls, jogging and even yoga in the break room. If your company owns a gym, or offers a corporate membership, be sure to make the most of that too; exercise could become your new wind-down.
Involve a friend
Whether it’s a work colleague, someone you know nearer to home, or your partner, it’s always a good idea to involve someone in your new, healthier lifestyle; you’ll have fewer opportunities to back out if someone is relying on you as their workout buddy. Exercising with a friend or family member is a great way to ensure that workouts remain fun, and to push you to your limits. Exercise is never boring with a companion at your side.
Of course, the key to any successful workout is to mix things up. Rather than walking to work each day or swimming every other evening, aim to vary your lifestyle with an array of activities that test your mind and body to their limits. We, as a species, respond well to such variation, and you’ll soon notice how positively each workout is benefitting your lifestyle – well, until you choose to ramp things up again, that is. A demanding career and a hectic work/life balance are among the worst offenders for hampering an active outlook, but things needn’t be so complicated. Relax, breathe and take a long, hard look at your life; the changes are there to be made, if only you’d take the leap.
