22 April 2024 | Published originally on the blog for Trailhead Athletics, in Bellingham, Washington.
Discover practical strategies to incorporate more movement into your daily routine, even with a packed schedule. Learn how small changes can lead to lasting fitness habits.
If you pay any attention to the health and wellness spheres, you’ll have heard the trending idea that sitting is the new smoking. Most of us live busy lives, striving to be it all and do it all – for ourselves, our families, our friends, our careers.
There is never enough time in a day. If only we had another hour, we could fit in that workout that we just can’t get to today.
The Reality of Modern Movement Habits
We are so often our own worst critic, and part of that looks like setting standards that we can’t always meet. In the ideal world, we would fit our workout in every day – right? But life happens, or other priorities take up space.
It’s easy to get attached to that ideal world, but with just a small shift of perspective, we can reorient our movement goals and empower ourselves with small “spot drills” of movement throughout the day.
We may not have time for 30, 45, or 60 minutes of intense training; but you can probably find (or create) 5 minute pockets of time to stretch, pick up something heavy, or breathe.
Breaking Free from Sedentary Routines
Going to the gym is the easy part. Building the habits when you’re at home to break up the monotony of the day-to-day routines takes a whole new level of responsibility.
The first step to reorienting that goal is to step out of automatic habits, and infuse our conscious actions with purposeful intention. The second step is to be curious about what we usually do (or don’t do), and why.
Proven Strategies for Lasting Habit Change
We’re going to dive into some creative ways to add movement into your day – whether at work, home, or with your family. But first, we’ll look at strategies that lead to success. The “what” is certainly important, but the “how” is what leads to sustainable habits that can last a lifetime.
1. Stack Your Habits
We only have a certain amount of willpower in a given day. The more effort that’s required to change our behavior, the more likely we are to fail. Overtime, we tone the muscle of self-discipline – like any physical muscle – and change becomes easier. By stacking our habits, we minimize effort, and over time the habit becomes second nature.
Habit stacking looks like adding an action to something that is already hardwired into your routine. This might look like merging two things into one: like calf raises while brushing your teeth; or stacking one thing after the other: like taking a walk after your first glass of water in the morning.
2. Find Accountability
As ironic as it is, we are often the ones with whom it’s hardest to keep our word. Telling someone what your goal is will help stay on track, especially if you have an agreement to check-in daily with each other.
3. Use Technology Wisely
Set an alarm or timer on your phone to remind yourself of movement breaks throughout the day.
4. Focus on Consistency
Aim for consistency, not volume. Set a time and a place to kickstart your habit.
Make an agreement with yourself that every day, this is a non-negotiable thing to do. We lose an incredible amount of energy and willpower thinking about if we should or shouldn’t do something.
Having a non-negotiable agreement in place with yourself reserves your energy and willpower for more pressing matters, and everytime you tick the box of that habit, you build a stronger foundation of trust with yourself.
5. Plan for Success
“If you fail to plan, you are planning to fail.” Articulate the movement habit that you want to start with yourself, and turn it into a S.M.A.R.T. goal. Make it specific, measurable, achievable, and time-bound.
6. Embrace Flexibility
Life happens outside of our control, and sometimes we fall off track. If that happens (and it will), stay focused on moving forward and taking control of what you can: your actions. Visualize the Future Self you are aiming to become, one day at a time.
7. Celebrate Small Wins
Rather than focusing on a large goal looming in the future, focus on the daily steps you are taking to get there. Breaking a bigger goal into micro goals will give your brain consistent hits of dopamine, powering your willpower to keep going. In the case of daily movement, keep your focus on today.
That reward might be as simple as positive self-talk to cheer yourself on, or enjoying your cup of coffee after our morning walk.
8. Carry Your Gym on Your Back
Take small (and literal) steps toward change. My favourite way to move my body is with rucking – basically, walking or hiking carrying a certain amount of weight on your back. I first stepped into the rucking world when living in Sweden, diving into a 12 hour MILRUCK event with no idea what I was doing.
What I love about rucking is that you can make it as easy or as hard as you want. Start with 5 pounds, or level it up to 50. From my own experience, it feels soooo empowering to walk out the door with the hip strap snug around me (maybe it’s weird, but it feels so comforting to my nervous system). It gives me the comforting feeling, “aaaaahhhh, I have the strength to carry the world on my back.”
Whether it’s physically true or not, it helps to filter away mental or emotional strain, focusing on the strength of taking each step forward.
If this piques your interest, check out GORUCK for all your rucking needs. I absolutely love my Ballistic Trainers (awesome for CrossFit, too!) and my bright blue Rucker (sadly limited edition, but keep your eyes out for random colour drops!).
Ready to Transform Your Movement Habits?
Don’t wait for the “perfect” time to start moving more – that time is now. Begin with just one habit stack today: pick a daily activity you already do, and add a simple movement to it. Whether it’s desk stretches during your morning email check or squats while waiting for your coffee to brew, every bit of movement counts.
Stay tuned for Part 2, where we’ll explore specific movement exercises and routines you can easily incorporate into your busy schedule. Sign up for our newsletter for more inspiration about life, the Universe, and everything!
I’m no longer coaching at Trailhead Athletics, but you can always go in for a free trial near Squalicum Creek Park, in Bellingham, WA!
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