The Answer to “I Don’t Have Time to Exercise”

The fact that mini workouts can benefit our health is an obvious advantage. However, there are many other benefits to incorporating these short bursts of exercise into your day. Due to our busy and evolving schedules, it can be hard to commit to long exercise sessions. Mini workouts allow you to incorporate physical activity more easily into your day. While planning for a thirty-minute workout can feel discouraging on an already busy day, it can often be more realistic to wrap our head around 5 to 15 minutes of exercise at a time. A few active moments throughout the day can feel more manageable and less stressful than scheduling a longer workout. This perspective can help our exercise become more consistent over time. Mini workouts help decrease our daily sedentary time by providing more frequent movement. Short bouts of activity can also act as a mental break and mood lifter, which can help improve our mental health.

The Disadvantages

Drawbacks are very minimal when participating in mini workouts, but there are still a few things to keep in mind. While some movement will always be better than none, remember to accumulate shorter bouts of activity throughout the day. The goal is to still work towards reaching the recommended amounts of weekly exercise for the most health benefits. Be mindful to incorporate a quick warm-up before and a cool-down after your mini workout. These are necessary to lower the risk of injury and get the most out of your exercise. Mini workouts tend to be higher intensity, and because of this, you should be sure to allow your body adequate rest, recovery, stretching, and days with lighter activity. Continue planning your mini workouts. Think about your day or week ahead and where you’ll fit in your quick exercise to help keep you consistent.

Quick Examples

Mini workouts don’t need to be boring. Pick an activity and get moving for a few minutes at a time. If you’re unsure where to start, try one of the options of quick workouts below.

  • A five-to-ten-minute brisk walk around the office or home.
  • A quick circuit of body weight exercises such as squats, push-ups, and lunges.
  • Take the stairs.
  • Short workouts from apps like Nike Training Club or FitOn.
  • Mini workout circuit from DAREBEE.

If lack of time has always been your reason for not exercising consistently, try adding mini workouts to your day and bust those excuses once and for all. Keep exercise and your health on the top of your priority list while you see how activity can be incorporated into your entire day.

Always consult with your physician before starting a new exercise program.

Written by BWS Lead Health Coach- Kelly Schlather, BS, ASCM – CEP

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