Work Week Workout Solutions

When most of your week is spent at a job, free time becomes a valuable commodity. One of my biggest challenges is just finding the time for a gym visit. Do I hit the elliptical for 45 minutes, or go shopping to replenish my painfully empty fridge? Do I wake up early for a run, or to get a jump start on a client status report? When life gets busy, physical activity ends up on the chopping block.

So how are us working girls suppose to stay active during the week? Here are a few tactics that have been working for me lately:

Add it to your calendar

As silly as it might sound, map out your workouts on your calendar before the week starts. Adding a 30-minute workout to my planner helps me think about it as a meeting, rather than something optional.

Turning it into a social thing

Turn your next coffee date or happy hour into something physical. It's easy to meet up with a friend at the park for a good walk or jog. Going for a run with my co-worker after work was a great way to pound out the stress of a busy day on the pavement.

Sacrifice a little sleep

You can always start your day a little earlier. Set your alarm 30 minutes before your typical wake-up time. Or force yourself to get up when your alarm goes off. I spent at least 20 minutes laying in bed on my phone after the alarm goes off. That's time I can spend getting up and hitting the gym for a quickie workout session before work.

Take meetings on the road

Weather permitting, turn your next one-on-one meeting into a walking workout. It's great to get out of the office with a co-worker, stretch your legs and chat on the go. Being away from the office is also a great way to refresh your brain and generate new ideas.

Break up your day with walks

Did you know that five minutes of walking each hour can help reserve the health effects of all-day sitting? Whenever possible, I try to get up and move - whether it's pacing while I'm on a phone call or going to chat with a co-worker in person rather than sending an email.

What are your tactics for staying active during the work week? Let me know in a comment! I'd love to hear.

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