Integrating movement with your current daily habits is one of the best ways to exercise without going to the gym, because it removes the barrier of time.
WHY IT MATTERS
Dr. BJ Fogg is founder of the Stanford Behavior Design Lab and the creator of the science behind Tiny Habits®. What he saw was that too many of us have been told that it takes drastic changes to make any real difference, but the science says just the opposite: small changes lead to the biggest impacts! So this month, we hone in on the power of using what Dr. Fogg has termed “tiny habits,” and our focus is to use this science to increase the amount of movement each day.
The “tiny habits” science says to take any new habit you want, and then scale it back so that it’s super tiny. In the case of wanting to read more, that might mean reading one paragraph. In the case of moving, it means doing movements so simple they seem almost too easy to fit into your day. The science says that more movement, even in small doses:
- Leads to better sleep, more energy, stronger muscles, less stress and a healthier heart
- Treats your brain to a bubble bath of neurochemicals, neurotransmitters, and endorphins, thus leaving you feeling better, more creative, and able to focus better
- Reduces anxiety and frustration while boosting your mood and improving your memory
Use tiny habits to make a big difference.
It’s as easy as 1, 2, 3!
STEP 1: IDENTIFY ROUTINE HABITS
This can be anything you frequently do throughout the day such as sending an email, brushing your teeth, or putting your shoes on to go to work.
STEP 2: IDENTIFY A SMALL MOVEMENT
This can be any movement that is appropriate for your environment (e.g. push up, squat, hamstring stretch).
STEP 3: COMBINE STEPS 1 AND 2
Every time you perform a daily activity from Step 1, perform a small movement from Step 2.
Keep the number of repetitions you do small (don’t increase over time) to ensure that you always do them. Over time, small changes make a big difference!
