Wake Up Your Work Day with these 5 Fitness Tips

Take care of your body. It’s the only place we have to live in.

Yes, we all know that regular exercise is beneficial for weight loss, overall health, and energy. But here’s the kicker – your career can benefit from physical activity as well!

Imagine earning an extra 9% percent per year just because you broke a sweat every day.  According to the Journal of Labor Research, people who work out are out-earning their sedentary counterparts in the workplace.

Now, this isn’t because they are earning extra points with the boss for shaping up.  Rather, it’s for all the mental benefits that come with regular exercise such as:

• Improved focus
• Increased productivity
• Increased cognitive function
• Stress Management
• Boost mood

My co-workers always knew when I had crushed my morning workout because I would have an extra pep in my step throughout the day.

So what can you do to incorporate all these workout and workplace bonuses?

Here are my top 5 Fitness tips to wake up your workday – even with a busy schedule!

Treat your workout like an important meeting

I know this may seem silly at first, but you need to treat exercise like any other important deadline or meeting, which means it must become a priority.  Simply block off 30-60 minutes on your calendar and voila, you just made it “official.”  Whether it’s scheduled for 5 am or 6 pm, treat it like any other “do not miss” appointment in your day.  

This means you need to show up for yourself the same way you show up for everyone else.

Hit the Weights

Cassie Lambert – Online Trainer & Strength Coach

In order to reap the full benefits of exercise in your career, you need to build that lady lifting muscle.  Incorporating weights into your workout routine will give you more of a brain boost than aerobic exercise alone.  Building muscle and strength has been directly linked to a rise in cognitive function and overall brain power. This means more muscle equals more money in your paycheck.

Take the Stairs

A free workout is just a step (or steps) away.

I’m sure you have heard this one before, but most of us don’t get around to doing it.  Taking the stairs instead of the elevator really is one of the easiest ways to get a few more extra steps into your day and will still take you to the same place you were already planning to go.

Make use of breaks

Have you ever experienced the dreaded afternoon slump? You know the kind that makes you virtually useless the last few hours of the workday. Let’s just say I am guilty of staring at my computer with brain fog as the clock approaches 5 pm.  It usually occurs right after lunchtime when your belly is full and you have already been up since 5 am.

Also read: The amazing power of 5-minute desk yoga

In order to beat productivity killers like this, take a few minutes before lunch ends or even on your next break and walk around the office or go take a quick 5-10 min walk through your building.  It may not seem like much but this will get the blood flow going back through your body and produce energy to power you through the rest of your day.

Find your Tribe on Maroon Oak!

Do What You Can

It is easy to use the “I don’t have time” excuse.  Easy because you really are busy being superwoman. But even Super Woman knows that if she really wants something then nothing will stop her.

So, do not get caught up in the idea that if you don’t have an hour you should just skip your workout altogether, but rather simplify your strength training session by spending 30-45 minutes hitting all major muscle groups such as squats, deadlifts, and shoulder presses and leave the bicep curls for any extra time you may have at the end.

Also read: Nurture your Career with Nutrition: Eating Well for Women on the Go

If you still want to add in some cardio, stick with High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) on a bike, treadmill, or rower.  This means you will “sprint” with 100% effort for 20-30 seconds and then rest for 2-3 mins at a moderate pace to recover.  The best part about HIIT is you will continue to burn calories 24-48 hours after your session is over. And you only need to do about 10-15 minutes of HIIT to benefit from this fierce fat-burning zone.  

Now when you are sitting at your desk the rest of day your body is multitasking for you.

Most important – Sweat, Smile & Repeat!

Though it may seem overwhelming at first, it is possible to stay in shape and prioritize your exercise while also excelling in your career and managing your busy life.  In fact, it may be the very thing that leads you to your next promotion or big idea. We know some of the top female executives and entrepreneurs prioritize their health with the same 24 hours we are given each day.

Jessica Herin, founder of Stella and Dot says “Long ago I realized I’m never going to have enough time to get everything I want to do done, so I might as well exercise and still have all that other stuff to do. Some things are going to be left undone every single day, and exercise cannot be one of them.”

We should be able to take that same high achiever attitude and apply it to our own lifestyle.

So, how will you commit to being fit with your busy career and life?

 Connect with Cassie

Cassie Lambert is an online trainer and strength coach for women.  She specializes in helping women ‘crush the weights’ with confidence and teaches women how to build a strong body and helps remove weight loss as a primary focus.  She is the creator of strength focused programs such as Lift Like a Boss and Build and Burn.

As an Army Veteran and mother of two she’s learned how important it to break the stereotypical rules of what “women’s fitness” should be and share how lifting heavy weights cannot only build help build confidence but also prepare you the physical demands of everyday life.

Grab her free Wake Up Your Work Day fitness plan for 30 minute go to strength training workouts that can be completed at home or in the gym. Visit Cassie’s website.