The Simple Trick To Keeping Yourself Motivated To Move Your Body
If you've been having a hard time getting yourself to workout lately, you're certainly not alone. The rules around productivity are rapidly shifting, and as such, your motivations levels can dip throughout this transition. A favorite way to get yourself in the mood to move is to choose a podcast or TV show that you've been waiting to watch or listen to and schedule it for your time working out. That way, you can have an incentive to get you to your mat or to put your running shoes on.
Since many of us are working out at home right now, it also helps to designate an area that's strictly for exercise, even if it's a small corner. This can help minimize distractions and get you in a focused frame of mind much more easily (via Healthline). If your feelings of sluggishness persist, however, you may want to look into steps to alleviate feelings of grief, depression, or anxiety.
Change up your routine and your expectations
Perhaps the easiest way to move your body on a regular basis begins with changing your expectations. Maybe right now isn't the time to start training for a marathon, but it still can be a time where you can enjoy walks outside. Even if your routine isn't considered "high intensity," you can start to move your body in ways that feel really good rather than dragging yourself to your mat every day.
Switch it up — one day, go for a walk in the morning and the next do half an hour of stretching. Bonus points if you can go outside! Getting sunlight is a natural mood booster that brings on levels of endorphins associated with a happier mood and a greater sense of calm (via Self).
Check out different low-impact workouts that will keep things exciting and also leave you feeling good rather than exhausted. Hiking, doing a yoga or pilates class, and swimming are all examples of low-impact exercise that can be more gentle on the system, but still very effective (via Greatist). Remember — just because your workout routine may look different right now doesn't mean that it isn't enough.