You know that old cliche “every little bit helps”?
It’s really true, only most people have a hard time seeing it that way.
But have a look at this list:
🏡Vacuuming the house
🌱Weeding the yard (a.k.a. “gardening” for people who like it)
🐕🦺Taking the dog for an extra walk
🏀Shooting hoops in the driveway
🤽🏾♀️Marco Polo with the kids (instead of watching them play in the pool)
To many people, these might be viewed as hassles or time drains. But what if they were seen as opportunities to move a little more while accomplishing other stuff? This slight reframing might inspire you to get more done, have more fun, and increase your daily energy expenditure—all without requiring more time in the gym.
(Essentially, it becomes a two-for-one activity—which is what many of us need to justify making time for self-care.)
This also works for activities you might hate.
Take household chores. The idea, from University of Pennsylvania scientists, is to pair an activity you feel inclined to do but don’t enjoy (a “should”) with an activity you look forward to doing (a “want”).
Example: If you save your favorite podcast (want) for when you vacuum (should) but also reframe it as exercise (another should), you accomplish two “shoulds” at once—and get your want, too.
Win-win-win.
