Maybe you already have a morning workout before staring your day. Yet, you still fight fatigue, both mentally and physically, especially in the afternoon. Instead of taking a catnap, try exercising.
You don’t have to pound away at the treadmill for even half an hour. Just get up and move your body for a short period. Besides energizing you, it also burns calories.
How Exercise Helps You Mentally
When you exercise, your body releases endorphins. Chemicals that enable us to feel happier, as well as more peaceful, endorphins also minimize pain. Instead of reaching for a magic pill, exercise so more endorphins will be discharged, resulting in an improved mood and overall mental state.
What’s more, when you finish working out you also gain self-esteem, giving yourself a feeling of accomplishment, having met a goal.
Midday Exercises for Office Workers
Again, you don’t have to have a full gym workout or run a track record to get in an exercise session in the middle of the day.
- Walk – Get out of your chair and move. Instead of joining your coworkers for a snack, take your afternoon break walking either outdoors or in your building. If you can’t stray far from your desk, just walk around your work area.
- Arm and/or leg lifts – If you can’t get away from your desk, do some simple leg lefts while sitting. Move your arms, as well.
- Weights – Bring in a few small weights and do some weight lifting. By toning your muscles, you’ll feel much better and more energized.
- Get creative. Think of all the ways you can move your body for a minute without leaving or straying far from your desk. For suggestions, check out the “Exercise at Your Desk” website where a number of 60-second workout ideas are listed.
- Climb stairs – Of, if you’re not able to exercise without getting a stare from your boss and/or co-workers, you can always go up and down the stairs a couple of times for an energy boost.
Afternoon Mini-workouts for Busy Moms
There’s no more draining job on earth than that of a fulltime mom. It’s fine if you can catch a catnap while baby naps, but also try to incorporate some physical activity when you feel afternoon fatigue trying to sap your energy.
- Walk – If you have young children, take them on a walk with you. Even if it’s just down the street, it’s enough to give you an energy boost.
- Join a gym – Most fitness centers have a nursery where you can drop off your young children while you exercise. Besides the regular workout machines, treadmills, bikes, and weights, many gyms offer specialized exercise classes for moms. In addition to getting an afternoon energy boost, you can also connect with other stay-at-home moms.
- Stroller Strides – There are several fitness programs available on DVD. You can actually buy strollers designed to help workouts. Stroller Strides provide total body workouts designed for moms with stroller age children. They offer classes combining power walking, as well as body toning, all while your baby is next to you, sitting in a stroller.
- Dance – Put on an uplifting CD and dance to the music around your living room. Or, if you have Sirius Radio, there are numerous music stations from which to choose.
Keep Exercising
Finally, don’t forget to keep exercising in the afternoon on a daily basis, just as you do your morning workout. Before long, it will become an anticipated part of your afternoon routine.