Lately, to limit the spread of COVID-19, many of us are spending the majority of our time at home. While every individual’s circumstance is unique, there’s one thing most of us can relate to: Some days it can be a challenge to find the energy and motivation to adapt to this new, temporary normal. Like most other public places, gyms and fitness clubs are closed. So unless you have a home gym, an energy-boosting workout can seem nearly impossible. Thankfully, if you can carve out 15-30 minutes to dedicate to your own self-care each day, you can get the pep back in your step from the comfort of your own home! These three easy and creative short exercises will give you the physical and emotional boost you need to feel refreshed and ready to take on the day.

Getting Motivated at Home

There’s no doubt that it can be difficult to self-motivate while staying home for days or weeks at a time. Instead of waking up eager to take on a busy day of work, errands, and multiple responsibilities, we are now completing most of our “to-do” lists without even needing to put on shoes. This can result in limited motivation to keep active, which naturally reduces our energy levels. Regularly engaging in exercise benefits more than your waistline, it also:

• Gets the blood pumping, increasing overall energy
• Helps reduce emotional fatigue
• Encourages healthy blood pressure
• Creates mood-boosting endorphins
• Refreshes the mind, encouraging mental clarity
• Can help you sleep better

With so many benefits, there’s no doubt that adding a short energy-evoking exercise to each day is a great idea. But how can you motivate yourself to actually do it? The first step is to set your personal fitness goals. For instance, let’s say your goal is to work out for just 15 minutes each day. With your goal identified, you can then put a plan in place to help yourself follow through with it. A few ways to set yourself up for success include:

• Designate an area in your home for your workout. Creating an environment conducive to your goals, which can include motivational posters or workout equipment (like hand-weights or a yoga mat) can help create a supportive workout space.
• Pencil it in. If you have a busy work-from-home schedule already, you may have to add your goals to your calendar. And like any other meeting or obligation, use that designated time to work out.
• Set an alarm. Choose a cheery alarm tone, and set a time to stop what you’re doing and work out for 15 minutes. This simple practice can help you remember to work out, and can drastically improve your mood and productivity if implemented regularly.
• Keep a fitness journal. This simple gesture is a great motivational tool. Jot down every time you work out and how you felt afterward. This can help you actually see your progress, provide encouragement and accountability, and help you keep track of your fitness goals.

Let’s Get Moving!

Now that we’ve outlined the benefits of regular exercise and how to get motivated from home, let’s get to the fun part. Here are some unique, fun, and easy exercises to energize you!

Jump around!

Just reading those words may evoke some fun, vivid early 90’s memories, depending on your age. It may sound silly at first, but don’t discount this simple, fun way to raise your heart rate and break a sweat! Jumping can be done with or without a jump rope, and can be modified to accommodate just about any level of athletic ability. The act of jumping strengthens your leg muscles, engages your core, and increases your heart rate. Plus, it can be really fun! You can implement jumping in five-minute intervals in the following fun ways:

• Using a jump rope or mimicking the gesture of a jump rope.
• Use sidewalk chalk outside or your yoga mat inside, and play a game of “hopscotch,” alternating your starting foot.
• Skip in place, challenging yourself to raise your knees higher with each interval.
• Take tiny hops in place, deeply engaging your calf muscles.
• Do some old-fashioned jumping jacks. Add a clap above your head, in front of you, or for a challenge – behind your back!
• Combine any variation of the above while listening to your favorite upbeat music!

Shake it off!

There’s nothing like turning on a fun, toe-tapping song and showing off your favorite shoulder-shaking, hip-wiggling moves! With this one, simply have fun! There are many ways to dance along to your favorite beat, and you can adapt it to your comfort level. Feel free to let your arms wave freely, shake your hips, and let the music flow through you for at least three songs (or the same song three times if it’s one of your favorites).  Believe it or not, there is research to support that shaking your body can offer numerous health benefits. Dancing provides a great cardiovascular workout. Especially when combined with music, it creates plenty of mood-boosting dopamine to make you feel good!

• Freeform dance along to an upbeat song.
• Turn on a dance workout video and follow along.
• Create your own short dance sequence, which exercises your body and your creativity.

Stretch it out!

When most people think of stretching, they usually think of yoga. Of course, yoga is an excellent full-body workout. If you know a few yoga poses or have a video to follow along to, it’s an excellent way to warm up your muscles and engage them in deep, flexibility-enhancing stretches. If you aren’t well-versed in yoga, you can still reap many benefits from stretching. In short, five-minute intervals (or for an added element of fun, during a few of your favorite songs), stretch different parts of your body gently. After a couple of intervals, if you feel your body is up for an added challenge, stretch deeper as you grow more comfortable and your muscles warm up.

• Try a 15-minute flexibility routine.
• Choose a few stretches that align with your comfort and abilities, and create a short routine for yourself.

In just fifteen minutes, you can drastically increase your energy levels by adding a few mood-boosting exercises to each day. While staying at home, it is very important to continue engaging in self-care and investing in your health and well-being. At Pharmstrong™, we understand that these are challenging times, and it is our goal to provide resources and support to help us all emerge from this crisis as strong as possible. In addition to providing beneficial resources, we also offer a wide range of organically grown, Pure + Potent CBD products and CBD Kits to support your overall wellness.

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