You know that old cliche “every little bit helps”? 

It’s 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 are hassles or time drains. But what if they can be seen as opportunities to move or play 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 without requiring more gym time.

(Essentially, it becomes a two-for-one activity—which is what many of us need to justify making time for self-care.)

Play, as in Please Look After Yourself, is when we reframe movement and exercise as fun. 

It is the ultimate form of self–care because play improves overall health and connects you with others, all while boosting happiness, excitement and la joie de vivre (a cheerful enjoyment of life.)

Play reduces anxiety and depression without needing a complicated fitness routine or meal plan.

And when it comes to your work or business, you can easily integrate boss-approved movement into your schedule, which ultimately helps with creativity!

Want sneaky ways to exercise more during your business day? Click here for an article I wrote and published this week in Quotable magazine, aptly named “7 Ways to Incorporate More Play Into Your Business Day.”

This also works for activities you might hate.

Take household chores. The idea, from the 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 favourite 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. I highly suggest listening to Camille DePutter’s “Storytelling with Heart” podcast, where we discussed “How To Play More.” 

Win-win-win.

Play on!

xox Coach Jan