One life habit that is often neglected is the habit of daily exercise. There are several reasons for this: too hard, too painful or the ever popular,
I'll do it later, when I have time.
Physical activity is not as hard as you think. In fact, is not as painful as you think either (you should be virtually pain free after about a week. For a short investment of time each week, you will reap a ton of rewards.
So, don't put off exercise. Get educated on what you want to accomplish and jump in. I'll even help get you started on developing a plan for daily exercise.
- Understand the benefits
Most people vastly underestimate the value of daily physical activity. There are both physical health benefits as well as productivity benefits. The physical health benefits include obvious things such as burning calories and increased metabolism resulting in increased weight loss. Exercise also lowers the risk of heart disease, diabetes and high blood pressure and helps to maintain healthy cholesterol levels.
Exercise also helps with a number of things that improve life productivity. These include increased energy, better sleep patterns, and reduced stress. All of these allow you to be more productive in your work and play. Physical activity also reduces the risk of depression, increases your self-confidence and in general helps improve your mental state.
- Just get started
Often the hardest part of any task is getting started. Just like a train engine uses the most energy getting up to speed, we often struggle to start anything new, especially exercise. Therefore the priority needs to be on just starting.
Do something physical. You do not need to start by purchasing expensive equipment or joining a gym, instead you can start by going outside for a walk. Take a thirty-minute walk, or play a game with your kids; do something active. By doing something right away, you are starting to gain momentum. Once you've done something basic the first time or two, you can start developing your plan to maintain the practice and to develop the habit.
- Develop a set time
Having a set time to exercise each day is an important way to keep you focused and accountable. The time you choose to exercise will depend a lot on your work schedule and productivity habits. One of the most popular times to exercise is in the morning. If you set yourself the goal to exercise in the morning you can complete it and know that you've started your day by completing one of your most important goals first.
Another popular time is immediately following work, or between 4 and 6 PM. Here exercise serves as valuable transition between work time and your evening schedule. It allows you to de-stress from what you have been doing all day and clear your mind from problems that should be "left at the office".
If you have a more flexible schedule, such as people who work from home, you may want to exercise in the middle of the day or when your productivity tends to slip. Often people will have a productivity decline in the mid-afternoon. Exercise can be a valuable way to fill this time.
Above all, make your daily exercise consistent. Exercise at least six days a week. You can take one day off as a rest day, but don't consider it a "reward" day. If you consider it a "reward" you will soon consider the other six days as "work" that you need to do achieve the "reward". Exercise should be considered a reward on its own.
- Make it fun
It is important to make exercise fun. If exercise is fun on its own, you will be more likely to follow through with your exercising commitment even on days when it may feel difficult.
There are lots of ways to make exercise fun. First of all, choose an activity that you enjoy. For some people this means playing a particular sport. For others it means joining a gym so you they can be around people. For others, it can be fun to purchase a piece of exercise equipment and be able to work out in the comfort of their own home.
Secondly, have fun by creating activities to do while you exercise. This may be watching a favorite television show that you have recorded on your DVR. It may be listening to music on your MP3 player. You can also have fun by setting challenging goals within your exercise program and then achieving them.
- Use the time for personal growth
There are many ways that you can use exercise as format for personal growth. Simply by developing the habit of daily exercise and achieving your goal of improved health and well being you are demonstrating to yourself that you have what it takes to be successful.
You can also use the time for personal growth by listening to podcasts, motivational lectures, sermons, or audio-books. Not only are these activities a wise use of your time, they will inspire you to continue exercising and pushing on towards your goals.
Personally, I alternate between "fun" activities while I exercise (such as watching my favorite television show while I work out on our elliptical trainer), and personal growth activities. Both inspire me to keep exercising and help me to be more productive with the rest of my activities.
- Get a partner or support team
Few things help you pursue your physical activities goals as having a partner or support team. A partner is someone you work out with. Having a partner provides both accountability and encouragement. If you have to meet your partner at a certain place and time for your exercise, chances are you will be there. You don't want to leave your partner alone.
If you don't have a partner who will exercise with you, develop a support team - someone who will encourage you to keep exercising, remind you of the benefits, and challenge you to reach your goals. My wife and I serve in this function for each other. Because of our schedules we exercise at different times, however we both encourage each other and push each other to reach our goals.
- Celebrate your success
Find some way to celebrate your new habit. Perhaps promise yourself a reward if you exercise at least 20 days in the upcoming month. Acknowledge that you have taken some big steps towards improving your life. Perhaps find a reward that you can use while you exercise, such as a new MP3 player, or a new CD. You reward doesn't have to cost money, it could be something as simple as a warm bath, or special meal. Celebrating success is a vital success principle.
Hopefully these tips will help you to develop the habit of daily physical activity. The rewards are significant, both in the short-term and the long-term. Start now, and before you know it, exercise will be a daily part of your successful life!
Danny
译文:
7准则养成每天锻炼的习惯
由丹尼.嘉马奇写于2008年8月1日，详见
Success Professor.
人们惯于常常忽略每天锻炼的习惯。如此是有理由的：太辛苦且不易坚持或者说不盛行，当我有时间我就锻炼。
体育并没有你想的那样辛苦。实际上，它比你想象的要舒服的多，在坚持锻炼大约一周后，就不痛苦了。每周只消花点时间，你将受益匪浅。
所以，不要放弃锻炼。为你的想达到的或想晋级的目标而训练。我将助你达成每天锻炼的计划。
- 明确利益
多数人严重低估了每天进行体育锻炼的价值。每天体育锻炼有益于身体健康，提高工作活力。对于促进身体健康的益处包括显而易见的方面如促成卡路里燃烧和提高新陈代谢，从而有助于减肥。锻炼同时降低了患心脏，diabetes（糖尿病)以及高血压的风险，帮助我们保持胆固醇平衡。锻炼也有助于提高生活活力。这包括增加体力，更好的睡眠模式，减少压力。所有这些可使你在工作和玩乐时更具创造活力。体育活动同时减少抑郁情绪，提高自信，总之，有助于提升心理状态。
- 行动起来
万事开头难。像火车头一样用上最大的能量出发，急速前进。我们常常挣扎着开始做某件新事务，尤其是锻炼。因此，首当其冲的需要是要行动起来。
做相关身体锻炼的运动，你可以以出去散散步作为开始，而不需要购买昂贵健身设备或者加入健身俱乐部。花30分钟散步或者和你的孩子玩游戏。做积极的运动。马上行动吧，你将开始拥有动力。 一旦做了一两回基础锻炼，便可以开始策划保持锻炼习惯的计划。 - 设立固定时间
每天固定一个时间做锻炼很重要，以此可以保持注意力和责任感。你选择做锻炼的时间取决于你的工作行程和工作习惯。早上，是最普遍的锻炼时间之一。如果你为自己设立目标在早上锻炼并且完成它。可见，首先完成一件最重要的目标 ，将成为你一天的开始。
另一个普遍的锻炼时间是在下班当即，或者在下午4点到6点之间。这时，锻炼的价值是作为工作时间和夜间活动安排的过渡服务。它使你得以缓解一整天的工作压力，清理你脑子里那些应该被。"left at the office".（留在办公室）的问题。
如果你有一个更为灵活的行程，比如在家从业者，你可以在中午做锻炼或当你的工作力开始下滑时。人的工作力常常在午夜时分下降。锻炼是填补这段时间的最佳方式。
以上是使你的日常锻炼持之以恒的方法。每周至少锻炼6天。可以停一天作为休息日，但可别把那天当成了“犒劳”日。如果你把休息一天作为对自己的奖赏，很快，你会把其他的6天当成"工作"，你需要完成它以得到“奖赏”。锻炼应该被认为是对其本身的一种奖赏。
- 使其乐趣横生
让锻炼变得有趣很重要。如果锻炼本身是种乐趣，你便更可能对这项锻炼坚持到底，哪怕在那些使锻炼变得困难的日子里。
有很多方式可以使锻炼变的有趣。首先，选择一项你感兴趣的活动。对一部分人来说这意味着玩一场特殊的运动。对另一部分人而言是加入一个健身俱乐部，与人接触。对于其余人，乐趣在于购买一件运动器材在家里舒服的做运动。
其次，通过在锻炼时做别的活动获得乐趣。可以观看录制下来的喜爱的电视节目。也可以听听你MP3里的音乐。 你还可以为锻炼项目的设定挑战目标，达到它，以此为乐。
- 利用锻炼的时间发展自我
有很多途径可以把锻炼作为个人发展的构成部分。只要养成每天锻炼的习惯，达到促进身体健康和心情愉快的目标。这些足以向自己证明，你有成功的必备条件。
你可以利用这段时间通过收听音频广播，鼓励性的演讲，演说，音频书籍以发展自我。收听这些节目，不但可以明智地支配时间，而且你还由此受到激励，继续锻炼，朝目标推进。
个人而言，我会在锻炼时交替的更换“乐趣”比如，当我跑步时，或观看我最爱的电视节目或收听发展自我的节目。两者都激励我保持锻炼，帮助我在其他活动中更具有活力。 - 找个伴或者后援团
没有什么能像伴侣和后援团一样帮助你进行体育运动。一个伴侣能陪你一起锻炼，使你充满责任并且给予你鼓励。如果你想在一个特定的时间和地点约你的伴侣去锻炼，而只有你在那，才有这样的机会。而且你并不想把你的伴侣丢下。
如果没有陪你一起锻炼的伴，参与一个后援团，他们会鼓励你继续锻炼，提醒你此间的好处，向你挑战以使你达到目标。我和我的妻子就是这样相互支持。由于我们的行程不同，我们锻炼的时间就不同。然而，我们相互鼓励对方并且推动对方，向我们的目标迈进。 - 预祝成功
设法预祝培养新习惯获得成功。或许是对即将到来的一个月中锻炼至少20天的最好允诺和褒奖。因为你为提高自己的生活已经付出了巨大努力。或者你可以弄个可以在锻炼时使用的奖赏，比如一个新的MP3或者一张新的CD。给自己的奖励不一定很昂贵，可以是类似泡个热水澡或美美的吃上一顿这样简单的事。预祝成功是获得成功的必备原则。
愿这些准则能帮助你养成每天进行体育锻炼的习惯。它的回报将终生具备重大意义。从现在开始，在你明白这些之前，锻炼将成为你成功生活的日常部分。
丹尼