By Arthur A. Burley 
When you try to find time for exercise, it can be overwhelming. These are the tips that I offer my patients in physical therapy… and how I keep myself moving.
Fill in the blanks: parent working, a parent working night shifts or student, a parent who commutes or stays home to care for children. It’s not hard to find ways to get exercise in your daily life.
My business is as a mom and physical therapist. I must schedule my exercise times.
In the last 11 years, I have realized that the “I’ll-workout-later” approach does not work. To keep my mental health and strength, I must make time for exercise.
Here’s another tip: Try adding a few extra activities throughout the week and day to keep your body active. Even a few minutes more movement can add up over time.
Go up the stairs
I do. You’ve probably heard this a lot. It’s still one of my favourite tips.
Taking stairs rather than the elevator can increase your heart rate, balance, and lower-extremity strength. You can do heel raises from the edge of the step if you feel energetic and have time, or take two steps at a stretch.
You’ll be glad you didn’t take the elevator.
Incorporate walking meetings
Schedule a walk for one day if you work remotely or have made the transition to virtual conference calls.
You don’t have to stare at a screen or look at spreadsheets. Instead, take your headphones with you and go for a walk. This is a great way for you to change up your daily routine.
If you work in an office environment, take your one-on-1 meetings with you. Walking together can improve team bonding and lead to better ideas. Research has shown walking increases creativity and improves mental acuity.
Lunge it up
This is something I do a lot. I get funny looks from time to time, but I’m busy, and my time is precious.
Walking lunges along supermarket aisles while still holding on to the cart is great for shopping. The cart provides a balance point and allows you to make about 10-20 lunges per pass, depending on how long the aisles are in your supermarket. It’s quite fun, so go for it!
Place your weight on an exercise ball
You can swap your office chair in favour of a stability ball. You can use the stability ball to help your back and improve posture. Also, while you are sitting on the ball, you can perform gentle mobility stretches for your neck and pelvis.
To help your core stabilizers, try a hula-hoop motion. Tucking and untucking your pelvis can be done by making a hula-hoop motion. Sitting marches and other exercises can be added to your abdominal work. All this while you are still at your desk.
Park far from the city
Although we must be alert and safe around our surroundings, it is a good idea to park further away from where you are going. Walking for a few extra minutes can help you increase your daily steps.