You spend all day getting stuff done. Between errands, work, and all the other little tasks that clog up your to-do list, when you get home at night, all you really want to do is relax—even though you promised yourself you’d head to the gym.
Sure, you know exercise is important for supporting your overall health, but so are sleep and chill time, so the decision seems to be made for you already: Stay at home on your comfy couch and you’ll hit the gym tomorrow… unless you’re really busy again.
To break out of this cycle, Julia Brown, Nike Well Collective trainer, has some advice—and it involves letting go of this “all-or-nothing” mindset toward exercise. It’s simple: Instead of waiting for when you have a free hour (so, maybe never?) to workout, try taking a few 10-minute exercise breaks to split up your day.
“The all-or-nothing mentality often discourages people from exercising if they can’t commit to a full workout, but short workouts provide a manageable starting point, and we love a good starting point,” Brown says.
Easily fitting into your schedule isn’t the only benefit of exercise breaks, though—they can also support your mental health, according to licensed psychologist Mariel Buqué, PhD.
“Any movement is helpful when it comes to relieving stress,” Dr. Buqué says. “The body doesn’t function well in stagnation, especially if we are perseverating in our thoughts and fee
