How to Incorporate Daily Movement When You’re so Dang Tired?

This post is all about the importance of daily movement to start increasing your energy throughout the day.

It is not uncommon to have thoughts like “I’m too tired” or “I’m too busy”. I have those thoughts so frequently that I sometimes chastise myself for thinking it for the umpteenth time in a day.

It’s normal to think like that if you’re working all day and then come home and work some more by taking care of the family. 

But, it can’t be an excuse to not take care of yourself.

If you want to learn to prioritize yourself, you need to get out of the cycle of making excuses about exhaustion and time crunches. 

Don’t listen to that little voice in your head that’s feeding you excuses because all it’s doing is keep you stuck in a cycle that makes you feel worse each day. 

Read on if you want to find how to shift your thinking and actions to ones that will increase your daily movement and make you feel like the mom who can crush it.

The Truth About Energy (Especially for Moms)

Here's what I've learned after years of believing I was "too tired": Moving actually creates energy. It sounds backward, I know. Especially when you can barely keep your eyes open at 2 pm. But you know that sluggish, heavy feeling we all struggle with? Movement is often the fastest way out of it.

How Do I Make Myself Move More?

How to start

We all have habits, and our habits are what got us where we are (tired). If you’re looking to make changes to your habits so that you feel more energized, start small. Below are a few ways to begin incorporating movement that will not feel overwhelming but will get you active.

The 2-Minute Promise

Maybe you can't find 30 minutes right now. That’s okay. Start with two minutes. 

• A quick yoga flow (child's pose to downward dog to cobra)
• Bodyweight circuit: 30 seconds each of squats, push-ups, mountain climbers
• Core work: plank hold or dead bug exercises
• Quick walk

The magic: Oftentimes, the hardest part is starting to move. If you can commit to two minutes, you’ve done the hardest part of adding movement: starting.  Once you start, you often keep going. And if you don't? Two minutes still counts.

The Piggyback Method

If you’re still looking for ways to get blood flowing to help with your tired slump, try attaching movement to things you're already doing. My favorite is the second one. 

• Single-leg stands while brushing teeth (hello, balance challenge!)
• Do exercises like squats, crunches, stretches, or bands while watching TV
• Walking lunges down the hallway
• Tricep dips using your couch, chair edge, or coffee table

The Permission Slip Approach

Stop putting barriers in between you and movement. Give yourself permission to think outside the box in order to start incorporating movement. 

• Stop worrying about putting on workout clothes. Just exercise in your pajamas.
• Plan for deep-cleaning or gardening and count it as your workout.
• Take a walk after dinner and give that movement the credit it deserves. What to learn more about it’s value, check out this blog post "7 Guaranteed Benefits of Walking as an Exercise Explained".
• Use Youtube to start moving. There are great content creators who will get you active in the comfort of your own home. Check out this post "5 YouTube Channels for Beginners the Make Workouts Easy" for some suggestions.

How to Incorporate Exercise Into Your Daily Life

Here's the thing nobody tells you: You don't need motivation to start. You need to start to find motivation.

Like I said before, we all have habits. They are what helped us get to where we are (whether we like it or don’t). That means that habits are what will keep you going after getting your body motivation in the right space.

By doing the small steps above, you are creating the habit of incorporating movement into your life. This intentional thinking will grow with time.

If you don’t mind, here’s a little anecdote about my relationship with movement. I spent most of my adult life trying to exercise, but never fully committing for very long. 

Then, I did commit.

I have incorporated exercise on a regular basis in my life for the past three years. How did I start? I made sure that I had someone that kept me accountable, and I made it a non-negotiable. Even when I didn’t want to work out, I did. 

Now, it’s a habit that I love. I plan to work out at least three times a week, and I can’t think of a week where I didn’t do this.

It’s all because I motivated myself and did it when I didn’t want to and was too tired.

Building a Habit for Body Motivation

I won’t claim that it’s an instant relationship, but I will promise that it will provide you with energy to do all the amazing mom things that you tackle each day. Which will, in turn, motivate you to keep being active.

The more I started to move and “do something”, the better I felt afterward. You will, too.

Once you make the connection between how you feel less tired, you should start to dedicate more time to activity each day. 

Let your habit grow.

How Does Exercise Improve Energy Levels?

Moving gets the heart pumping and the blood flowing. This has a cascade effect in the body making you more alert, and overall, happier. Learn more here. 

The Bottom Line

There are going to be times where you let the little voice in your head that tells you how tired you are win, but that’s only one battle. Don’t give up.

Your body isn't asking for perfection. It’s not demanding hour-long gym sessions or matching workout outfits. It just wants to be remembered, moved, and appreciated for all she does.

One of the best things you can do for you and your family is to start putting in a little time for yourself to improve. You are worth it, and you will find that all other experiences improve when you commit to taking time to re-energize yourself.

What's one tiny way you could increase your daily movement today? Just one. Start there.

{Related Post: A Simplified Guide to Self-Care Practices for Working Mothers}