Let’s face it. Back when you didn’t have your own place, you weren’t willing to do chores around the house. That’s okay, you were young, and you wanted to do things that aren’t cleaning the house, doing laundry, or mowing your parent’s lawn.
But things changed. You grew old, got a job, managed to get your own place, and you realized that all the work you thought you were forced to put in when you were younger was your parents’ way of preparing you for doing things on your own.
Imagine if you didn’t know how to wash a used plate properly, you’d be in for eating with them not properly clean. It can pose health implications, especially if you do it long enough.
If you’re not aware, most work you do around the house gives you opportunities to stay fit and healthy. They cause you to break a sweat and feel tired, but that’s a healthy part of your daily life.
How can you make time for exercise?
If you work a 9 to 5, you probably think that you don’t have enough time to manage a household and stay healthy on top of it. You can’t be more wrong. While you’re doing chores that require a lot of movements, you’re actually getting more exercise than you think—especially if you do them every day.
But if you can, you should at least squeeze in less than an hour for a quick exercise routine. Not only you’ll be fitter, but you’ll be more physically equipped to tackle the mountain of chores at home.
To give you an idea, here’s a list of house chores that are helping you stay active:
1. Garden work
Staying physically active doesn’t always need to come with a gym membership that you have to pay for and not use consistently. It can be a waste of resources to most people, especially those who are busy at work and home.
If you are fond of gardening, you’re already working major muscle groups such as your legs, arms, and stomach as you dig and turn compost for your yard greens.
Doing garden work equates to light walking, stretching, and some yoga. Many people find gardening both comforting and physically stimulating. That means you don’t have to beat yourself up for not having time for exercise because you’re already doing it while accomplishing house chores.
2. Vacuum days
The level of physical activity vacuuming your home’s surface equates to hiking or using a rowing machine at the gym. You can amplify the work you put in your limbs by extending your muscles to get the dust off hard-to-reach spots at home.
You can also turn your regular vacuum day a notch by turning some energizing music on and following the beat with your body as you clean. This gives you more energy, and you burn more calories.
3. Doing laundry
Laundry day is something most people dread. Doing it can take up a whole day, especially if there are so many dirty clothes piled up over the past days. But you shouldn’t be dreading the day it comes every week.
Why? It’s a great way to workout. Even if you prefer to have your laundry serviced by your trusted laundromat, you’re still doing light exercise because you have to gather your clothes, and even better if you walk to the laundromat.
Doing laundry at home gives more physical strain because you have to lift your arms up and down as you do it. More activity if you hang your clothes instead of using a dryer.
The location of your laundry room also matters. If it’s in the basement, walking up and down many times during laundry day that happens every week can help you shave some pounds off.
How can you make it fun?
If you have kids, try to get them involved if they’re willing to join you. You can teach them how to do basic garden work or invite them to help you sort the laundry out into color piles during laundry day. Not only do you spend quality time with them, but you also train them to do simple chores without beating them up about it and letting them have fun.
As working around the house is something you can’t avoid, it’s good to find ways to make doing them more bearable and worth your time. They don’t have to be things you dread doing, but they can be things you’ll get used to doing. You can finish your tasks and maintain your health at the same time.
