10 Tips for More Movement in Everyday Life

More movement in everyday life doesn't have to be strenuous or complicated. Often, small changes are enough: walking more often, taking the stairs, standing up while on the phone, or consciously incorporating short walks. The key is not a single large workout, but rather being regularly active and breaking up longer periods of sitting.

As a guide, international and German physical activity recommendations advise adults to engage in at least 150 to 300 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity per week. This includes everyday movement, not just traditional sports.

10 Movement Tips at a Glance

Tip	How to incorporate more movement into your daily life
Observe your steps	First, become aware of how much you actually move.
Walk short distances	Leave the car or bus more often for suitable routes.
Use a bicycle	Cover medium distances by bike if possible.
Take the stairs	Use stairs instead of the elevator or escalator if it's feasible for you.
Stand up during your workday	Regularly interrupt long periods of sitting.
Take a walk after meals	Combine your lunch break or dinner with a short walk.
Make meetings more active	Arrange to go for a walk more often.
Seize opportunities to join in	Get active when opportunities for movement arise spontaneously.
Stay active at home too	Use waiting times and TV evenings for short exercise breaks.
Develop small routines	Link movement with fixed moments in your day.

 

More Steps in Everyday Life: Every Path Offers an Opportunity

1. Find out how much you move

A pedometer in your smartphone, a smartwatch, or a fitness tracker can help you better assess your own movement behavior. Initially, it's not about reaching a specific daily target. More interesting is the question: How much do I move on a normal day – and where could I do a little more?

Then set a realistic personal goal. Even an additional short walk or consciously walking some errands can make everyday life more active.

2. Walk short distances more often

The way to the bakery, the post office, or the mailbox doesn't always have to be covered by car. Even small detours can add up throughout the day.

Those who travel by bus or train, for example, can get off one stop earlier. Drivers can consciously choose a slightly more distant parking spot.

You can learn how to maintain a natural gait when walking in the guide [Walking Correctly].

3. Use a bicycle for medium distances

For distances that seem too far to walk, a bicycle can be a good alternative. Shopping, visits, or the commute to work can – depending on distance, weather, and personal fitness – sometimes be done by bike.

The advantage: Movement doesn't become an additional appointment, but rather a component of a journey you would make anyway.

4. Take the stairs more often

Stairs are one of the simplest ways to incorporate movement into existing routes. Instead of automatically choosing the elevator or escalator, you can walk individual floors.

It's important to remember: Movement should suit your personal abilities. If climbing stairs causes pain or makes you feel unsteady, choose a more comfortable alternative.

Movement Without Sport: Making Your Workday More Active

5. Break up long periods of sitting

Especially with desk jobs, many people spend a large part of their day sitting. Therefore, it's worth consciously incorporating small movements.

For example, stand up when you want to discuss something with colleagues, pick up printouts yourself, or don't place frequently needed items directly next to your workspace.

Phone calls also offer a good opportunity: If the situation allows, you can make calls while standing or walk a few steps. Such short interruptions help to break up long periods of sitting. The RKI points out that regular physical activity can support fitness and well-being, among other things.

6. Take a short walk after eating

A walk doesn't have to be long to add extra movement to your day. Ten or fifteen minutes after lunch are often easier to fit in than a separate workout in the evening.

In the workday, this can become a fixed break routine. At home, a walk after dinner is a good idea. The crucial thing is that an occasional idea becomes a regular habit.

7. Take appointments outside

Not every meeting has to take place at a table or on the sofa. A shared walk combines conversation and movement without it having to become a sports program right away.

Especially practical: During conversation, time often flies by – and movement is perceived less as an additional task.

Small Routines Make an Active Everyday Life Easier

8. Join in when the opportunity arises

Children or grandchildren playing in the garden? Friends want to go for a walk? Exploring the destination on foot during a vacation?

Many opportunities for movement arise spontaneously. Those who don't just watch, but occasionally participate, accumulate additional active minutes throughout the day without having to plan them beforehand.

9. Stay active at home too

A TV evening and more movement are not mutually exclusive. For example, use commercial breaks or the end of an episode to stand up, walk a few steps, or briefly mobilize yourself.

Other small waiting times are also suitable: while coffee is brewing, while on the phone, or while something is in the oven. A few minutes can turn into several small exercise units throughout the day.

10. Link movement with fixed daily routines

Habits are easier to maintain if they have a fixed place in everyday life. Therefore, find a moment that occurs every day anyway.

This could be, for example:

• moving for a few minutes in the morning before the day begins,
• taking a walk around the block during your lunch break,
• going for a walk after dinner,
• always standing up when on the phone,
• doing short errands on foot whenever possible.

Start with one or two routines that truly fit into your daily schedule. Only when these have become second nature should you add the next one.

Keep Your Feet Active – Regularity is More Important Than Perfection

More movement in everyday life doesn't require a rigid step count or a perfectly planned training schedule. More important is to regularly incorporate movement into your daily routine and utilize opportunities that permanently suit you. The WHO also emphasizes: Any physical activity is better than none.

Our feet, in particular, accompany us step by step. We explain in more detail why regular walking and movement are also important for them in the article [Why Movement is Good for Our Feet].

So, start small: one walk, one more flight of stairs, or a ten-minute stroll. Over time, individual conscious decisions can naturally lead to a more active everyday life.