Everyone Needs More PLAY Time!
There are plenty of opportunities to add spontaneous play to your day – whether it is dancing around the house or playing at the park. Try keeping a bag of fun in your car including sneakers, towel and a ball of some sort. The city has numerous parks, trails, and beaches to get outside and move around.
If you are seeking a more organized form of weekly play, there are leagues offered for numerous sports for both adults and youth. Leagues are available for individuals and/or groups of people wanting to play together. Check out a meetup group for age specific groups, sport specific groups or groups with common interests. Whether it is a pickup game with new found friends at the neighborhood basketball court, a bowling outing with your coworkers or taking your kids to the park for a game of soccer – making the choice to do something active will greatly change your outlook and provide healthy habits for a happier life.
Stand up & get moving at the office! Try setting your timer on your phone to go off twice during your work day to remind you to get up and walk around. If you do not have lots of space to walk, try doing 10 jumping jacks, running jacks or high knees. Another option is to simply stand up/sit down 10 times. That alone will get the blood flowing! After you get the hang of this, try increasing the number of mini breaks to every hour in your day to ensure you are moving. Add a 7th inning stretch around 3pm. Stand up and reach your hands to the sky and then touch your toes. Park your car at the back of the lot so that you have a little further walk and always take the stairs instead of the elevator.
The struggle is real! Finding time to exercise is often difficult with our busy lives. With just a few adjustments, you can increase your steps per day while at home. We all have chores to do around the house. Try adding music and dance your way through the house. While watching the big game or your favorite show, use the commercial breaks to get in some crunches or mountain climbers. Jumping rope is a simple exercise that really gets your heart pumping. Start with 25 a day and then gradually increase. Take a walk around your neighborhood daily! Who knows….you may get to know your neighbors better!
Try making small changes to PLAY more every day!
Tracey Giebner
Managing Director of Tampa Bay Club Sport / Club Sport Kids
